Selected Agencies Used Advertising and Public Relations Contracts and Public Affairs Employees Primarily to Inform and Educate the Public

		Most Agency Spending Was Concentrated in a Few Contracts Supporting Major Agency Initiatives and Communication Support

At each of the agencies we reviewed, obligations were concentrated in a  small number of advertising and public relations contracts. CFPB’s four largest advertising and public relations contracts  represented nearly 70 percent of obligations for these contracts over  fiscal years 2012 through 2016 ($22.6 million out of $32.8 million). Contract documentation linked the need for increasing  general awareness of CFPB’s tools and resources to CFPB’s statutory  responsibility to develop and implement initiatives intended to educate  and empower consumers to make better financial decisions. This  contract, and several others, supported the National Flood Insurance  Program (NFIP). According to FEMA officials, part of its role in  administering the NFIP involves public communications and advertising to  encourage people to buy flood insurance to better prepare themselves for  disaster. FEMA’s other high-value contracts included ones for services  promoting emergency preparedness, including those supporting the  Ready campaign. NASA. This center provides support  services across the agency, such as developing products that support the  agency’s education and public outreach programs. USCIS. USCIS’ two largest advertising and public relations contracts  represented just over 90 percent of obligations for these services over  fiscal years 2012 through 2016 ($18.1 million out of $19.8 million).These  two contracts supported planning and developing media and educational  messaging tools for the E-Verify and Systematic Alien Verification for  Entitlements (SAVE) programs. Resources for Contracts and Public Affairs Employees Varied over Past Decade Due to Changes in Agency Activities and Increased Use of Digital Media

		Obligations for Advertising and Public Relations Contracts Relatively Stable at NASA and USCIS, and Varied at CFPB and FEMA

The amounts the agencies we reviewed obligated to contracts coded as  advertising or public relations services varied from year to year, though  some agencies’ obligations were more stable. Public Affairs Employment Was Relatively Stable at NASA, but Increased at Other Agencies Largely Due to Operational Changes

Employment of public affairs employees at the agencies we reviewed  increased over the past decade, but was relatively stable at NASA. CFPB, FEMA, and USCIS officials identified several factors that caused  the increase in the number of public affairs staff they use, including  changes in operations and staffing structure. They said they have found this staffing model to be effective. According to officials at the agencies we reviewed, the use of digital  media has increased the reach of agency communications and changed  the nature of these agencies’ interactions with the public. Selected Agencies Used Web-Based and Other Tools to Assess Activities Supported by Contracts and Public Affairs Employees

		Selected Agencies Used Web-Based and Other Tools as Indicators of Performance

All of the agencies we reviewed identified performance indicators they  use to assess the performance of outreach activities, including those  supported by advertising and public relations contracts and public affairs  staff. The following are  examples of challenges officials at our case study agencies identified:
Lack of qualitative feedback: Officials at USCIS and CFPB told us  that while they have access to several indicators related to  performance of outreach (for example, number of visitors to a site or  downloads of materials), these indicators are not the same as  understanding whether and how information is being used. Selected agencies have taken steps to address these challenges. CFPB and DHS provided technical comments, which we incorporated as  appropriate. NASA did not have comments. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

Our objectives were to review (1) the activities that selected agencies  conducted using advertising and public relations contracts and agency  public affairs employees, and their purposes; (2) how the level of  resources selected agencies devoted to these activities changed over the  past decade and the factors that officials identified as affecting these  changes; and (3) how selected agencies measured the results of these  activities. The four  selected agencies were the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,  Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Aeronautics and  Space Administration, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Why GAO Did This Study

Agencies communicate with the public regarding their functions, policies, and activities. In September 2016, GAO reported that the federal government spends about $1.5 billion per year on public relations activities, carried out through advertising and public relations contracts and by public affairs employees.
GAO was asked to describe the purposes and reported benefits of federal agencies' public relations investments. This report reviews (1) the activities selected agencies conducted using advertising and public relations contracts and public affairs employees, and their purposes; (2) how the level of resources the agencies devote to these activities has changed over the past decade and factors officials identified as affecting these changes; and (3) how the agencies measure results of these activities.
GAO selected four case study agencies—CFPB, FEMA, NASA, and USCIS—based on factors including obligations for advertising and public relations contracts, numbers of public affairs employees, and agency missions and public interactions. GAO reviewed documentation for contracts valued at or over $150,000 from fiscal years 2012 through 2016; examined staff position descriptions, performance information, and employment data; and interviewed officials at these agencies.
CFPB and the Department of Homeland Security provided technical comments on this report, which were incorporated as appropriate. NASA did not have comments.

What GAO Found

At the agencies GAO examined—the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)—most of the advertising and public relations contracts GAO reviewed and public affairs staff responsibilities focused on informing and educating the public. These agencies' advertising and public relations contract obligations were concentrated in a small number of contracts that supported major agency initiatives and communications services. Specifically,
CFPB: The four largest contracts ($22.6 million out of $32.8 million) focused on increasing public awareness of CFPB's tools and resources related to its statutory responsibility to educate and empower consumers to make better financial decisions.
FEMA: The largest contract ($8.7 million out of $20.7 million) supported the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The agency's role in administering the program includes advertising to encourage people to buy flood insurance. Other high-value contracts promoted emergency preparedness, including the Ready campaign.
NASA: The two largest contracts ($7.6 million out of $17.1 million) supported NASA's Communications Support Services Center, which provides graphics and other services across the agency.
USCIS: The two largest contracts ($18.1 million out of $19.8 million) were for outreach for two immigration-related eligibility verification systems—E-Verify and Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements.
Over the past decade, changes in advertising and public relations contract obligations and public affairs employees varied at the selected agencies due to changes in agency activities and increased use of digital media. For example, contract obligations were relatively stable at NASA and USCIS. CFPB, on the other hand, saw an increase in obligations due to ramping up operations from 2011, when the agency began operations. Variances in FEMA's obligations stemmed primarily from fluctuations in NFIP contracts due to changing priorities. The number of public affairs employees generally increased at the selected agencies, but was relatively stable at NASA. These increases were due to changes in operations and staffing structure. For example, USCIS changed its staffing model to add more lower-level public affairs staff. Officials at three of the four agencies we reviewed noted an increased use of digital media for public outreach, though the effects on contract and staff resources have been mixed.
The agencies measured performance of their activities using web-based and other indicators, such as the number of website visits and length of time spent on a page, and reported using this information to inform decision making. However, agency officials identified challenges in measuring the performance of these activities, including a lack of qualitative data on whether and how information is being used. Selected agencies have taken some steps to address these challenges by, for example, administering surveys to obtain additional feedback.