U S Government Accountability Office

Intragovernmental Revolving Funds~ U S Government Accountability Office

"GAO previously found that a significant portion of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) working capital fund contained a growing carryover balance. Almost all of the fund's resources come from appropriations advanced from federal clients for NIST's technical services through interagency agreements. Monitoring and tracking key information about agreements and the funds advanced for them is critical for both NIST and its clients to make well-informed budget decisions, comply with applicable fiscal laws and internal controls, and ensure the proper use of federal funds. GAO was asked to review (1) the factors contributing to the working capital fund's carryover balance and (2) NIST's processes for managing its interagency agreements and workload. To do so, GAO reviewed laws and fiscal requirements, analyzed NIST budget data and policies related to its interagency agreements, analyzed a random sample of agreements, and interviewed NIST officials. GAO is making 5 recommendations to improve NIST's management of its interagency agreements, including holding senior managers responsible for strategic workload management, improving internal monitoring and reporting, ensuring compliance with applicable fiscal laws, and communicating key information"