Comptroller General Decisions and Opinions - FAQ
How are Comptroller General decisions and opinions identified?Decisions and opinions are identified by a B-number and date. Some decisions predating 1995 were published in Decisions of the Comptroller General of the United States. Those decisions have B-numbers but are generally identified by volume, page number, and the year the decision was issued (e.g., 73 Comp. Gen. 77 (1994)). At the beginning of each volume is a "Table of Decision Numbers" cross-referencing B-numbers to the pages in that volume.
Where can I find older decisions?Use full text searching to find any decision, old or new.
When are decisions made public?Generally, GAO's decisions and opinions are issued publicly. GAO's practice is discussed in GAO's Procedures and Practices for Legal Decisions and Opinions. When a decision or opinion contains protected information, a redacted version, omitting the protected information, will be made available to the public. 4 C.F.R. ยง 21.12.
How long before a decision is made public?GAO typically will issue a redacted public version of the decision 2 to 3 weeks after the protected decision is issued.
How can I keep up-to-date on new Comptroller General decisions?To receive updates on newly released materials subscribe to daily e-mail updates.
Where are military and civilian personnel pay and allowances decisions?Military and civilian personnel pay and allowances decisions are no longer issued by GAO. For more information, see Functions Transferred to the Executive Branch. Decisions that GAO issued prior to the transfer of this function are available through GAO's Search Portal.