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Geospatial Data Act

Announced on  | Last Modified on  | Project Number: OAS-26-18-044
Status
Completed
Agency
Office of the Secretary

OBJECTIVE

The President signed the Geospatial Data Act of 2018 (GDA) into law as P.L. 115-254 on October 5, 2018. The GDA fosters efficient management of geospatial data, technologies, and infrastructure through enhanced coordination among Federal, State, local, and tribal governments, the private sector and academia. The GDA establishes responsibilities and reporting requirements for covered agencies to implement. Additionally, the GDA requires the Inspector General of each Executive department (or the senior ethics official of an Executive department without an Inspector General), to submit to Congress an audit not less than once every two years of the collection, production, acquisition, maintenance, distribution, use, and preservation of geospatial data by Federal agencies. The purpose of this audit is to determine HHS’ progress toward compliance with the GDA.

TIMELINE

  • February 19, 2026
    Announced
  • October 2, 2026
    Complete

    Geospatial Data Act complete. Report Published

REPORT PUBLISHED

HHS Has Not Made Additional Progress Toward Compliance With the Geospatial Data Act (OAS-26-18-044)

Since 2024, HHS has not made additional progress toward compliance with the GDA. We identified certain covered agency responsibilities that HHS still has not fulfilled.

  • HHS has not fulfilled certain covered agency responsibilities established under section 759(a) of the Geospatial Data Act;
  • HHS did not maintain a departmentwide inventory of all geospatial data assets; and
  • HHS did not properly prepare the annual report because its self-assessment did not include all HHS divisions.
Recommendations are updated each month and may not immediately be available for recently completed projects.
Work Plan Type
Office of Audit Services
HHS Agencies
Office of the Secretary
Issue Areas
Departmental Operational Issues Information Technology and Cybersecurity OIG Statutory Authority and Regulatory Matters
Target Groups
-
Financial Groups
Other Funding