Coast Guard Actions that Could Improve Data Quality

We previously reported on actions the Coast Guard could take to ensure  that, among other things, it addresses limitations posed by incomplete  data, the use of unrealistic asset performance data, and limitations with  its performance goal data, for more effective program management. Improve completeness of mission data. However, our December 2017 review found that more  information is needed to calculate vessel safety statistics that could  enhance the Coast Guard’s knowledge about accident, injury, and fatality  trends involving commercial fishing vessels. Having this information could be useful  to carrying out the Coast Guard’s marine safety mission, which includes  enforcing laws to prevent death, injury and property loss in the marine  environment. We recommended in our December 2017 report that the Coast Guard  ensure that data it collects during commercial fishing vessel incident  investigations is accurately captured. Coast Guard Actions that Could Improve Transparency of Data for Reporting on Its Mission Performance and Capital Planning

Our previous reports have identified areas in which the Coast Guard  could improve the transparency of its data used for reporting on its  mission performance and planning. Improve transparency of data on mission performance. In our  October 2017 report on performance goals, we found that the Coast  Guard’s APR has not been released publicly since 2011 due to a previous  DHS leadership decision. Consequently, there has not been full visibility  over performance across all of the Coast Guard’s missions. Coast Guard officials stated that they could see the benefit of publicly  releasing their APR; however, DHS’s decision to limit the number of  performance goals shared publicly has so far deterred the Coast Guard  from pursuing the public release of its APR. We recommended that future Coast Guard APRs be available on the  Coast Guard’s public website. In our previously issued work  on the Coast Guard’s annual 5-year capital investment plan (CIP), we  found that the CIP does not consistently reflect current total cost  estimates or the effects of tradeoffs that are made as part of the annual  budget cycle. We made several recommendations in recent years  intended to help the Coast Guard plan for future acquisitions and the  difficult tradeoff decisions it will likely face. The Coast Guard generally  concurred with these recommendations and is in various stages of  implementation. For example, in 2017 we reported that we have made  recommendations that DHS and the Coast Guard take several actions to  gain an understanding of what the Coast Guard needs to meet its mission  within its likely acquisition funding levels. The Coast  Guard has stated it is developing a 20-year Long-term Major Acquisition  Plan, but it has not stated when the plan will be completed or what will be  included in this plan, such as potential trade-offs that could be made  across the Coast Guard’s portfolio of acquisitions to better meet mission  needs within realistic funding levels. DHS  concurred with our 2014 recommendation, but it is unclear when the  Coast Guard plans to complete the 20-year plan. This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright protection in the  United States.
Why GAO Did This Study

The Coast Guard, a component of DHS, serves as the principal federal agency responsible for maritime safety, security, and environmental stewardship in U.S. ports and waterways. To ensure that the Coast Guard is effectively fulfilling its missions, agency managers must have accurate information and base decisions on sound analyses for effective program management.
This statement discusses Coast Guard actions needed to (1) improve the quality of data used for program management and (2) improve the transparency of its data for reporting on mission performance and planning.
This statement is based on relevant products GAO issued from June 2014 through December 2017 on Coast Guard strategic planning and management issues, as well as related recommendation follow-up conducted through February 2018. GAO reviewed applicable laws, regulations, policies and guidance. GAO also interviewed Coast Guard officials responsible for administering these programs and obtained information on how they used data to inform decisionmaking. GAO interviewed a range of stakeholders, including federal and industry officials.

What GAO Found

GAO's prior work recommended multiple actions to improve the Coast Guard's program management by improving the quality of data it uses to manage and report on its mission performance. Specifically, GAO recommended actions such as collecting more complete data and clarifying the data limitations to facilitate more effective program management. For example, in December 2017, GAO found that more information is needed to calculate vessel safety statistics that could enhance the Coast Guard's knowledge about accident, injury, and fatality trends involving commercial fishing vessels. Having more complete information could be useful to carrying out its marine safety mission, and GAO recommended, among other things, that the Coast Guard ensure that data collected during commercial fishing vessel incident investigations is accurately captured. In 2018, the Coast Guard reported taking initial steps to capture more accurate data.
GAO's prior work also identified areas where the Coast Guard could improve the transparency of the data it uses for reporting on its mission performance as well its capital planning purposes. For example, in an October 2017 report on performance goals, GAO found the Coast Guard's Annual Performance Report (APR) has not been released publicly since 2011. Consequently, there has not been full visibility over performance across all of the Coast Guard's missions. Coast Guard officials stated that a decision by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leadership to limit the number of performance goals shared publicly had deterred the Coast Guard from public release of its APR. GAO recommended that APRs be available on the Coast Guard's website; the Coast Guard plans to publicly release future APRs. In addition, previous GAO reports found that the Coast Guard's annual 5-year capital investment plan, which projects acquisition funding needs for the upcoming 5 years, did not consistently reflect current total cost estimates or the effects of tradeoffs made as part of the annual budget cycle. GAO made recommendations to help the Coast Guard plan for future acquisitions and the difficult trade off decisions it will face given funding constraints. The Coast Guard agreed, but it is unclear when it will complete the 20-year plan.

What GAO Recommends

GAO is not making new recommendations in this statement but has made them to the Coast Guard and DHS in the past on improving its program management through, among other things, better quality and more transparent data. DHS and the Coast Guard agreed with these recommendations and reported actions or plans to address them.