Defense Management: DOD's Conference Policy Is Generally Consistent with OMB's Requirements

Abstract : The Department of Defense (DoD) hosts conferences and sends its personnel to external conferences for training, professional development, and continuing education. However, concerns about executive agencies' spending on conferences prompted OMB in 2012 to direct agencies to establish policies and practices for conference hosting and attendance. DoD issued its policy in September 2012 to improve oversight of conference costs and updated it in November 2013, citing lessons learned from implementing the September 2012 policy, among other things. The conference report accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 mandated that GAO review DoD's oversight and management of conferences. This report assesses the following: (1) the extent to which DoD's conference policy is consistent with OMB's conference requirements, and (2) how DoD components have implemented DoD's conference policy. GAO assessed DoD's 2012 conference policy and 2013 update against OMB requirements and reviewed components' implementation of the policy. GAO analyzed responses to a questionnaire completed by officials from 72 components and military commands and reviewed 563 requests for conferences planned for the second and third quarters of fiscal year 2013. GAO is not making recommendations in this report. In written comments, DoD concurred with GAO's findings and noted that it remains committed to balancing conference spending oversight with the benefits of hosting and allowing personnel to attend conferences.