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 2006-01-13 monographic deposited born digital 160 p. GA 1.13:GAO-06-305 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-305 P0b002ee18037a1bb f:d06305 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-305 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-305 GAO-06-305 Advertising Budget obligations Contract oversight Data collection Federal agencies Federal aid programs Financial analysis Government contracts Government information dissemination Public relations Statistical data Federal Procurement Data System Other Written Product A44798 The federal government contracts with public relations firms, advertising agencies, media organizations, and individual members of the media to provide, among other things, messages about its programs and services. As we have reported, there is a lack of accurate governmentwide information on these contracts. Seven federal departments account for nearly all the obligated federal dollars for public relations and advertising activities in fiscal year 2003--Commerce, Defense, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Interior, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs. GAO submitted a questionnaire to each of these seven departments to obtain information for fiscal year 2003 through the second quarter of fiscal year 2005 on (1) the number of contracts with public relations firms, advertising agencies, media organizations, and individual members of the media for which obligations have been incurred; (2) the total amount of contract obligations incurred on each contract by fiscal year; (3) the method by which the contract was awarded--competed, noncompeted, follow-on to competed action, or not available for competition; and (4) summaries of the purpose and scope of work to be performed under each contract. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-305/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-305.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-305/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-305.pdf GAO-06-305 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-305 Other Written Product GAO-06-305; Media Contracts: Activities and Financial Obligations for Seven Federal Departments; Advertising Budget obligations Contract oversight Data collection Federal agencies Federal aid programs Financial analysis Government contracts Government information dissemination Public relations Statistical data Federal Procurement Data System