2027–2032 Strategic Plan: Serving Congress and the Nation

Source published October 15, 2026 and publicly released October 16, 2026. PublicationDate below denotes this rendition; it does not assert that GAO published this XML. StartDate and EndDate translate the stated fiscal years 2027–2032 into federal fiscal-year boundaries. The Vision is inferred from the mission statement and is not presented as a quoted GAO vision statement. No value definitions have been inferred. Brief Goal and Objective Names are editorial labels; Descriptions preserve source statements. The source’s 12 Strategic Objectives are represented as Objectives; all 65 subordinate Performance Goals are represented as qualitative PerformanceIndicators under their corresponding Objectives, with original numbering in SequenceIndicator and full source wording in TargetResult/Description. Editorial MeasurementDimension labels and the reporting convention DescriptorName "Status" do not add performance commitments. No indicator-specific target dates, numerical thresholds, baselines, actual results, or status values have been invented. The plan-wide dates have not been assigned as deadlines for individual indicators. UnitOfMeasurement "..." is a display placeholder for these qualitative indicators. Stakeholder descriptions identify source-supported interests or roles, without assigning new commitments. Source inconsistency: fiscal years 2027–2032 span six years, while the letter refers to “the next 5 years.” The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), as amended, requires most federal agencies to develop strategic plans. GAO, as a legislative branch agency, is exempt from many federal management laws, including GPRA. However, we generally hold ourselves to the spirit of these laws. As such, we consider this strategic plan to include information comparable to what is required by GPRA. Submitter's Note: Section 10 of the GPRA Modernization Act (GPRAMA) requires federal agencies to publish their strategic plans and performance reports in machine-readable format, like StratML, and the vision of GSA's U.S. Strategy Data initiative is: "Governments at every level coordinate more effectively through interoperable, machine-readable strategic information." It would be good for GAO to partner with GSA and GPO in support of the mission of that initiative: "To develop AI-ready representations of public-sector strategic plans and transform them into tools supporting coordinated execution and improved public results." https://stratml.us/docs/USSDF.xml This plan organizes GAO's work under three Strategic Goals, each supported by Strategic Objectives and corresponding Performance Goals. We track progress in meeting these goals annually in GAO’s Performance and Accountability Report. This framework connects our day-to-day work to long-term outcomes in a way that is visible to Congress and the public. To ensure this plan reflects congressional needs, GAO worked closely with our congressional clients throughout the planning process. We requested comments from our oversight committees and other congressional committees, the Comptroller General’s Advisory Board and other advisory bodies, the federal inspector general community, state and local audit organizations, and independent subject-matter experts. We also requested comments from the Congressional Budget Office and Congressional Research Service. Comments were reviewed and incorporated as appropriate. Letter from the Acting Comptroller General October 2026 I am pleased to present GAO's Strategic Plan for Serving Congress and the Nation for fiscal years 2027 to 2032. We begin this planning period amid rapid changes in government and society: advances in emerging technology, including artificial intelligence, mounting financial pressures, a shifting national and global security environment, and intensifying cybersecurity threats. Against this backdrop, Congress needs GAO’s objective, fact-based, nonpartisan analysis to make policy decisions, oversee federal programs and operations, and address challenges and opportunities. Our track record demonstrates our value and how we support Congress. In fiscal year 2026 alone, our work resulted in $62.5 billion in financial benefits. Our work has also helped Congress enact new laws, improve public safety, and strengthen government. This plan articulates how we will continue to help Congress identify cost savings; address fraud, waste, and abuse; make government more accountable, efficient, and effective; and ultimately improve the safety, security, and well-being of the American people. In the next 5 years, GAO’s work will help Congress: · Address the growing national debt · Prevent and combat fraud, waste, and abuse · Monitor federal efforts to ensure the nation’s security from cyberattacks and other threats · Draw attention to solutions for rising health care costs · Evaluate national security activities · Anticipate emerging science and technology trends, opportunities, and risks, including artificial intelligence Our prior plan organized this work under four goals. This time, we have established three goals, better aligning with our cross-cutting approach. The first two goals focus on our oversight and foresight mission, covering the entire range of issues for our congressional clients. Our third goal focuses on how we will continue to improve our internal operations and increase efficiency by describing the skills, technology, human capital, and resources needed to achieve these goals. We will continue to perform the in-depth audits, program evaluations, and policy analyses we are known for. We are also evolving and modernizing our products, services, and processes to ensure we provide Congress with timely and actionable analyses, advice, and recommendations on the most pressing issues facing the nation. We must be agile as congressional needs and priorities