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GGD-76-104 1 (1977-04-07)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaabwb0001 and id is 1 raw text is: DOCUMENT RESUME 00437 - (A1051972] Better Evaluations Needed to Need Out Useless Federal Advisory Committees. GGD-76-104; B-127685. April 7, 1977. 38 pp. + appendices (37 pp.). Report to the Congress; by Elmer B. Staats, Comptroller General. Contact: General Government Div. Budget Function: General Government: Other General Government (606). Orgr.nization Concerned: Office of Management and Budget; Department of Commerce: Department of Health, Education, and welfare; Department or the Interior; Environmental Protection Agency; National Science Foundaticn. Congressional Relevance: Congress. Authority: Federal Advisory Committee Act (P.L. 92-463). OMB Circular A-63. Legislation to control the growing number of advi3ory committees, 1267 as of December 31, 1975, assigned oversight responsibilities to Congress, the President, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The OrB is required to make an annual comprehensive review of each ccmmittee to determine whether it has carried out its purpose, needs revised responsibilities, o7 should be merged or abolished. Findings/Conclusions: The ORB and agencies have had a difficult time identifying useless committees because they have not developed objective criteria. Because of lack cf leadership by OMB, the agencies have developed their own approaches. Uncertainties existed within agencies about the status of subgroups and ad hoc groups, cost analyses, reporting procedures, and combittee missions. Recommendations: OMB should (1) develop uniform guidelines on sub-groups and ad hoc groups; (2) require that agency committee :harters state purposes clearly and include a timespan; (3) issue guidelines for consistent cost estimates; and (4) develop a standard definition of report and provide for followup. (HTW)