Correspondence

On August 23, we responded to Chairman Towns', House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, request to provide information on the top three open audit recommendations that, if implemented, would produce the greatest cost savings to the federal budget.  Additionally, the Chairman requested our assessment of the progress in implementing these recommendations and a description of any administrative or legislative action needed to bring about these savings. 

The three open recommendations we identified are that: (1) the Department should monitor its field offices' quarterly inactive project reviews, particularly on stagnant projects, to ensure that inactive obligations are liquidated in a timely manner throughout the year (totaling $800 million); (2) the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) should direct airport sponsors to develop and implement plans to recover FAA's share from the disposition of 3,608 unneeded noise land acres (estimated at $160.6 million); and (3) the Research and Innovative Technologies Administration should coordinate with FHWA to identify and review old Intelligent Transportation Systems contracts and agreements and de-obligate nearly $20 million in unneeded funds.