GAO Identifies 5 Open Recommendations for NSF CIO

GAO Reports & Testimonies

Published February 19th, 2026

Detected February 19th, 2026

Summary

The GAO identified five open recommendations for the National Science Foundation (NSF) Chief Information Officer (CIO) related to IT acquisitions and management. These recommendations stem from previously issued work and aim to improve IT operations, secure systems, and ensure compliance.

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What changed

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has identified five outstanding recommendations specifically for the National Science Foundation (NSF) Chief Information Officer (CIO). These recommendations, detailed in GAO-26-108707 and linked to the GAO High-Risk area of 'Improving IT Acquisitions and Management,' were previously issued and require the CIO's attention for implementation. Examples include developing guidance for standardizing cloud service-level agreements and completing annual IT portfolio reviews consistent with federal requirements.

While this document is a notice of existing recommendations rather than a new regulatory mandate, the CIO's continued focus on these items is crucial for enhancing the effectiveness and security of NSF's IT systems. Regulated entities, particularly government agencies, should note the GAO's ongoing scrutiny of IT acquisition and management practices as a benchmark for their own operations. No specific compliance deadline or penalty is mentioned, as this is an identification of existing, open recommendations.

What to do next

Review NSF's IT acquisition and management practices against GAO's identified high-risk areas.

Source document (simplified)

GAO-26-108707 Published: Feb 12, 2026. Publicly Released: Feb 19, 2026.

Highlights

What GAO Found

In February 2026, GAO identified five open recommendations under the purview of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Chief Information Officer (CIO), from previously issued work. Each of these recommendations relate to the Improving IT Acquisitions and Management GAO High-Risk area.

For example, GAO previously recommended that NSF develop guidance regarding standardizing cloud service-level agreements. Further, GAO recommended that NSF complete annual reviews of its IT portfolio consistent with federal requirements. The CIO's continued attention to these recommendations will help ensure the effective use of IT at the agency.

Why GAO Did This Study

CIO open recommendations are outstanding GAO recommendations that warrant the attention of agency CIOs because their implementation could significantly improve government IT operations by securing IT systems, identifying cost savings, improving major government programs, eliminating mismanagement of IT programs and processes, or ensuring that IT programs comply with laws, among others.

For more information, contact Nick Marinos at marinosn@gao.gov.

Full Report

Full Report (5 pages)

GAO Contacts

Nick Marinos Managing Director Information Technology and Cybersecurity MarinosN@gao.gov

Media Inquiries

Sarah Kaczmarek Managing Director Office of Public Affairs media@gao.gov

Public Inquiries

Topics

Information Technology Chief information officers Information systems Cost savings Government programs IT acquisitions High-risk issues Information technology Cybersecurity