United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2006-02-08 monographic deposited born digital 46 p. GA 1.13:GAO-06-270 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-270 P0b002ee18039362b f:d06270 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-270 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-270 GAO-06-270 Contract oversight Contract terms Data integrity Federal procurement Government information dissemination Information centers Public relations Standards Quality assurance Policy evaluation GSA Federal Procurement Data System Other Written Product A46498 Federal agencies have increasingly relied on contact centers--centers handling inquiries via multiple channels such as telephone, Web page, e-mail, and postal mail--as a key means of communicating with the public. Many of these centers are contractor-operated. Concerns exist about the accuracy of responses provided through contractor-operated centers. This report examines (1) the extent to which the contract terms and oversight practices for contact centers at selected agencies emphasize the importance of providing accurate information to the public, and (2) whether guidance for the operation of contact centers and basic information needed to provide general oversight exist. GAO reviewed one contractor-operated contact center at each of six agencies: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), General Services Administration (GSA), U.S. Postal Service (USPS), and the Departments of Defense, Labor, and Education (DOD, DOL, and Education). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-270/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-270.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-270/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-270.pdf GAO-06-270 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-270 Other Written Product GAO-06-270; Federal Contact Centers: Mechanism for Sharing Metrics and Oversight Practices along with Improved Data Needed; Contract oversight Contract terms Data integrity Federal procurement Government information dissemination Information centers Public relations Standards Quality assurance Policy evaluation GSA Federal Procurement Data System Public Law 93-400 Public Law 106-554 Public Law 107-347