Biennial Audit of the Department’s Compliance with Geospatial Data Act Requirements

Our objective was to assess the Department’s compliance with the 13 covered agency responsibilities in 43 U.S.C. § 2808(a). To meet this objective, we reviewed our audit results from 2020 and 2022 and obtained updated information from the Department for each of the 13 requirements. In addition, we independently tested the Department’s geospatial metadata published on Data.gov. We found that the Department was complying with 12 of the 13 GDA requirements. However, our testing revealed that the Department’s geospatial metadata is not always complete. Without ensuring a consistent approach to completing geospatial metadata, the Department’s geospatial data stakeholders could face challenges in making the most efficient and effective use of the Department’s geospatial data portfolio.