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GAO-25-108404 1 (May 29, 2025)

handle is hein.gao/cifinofce0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 




GAO U.S. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE
441 G St. N.W.
Washington,  DC  20548


May  29, 2025

Ms. Dawn  Zimmer
Acting Chief Information Officer
U.S. Department  of Energy
1000  Independence  Ave., SW
Washington,  DC  20585

Chief Information  Officer Open  Recommendations: Department of Energy

Dear Ms. Zimmer:

I am writing to you with respect to your role as the Acting Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the
Department  of Energy (Energy). As an independent, non-partisan agency that works for
Congress,  GAO's  mission is to support Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities
and help improve the performance  and ensure the accountability of the federal government. Our
work includes investigating matters related to the use of public funds, evaluating programs and
activities of the U.S. Government at the request of congressional committees and
subcommittees  or on the initiative of the Comptroller General, and as required by public laws or
committee  reports. Our duties include reporting our findings and recommending ways to
increase economy  and  efficiency in government spending. The purpose of this letter is to
provide an overview of the open, publicly available GAO recommendations  to Energy that call
for the attention of the CIO.

We  identified recommendations that relate to the CIO's roles and responsibilities in effectively
managing  IT. They include strategic planning, investment management, and information
security. We have previously reported on the significance of the CIO's role in improving the
government's  performance  in IT and related information management functions.1 Your attention
to these recommendations  will help ensure the secure and effective use of IT at the department.

Currently, Energy has nine open recommendations   that call for the attention of the CIO. Each of
these recommendations   relates to a GAO High-Risk area: (1) Ensuring the Cybersecurity of the
Nation and (2) Improving IT Acquisitions and Management.2  In addition, GAO has designated
two of the nine as priority recommendations.3 Fully implementing these open recommendations


1See for example, GAO, Federal Chief Information Officers: Critical Actions Needed to Address Shortcomings and
Challenges in Implementing Responsibilities, GAO-18-93 (Washington, D.C.: Aug. 2, 2018).
2GAO, High-Risk Series: Heightened Attention Could Save Billions More and Improve Government Efficiency and
Effectiveness, GAO-25-107743 (Washington, D.C.: Feb. 25, 2025).
3Priority recommendations are those that GAO believes warrant priority attention from heads of key departments or
agencies. They are highlighted because, upon implementation, they may significantly improve government
operations, for example, by realizing large dollar savings; eliminating mismanagement, fraud, and abuse; or making
progress toward addressing a high-risk or duplication issue. Since 2015 GAO has sent letters to selected agencies to
highlight the importance of implementing such recommendations.


GAO-25-108404  Energy CIO Recommendations


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