Science & Know-how

Users of Congress and their team need trustworthy, nonpartisan details on the general performance of federal packages and their outcomes for People in america. GAO offers overall performance evaluations and other assistance and evaluation, which have more and more provided science and technology places these as:

  • Controlling investigation and progress. Scientific analysis and progress are critical to holding the governing administration and the country going forward. This do the job is usually high priced and sophisticated, and often requires significant, multidisciplinary groups that require to regulate federal funds proficiently and proficiently, although carrying out their do the job. Study more about our operate on  federal analysis oversight.
  • Supporting the innovation economic system. We assess packages that boost innovation, these kinds of as advanced production, as perfectly as federal procedures and funding for the protection of mental home. We documented on mental property rights in biomedical investigation and small organization assistance.
  • Greatest procedures in governing administration oversight. Our perform also gives companies across the governing administration with guides to superior fully grasp irrespective of whether government courses are attaining their goals. These guides provide most effective practices for federal professionals.

Since its inception, GAO’s science and technological know-how team has even more expanded its community of authorities to increase the depth, breadth, and diversity of its know-how. In October 2020, the staff hosted an inaugural conference of the Polaris Council, a group of remarkable science, engineering, and policy leaders and specialists from quite a few fields, founded to suggest us on rising science and know-how challenges dealing with Congress.

The staff also proven an Innovation Lab to empower GAO with new abilities and enhanced capability to tackle evolving challenges. The knowledge researchers and technologists of the Innovation Lab are doing work with GAO mission teams and the broader oversight group at the reducing edge of oversight, inspecting the hottest technological improvements, each individual working day. Amid the Innovation Lab’s assignments is GAO’s Procedure Warp Velocity Dashboard, a electronic platform that includes vaccine development and technologies readiness details about federally funded COVID-19 vaccines.

For a additional in-depth glance at the new crew, see our 2021 testimony, 2020 testimony, and 2019 system.