rapidly change and federal agencies reimagine how they carry out their missions using emerging technology. This Strategic Plan reflects what we will do and how we will do it. If you have any questions about this plan, please contact Stephen Sanford, Managing Director, Strategic Planning and External Liaison, who may be reached at SanfordS@gao.gov. ^^ Sincerely, ^ Orice Williams Brown Acting Comptroller General of the United States Strategic Context The world in which Congress makes policy and conducts oversight is changing rapidly. Technological advances, economic and geopolitical shifts, and emerging risks are reshaping government and the challenges facing the nation. Congress needs timely, reliable, and fact-based information to understand what is happening today and what lies ahead. Changes in geopolitics, emerging national security threats, and persistent cybersecurity risks will create new challenges for the nation and its government. Digital systems both generate and consume vast amounts of data, raising policy questions about responsible use, privacy, and security. Innovations in technology and science, increasingly driven by artificial intelligence, will continue to affect every policy area. Key sectors, such as energy and water systems, will face mounting challenges from evolving cybersecurity risks, aging infrastructure, and growing demands. Disasters are testing the nation’s capacity to prepare for and respond to increasingly costly emergencies. Demographic shifts will create new pressures and demands on federal programs. Emerging technology will reshape jobs and employment. The nation’s economic security and well-being will depend on both safe, reliable, and resilient critical infrastructure and the stability of interconnected financial markets. Coordination across federal, state and local governments will be increasingly important as responsibilities for service delivery and oversight shift among these levels of government. Alongside these trends, the federal government’s unsustainable fiscal outlook poses serious economic, national security, and societal challenges. Our work will help Congress anticipate challenges and make informed decisions in a complex and dynamic time. In doing so, we will help Congress and the American people better understand and respond to the opportunities and challenges that shape our future. GAO’s fiscal year 2026 accomplishments graphic reports $62.5 billion in financial benefits; 1,173 new recommendations; 1,296 improvements in federal government operations; and 663 total products. These are historical results, not targets for this plan. The graphic directs readers to GAO’s annual Performance and Accountability Report for complete performance measures and results. GAO is an independent, nonpartisan professional services agency in the legislative branch. Often called the “congressional watchdog,” we advise lawmakers and agency leaders on how to make government work better. GAO was established under the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 to investigate how public funds are spent. The act also requires us to report on our findings and recommend ways to increase efficiency in government spending. By the Numbers: GAO’s Fiscal Year 2026 Key Accomplishments Our Employees ~ We are comprised of about 3,200 employees with expertise and academic degrees in fields, including: * § Accounting * § Law * § Budget policy * § National security * § Contracting and acquisition * § Physical science * § Economics * § Public health * § Engineering * § Public policy * § Finance * § Social science * § Human capital * § Information technology and cybersecurity Our Nationwide Footprint ~ Our workforce is geographically dispersed across headquarters in Washington, DC, and 11 field offices: * § Atlanta * § Huntsville * § Boston * § Los Angeles * § Chicago * § Norfolk * § Dallas * § Oakland * § Dayton * § Seattle * § Denver Our nationally distributed workforce ensures that GAO provides oversight of federal programs and spending across the entire country. GAO Teams ~ For more information on our organization and teams, see Our Teams. Additional Information Image Sources ~ This section contains credit and copyright information for images and graphics in this product, as appropriate, when that information was not listed adjacent to the image or graphic. · GAO (bullseye); iconpower/stock.adobe.com (icons) [Goals and Strategic Objectives] · GAO [By the Numbers] Strategic Planning and Performance Documents ~ GAO’s complete set of strategic planning and performance and accountability reports is available at https://www.gao.gov/about/what-gao-does/performance. Obtaining Copies of GAO Products ~ The fastest and easiest way to obtain copies of GAO documents at no cost is through our website: https://www.gao.gov. Each business day, GAO posts on its website newly released reports, testimony, correspondence, and other publications. Communicating with GAO ~ For More Information About This Report Contact Stephen Sanford, Managing Director, Strategic Planning and External Liaison, SanfordS@gao.gov. ^^ Connect with GAO ~ Connect with GAO on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, Threads, Instagram, YouTube, and Flickr. Subscribe to our Email Updates. Listen to our Podcasts. Visit GAO on the web at https://www.gao.gov. To Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in Federal Programs Contact FraudNet. Website: https://www.gao.gov/about/what-gao-does/fraudnet Automated answering system: (800) 424-5454 Media Relations: Sarah Kaczmarek, Managing Director, Media@gao.gov ^ Congressional Relations: David Powner, Acting Managing Director, CongRel@gao.gov ^ General Inquiries: Website: https://www.gao.gov/about/contact-us Submitter's Note: This StratML rendition has been compiled from the source by ChatGPT and lightly edited in the form at https://stratml.us/forms/Claude/Part2.html