The order also requires Treasury to submit semi-annual reports so that the court can monitor Treasury’s progress. In 2010, BEP proposed a three-pronged approach consisting of three  elements it believes will provide meaningful access to currency: 1) large,  high-contrast numerals to allow low vision individuals to determine the  denomination of currency, 2) currency readers that can indicate a note’s  value, and 3) a raised tactile feature to allow visually impaired persons  to denominate currency by touch. BEP Has Taken Actions to Make Currency Accessible and Is Considering Costs As It Continues Its Efforts

		BEP Has Made Some Progress Implementing Its Three-Pronged Approach

BEP has taken steps to make currency accessible to visually impaired  persons, but has not yet fully implemented any element of its three- pronged approach. BEP projects  spending about $35 million on the currency reader program over the next  3 years. BEP officials described steps they have taken, or plan to take, to evaluate  the currency reader program’s effectiveness. Raised Tactile Feature

Because BEP has not determined how it will apply a tactile feature to  notes, it does not have final current estimates of the costs to produce  currency with a tactile feature. As a result, it is unknown when the next redesign will  occur. In 2014 testimony, the BEP’s Director stated that a  note with a tactile feature would not be introduced before 2020. BEP’s need to address identified counterfeit threats could affect the  redesign process. BEP officials told us they are continuously developing  security features to stay ahead of counterfeiters. Representatives from organizations that advocate for visually impaired  persons expressed concern about the length of time it is taking BEP to  provide access to currency. BEP has faced difficulties developing a raised tactile feature, and it has  fallen behind its estimated schedule. However, BEP did not discover these problems until over a year  after the problem occurred. Senior BEP and Federal Reserve officials told us that they have  discussed the Federal Reserve’s concerns about the potential cost impact  of a tactile feature and whether the extent of technological changes since  the 2008 court order could provide alternative options to its current  approach; however, they remain committed to providing access through  their three-pronged approach. In particular, BEP has  incorporated high-contrast, large numerals on some denominations of  notes, and plans to continue incorporating them in future redesigns; it has  launched the initial phase of its currency reader program; and it has been  developing a tactile feature to be incorporated in the next family of  redesigned notes. As a result, U.S. currency without a tactile feature will be in  circulation for many years. Recommendations for Executive Action

To determine the extent to which the currency reader program provides  assistance to visually impaired persons while a tactile feature is being  developed and integrated into the next currency redesign, we recommend  that the Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing take the  following action:
Evaluate the currency reader program to include facets such as how  well the program provides visually impaired persons with a means to  independently denominate currency. BEP did not take a position on our recommendation. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

The objectives of this report are to examine (1) the status of the Bureau of  Engraving and Printing’s (BEP) efforts to provide currency that is  accessible for visually impaired persons and how BEP is considering  costs as part of these efforts, and (2) factors that may affect BEP’s efforts  to make currency accessible for visually impaired persons. To identify and discuss factors that may affect BEP’s efforts to make  currency accessible for visually impaired persons, we reviewed  documents and interviewed officials from BEP and the Federal Reserve.
Why GAO Did This Study

All blind and many persons with low vision are unable to distinguish currency denominations without assistance. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia found that Treasury failed to provide meaningful access to U.S. currency to visually impaired persons, and in 2008, ordered Treasury to take steps to do so. The court did not define meaningful access, leaving it to Treasury to choose a course of action. Within Treasury, BEP designs and manufactures currency. GAO was asked to review the progress BEP has made toward meeting the district court's order. In addition, the Explanatory Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, mandated GAO to report on strategies for minimizing the cost of developing currency with accessibility features.
This report examines (1) the status of BEP's efforts to provide currency that is accessible for visually impaired persons and how BEP is considering costs as part of these efforts and (2) factors that may affect BEP's efforts. To answer these questions GAO reviewed court and BEP documents, and interviewed officials from BEP, the Federal Reserve Board, and the Secret Service as well as representatives from advocacy organizations for visually impaired persons and trade associations for cash-handling companies.

What GAO Found

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) has progressed in making currency accessible through a three-pronged approach it adopted and is considering the costs of its approach as it continues its efforts. BEP has:
Added large, high-contrast numerals to notes, and it plans to continue to refine these numerals.
Started to distribute free currency-reader devices that can scan a note and audibly announce its value. However, BEP's plans to evaluate the effectiveness of this new program are incomplete, and without a complete evaluation, BEP cannot determine the program's effectiveness.
Made limited progress in developing a raised tactile feature on notes, which would provide the ability to determine the note's value by touch. While BEP has narrowed the options of what a tactile feature would look like on a note and how it would be applied, BEP officials stated that challenges developing the feature will delay selecting an option to test until March 2015—over a year behind schedule.
Supplementing these efforts, BEP developed a smartphone app that identifies notes. High-contrast numerals add little additional cost, and BEP estimates it will spend about $35 million on currency readers over 3 years. Cost estimates to produce a tactile feature are preliminary and range widely.
GAO identified three factors that may affect BEP's efforts to complete its three-pronged approach. First, the inclusion of a tactile feature will require a redesign of currency, but it is not known when this will occur. Because BEP makes changes to currency to stay ahead of counterfeit threats, redesign occurs as needed and not at regular intervals. Second, BEP has faced difficulties developing a raised tactile feature, falling behind its internal schedule. Third, senior BEP and Federal Reserve officials told us that they have discussed the Federal Reserve's concerns about the potential cost impact of a tactile feature and whether technological changes since the 2008 court order could provide alternative options to BEP's current approach. BEP officials stated that they have not yet determined how these concerns might be addressed. Advocates for organizations representing visually impaired persons consider a tactile feature to be important and are concerned about the length of time it is taking BEP to provide access to currency.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends BEP evaluate its currency reader program while it develops a tactile feature in the next redesign of currency. BEP did not take a position on our recommendation.