GAO: NTIA has not implemented IT modernization, other recommendations

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has yet to implement most of the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) priority recommendations for improving the agency’s operations, including modernizing legacy IT systems, according to a report released on June 29.

The federal watchdog said it identified 11 priority recommendations for NTIA in July 2025. Since then, NTIA has implemented only one, leaving 10 recommendations still open, GAO said.

Among the most significant outstanding issues is NTIA’s effort to modernize the custom IT systems it uses to manage federal radio-frequency spectrum. GAO said those systems are outdated and while NTIA awarded contracts in 2024 to support modernization work, the agency has yet to implement recommended planning and cybersecurity practices needed to guide the effort.

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