Priority Open Recommendations: Office of Management and Budget

This Government Accountability Office (GAO) letter identifies priority recommendations for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and federal oversight officials. As of June 2026, OMB had 176 open recommendations, including 20 priority recommendations, addressing fraud prevention, improper payments, and federal program accountability.

The letter explains how OMB can strengthen fraud estimation, monitor agencies’ use of Treasury’s Do Not Pay system, and improve the federal program inventory. GAO estimates annual federal fraud losses of $233 billion to $521 billion and reports approximately $186 billion in improper payments for fiscal year 2025. GAO emphasizes the need for “reliable and complete data” to evaluate payment controls. Readers will understand the recommended actions, oversight priorities, and data governance improvements needed to strengthen federal financial management.