About the Government Data Sharing Community of PracticeGovernment Data Sharing Community of PracticeGDSCoP_cb0d86dc-e534-11e4-9a5f-4dcbde3d8a72Federal government agencies face challenges in sharing information, using data analytics, and leveraging resources that could assist them in their missions. This community brings together officials from all levels of government to overcome these challenges.United States Government Accountability OfficeGAO formed the Government Data Sharing Community of Practice.Stephen LordGAO Contact -- Director, Forensic Audits and Investigative ServiceCouncil of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE)In January 2013, GAO co-hosted a forum alongside the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) and the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board to explore using data analytics -- which involve a variety of techniques to analyze and interpret data -- to help identify fraud, waste, and abuse in government.Recovery Accountability and Transparency BoardFederal Government AgenciesForum participants included representatives from federal, state, and local government agencies as well as the private sector. State Government AgenciesLocal Government AgenciesPrivate SectorOversight AgenciesOversight and law enforcement agencies play an important role in eliminating fraud, waste, and abuse. Sharing data, knowledge, and analytic tools can assist government agencies in this effort. However, while there is a tremendous amount of information the government can use in preventing and detecting fraud, waste, and abuse, using and leveraging these data can be challenging.Law Enforcement Agencies_cb0d886c-e534-11e4-9a5f-4dcbde3d8a72To bring together Federal government agencies to overcome challenges in sharing information, using data analytics, and leveraging resources that could assist them in their missions._cb0d898e-e534-11e4-9a5f-4dcbde3d8a72Data UsageChallenges and opportunities in accessing and using available data -- Challenges participants cited include, among other issues, oversight and law enforcement entities not always being aware of all the data that may be available to assist them in their duties, and a lack of incentives for program offices to develop information-technology systems to support data analysis by oversight and law enforcement entities. Participants also noted other issues related to managing and using data such as challenges in developing a strategy to prioritize limited resources and the difficulty oversight entities face in measuring the success of fraud-prevention efforts. Participants also identified opportunities to enhance data-analytics efforts, such as consolidating data and analytics operations in one location to increase efficiencies by enabling the pooling of resources as well as accessing and sharing of the data. Participants further identified strategies to garner organizational support for data-analytics programs, such as short-turnaround projects that produce quick, valuable successes to highlight the value of data analytics.Data SharingChallenges and opportunities in sharing data -- Challenges participants cited include, among other issues, certain statutory requirements that place procedural hurdles on agencies wishing to perform data matching to detect fraud, waste, and abuse, and technical obstacles--such as the lack of uniform data standards across agencies--which make it more difficult for oversight and law enforcement entities to share available data. Participants also noted challenges in sharing data across federal, state, and local government agencies due to a variety of factors including actual and perceived legislative barriers. Participants also discussed opportunities that could be realized if the government utilized and shared interoperable, open-source analytical tools and techniques, which could lessen the challenge of developing licensing agreements for proprietary software tools, be utilized at a low cost, and be tailored to meet the needs of individual agencies.Coordination & IncentivesCoordinate and incent federal, state, and local government agencies to share information among themselves and with each other._cb0d8a38-e534-11e4-9a5f-4dcbde3d8a72Federal Government AgenciesState Government AgenciesLocal Government AgenciesThrough facilitated discussion, forum participants identified a variety of challenges that hinder their abilities to share and use data. For example, throughout the forum, participants cited the need for greater coordination and incentives for federal, state, and local government agencies to share information among themselves and with each other. To address these and other issues related to coordination and data sharing, GAO formed the Government Data Sharing Community of Practice.Data DirectoryCompile a consolidated directory of data sources to increase awareness_cb0d8aec-e534-11e4-9a5f-4dcbde3d8a721Participants identified several next steps that the three sponsoring organizations agreed to implement, including: compiling a consolidated directory of data sources to increase awareness; compiling a library of available open-source data analytics, modules, and tools; developing an ongoing community of practice focused on data-sharing challenges; and examining the existing statutory framework to determine whether changes related to challenges and barriers for data analytics would be useful to oversight and law enforcement agencies in carrying out their missions.Analytics, Modules & ToolsCompile a library of available open-source data analytics, modules, and tools._cb0d8ba0-e534-11e4-9a5f-4dcbde3d8a722Community of PracticeDevelop an ongoing community of practice focused on data-sharing challenges._cb0d8c40-e534-11e4-9a5f-4dcbde3d8a723Statutory FrameworksExamine the existing statutory framework to determine whether changes related to challenges and barriers for data analytics would be useful to oversight and law enforcement agencies in carrying out their missions._cb0d8cf4-e534-11e4-9a5f-4dcbde3d8a724Oversight AgenciesLaw Enforcement Agencies2015-04-17http://www.gao.gov/aac/gds_community_of_practice/overviewOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net