An audit found the State Department is only partially compliant with federal requirements for collecting, maintaining, and sharing geospatial data, according to the department's Office of Inspector General.
The Geospatial Data Act of 2018 requires federal agencies to comply with 13 standards for handling geospatial information. A biennial audit conducted by Kearney & Company found that the State Department has fully complied with three of those requirements: developing a geospatial data strategy, appointing a Geographer to lead implementation, and safeguarding the privacy and confidentiality of geospatial data.
However, the agency has not fully implemented the remaining 10 requirements. The department lacks overarching policies, procedures, and guidance for managing geospatial data. It has provided insufficient oversight of compliance efforts, has not clearly defined roles and responsibilities, and lacks a comprehensive long-term funding plan. The department also had not obtained approval from the National Archives and Records Administration for its updated records disposition schedule.
According to the audit, the partial compliance leaves the State Department "susceptible to inefficient and ineffective management of geospatial assets, which increases the risk of inconsistent efforts or the inability to minimize the costs" to manage the data across the department. The inspector general did not issue new recommendations, noting that those from a 2024 audit remain relevant to the current deficiencies.