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Report File
Title Full
Data Egress: Opportunities Exist for GAO to Strengthen Procedures for Management of Data Egress Fees
Date Issued
Submitting OIG
Government Accountability Office OIG
Agencies Reviewed/Investigated
Government Accountability Office
Report Number
OIG-25-1
Report Description

What the OIG Found

According to GAO’s strategic plan, it will reduce costs of operations, in part, by leveraging cloud-based technologies. Transferring data into the cloud (data ingress) is often free to users; however, some providers charge data egress fees for accessing data or transferring it out of the cloud. Despite the minimal costs GAO has incurred for data egress, opportunities exist for GAO to improve its monitoring and cost estimating processes for cloud services.

The OIG found that, due to other priorities, GAO did not establish formal procedures implementing cloud cost management policies such as instituting and reviewing budget threshold alerts and cloud service usage reports. Due to the lack of procedures, GAO may not fully meet its strategic objective related to managing and reducing the cost of its cloud-based technologies in the future.

The OIG also found that GAO officials did not include data egress fees in a major system’s cost estimate and did not document the exclusion because they deemed data egress fees minimal. As a result, GAO may not be fully aware of the total costs for its cloud initiatives, which could impact its ability to implement new projects and the operation and maintenance of existing initiatives.

Why the OIG Did This Audit

The OIG conducted this audit to (1) describe GAO’s efforts to address data egress fees in procuring cloud services and (2) assess the extent to which the estimated costs of GAO’s cloud services programs quantify data egress fees.

Recommendations

GAO concurred with the OIG’s recommendations to (1) establish cost management procedures for its cloud systems, including addressing data egress fees and the implementation and review of alerts and reports, and (2) develop an oversight mechanism to ensure that all fees, including data egress fees, are quantified in the cost estimate, or the exclusion of any costs is documented.

Report Type
Audit
Agency Wide
Yes
Number of Recommendations
2
Questioned Costs
$0
Funds for Better Use
$0
Report updated under NDAA 5274
No

Open Recommendations

This report has 2 open recommendations.
Recommendation Number Significant Recommendation Recommended Questioned Costs Recommended Funds for Better Use Additional Details
1 No $0 $0

Establish GAO’s cost management procedures for its cloud systems, including addressing data egress fees and the implementation and review of alerts and reports.

2 No $0 $0

Develop an oversight mechanism to ensure that all fees, including data egress fees, are quantified in the cost estimate, or the exclusion of any costs is documented.

Government Accountability Office OIG

United States