Priority Open Recommendations: Small Business Administration

Highlights

What GAO Found

In May 2024, GAO identified 13 priority recommendations for the Small Business Administration (SBA). Since then, SBA implemented two of those recommendations. SBA's actions included finalizing a framework for how it will engage communities in its disaster response and developing a process to address delays in annual reporting for a business development program. In addition, GAO removed the priority recommendation designation of one recommendation. In March 2025, GAO identified seven additional priority recommendations for SBA, bringing the total number to 17. These recommendations involve the following areas:

• Improving oversight and communication related to lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic response,
• Addressing cybersecurity and IT management challenges,
• Improving oversight of small business research programs,
• Improving disaster recovery efforts,
• Meeting reporting requirements in a more timely manner, and
• Supporting veteran-owned small businesses.

SBA's continued attention to these issues could lead to significant improvements in government operations.

Why GAO Did This Study

Priority open recommendations are the GAO recommendations that warrant priority attention from heads of key departments or agencies because their implementation could save large amounts of money; improve congressional and/or executive branch decision-making on major issues; eliminate mismanagement, fraud, and abuse; or ensure that programs comply with laws and funds are legally spent, among other benefits. Since 2015 GAO has sent letters to selected agencies to highlight the importance of implementing such recommendations.

For more information, contact Daniel Garcia-Diaz at garciadiazd@gao.gov.

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