Contributed by : jdelsey@primenet.com (John De Lasaux)
Subject: GAO FAQ

GAO Documents

The GAO FAQ

The U.S. General Accounting Office
Frequently Asked Questions
E-Mail Address: info@www.gao.gov or
Click Here for GAO Web Pages.

UPDATED: April 22, 1996

The following is available, along with a great deal more:

Table of Contents


1.0 - ELECTRONIC ACCESS INFORMATION

The U.S. General Accounting Office, the Congressional Watchdog agency, now has available electronic files of released reports.

To retrieve GAO reports as FULL TEXT ASCII or PDF (Portable Document Format) electronic files from Government Printing Office (GPO) Access via a WAIS (Wide Area Information Search) database, follow these steps: (Note: PDF files are available only via WWW or a WAIS client.)

FULL TEXT AND GRAPHICS
Via WWW via GAO Home Page:
1) Go to: http://www.gao.gov
2) Select "GAO Reports and Testimony", then select either:
- "Recently Issued Reports" or
- "Search for GAO Reports - Directly Through GPO Access"
3) Perform search for document(s). When searching on GPO Access, use a KEYWORD search on a subject: "Welfare Reform", OR search on the REPORT NUMBER field: "HEHS-95-58" (MUST use quotes)
NOTE: Be sure to hit SUBMIT button at bottom of page to process search. 4) download or mail the file(s) to yourself.

FULL TEXT ONLY
Via TELNET:
1) TELNET to: ;
2) login as > guest < (MUST be lower case);
3) select GAO database;
4) follow steps #3 & #4 above for Via WWW via GAO Home Page

Via Dial-in:
1) Modem settings: VT-100 emulation (8,N,1)
2) dial (202)-512-1661;
3) type "SWAIS";
4) login as > guest < (MUST be lower case);
5) select GAO database;
6) follow step #3 above for Via GAO WWW Home Page
7) for downloading files, follow your modem software guidelines.
See "Helpful Hints" and "WAIS Manual" files for more information on searching techniques. For additional access options or questions on >using the GPO system, contact GPO at
or 202-512-1530.
Please do NOT use this GAO e-mail >address for questions about the GPO system or for ordering reports.
1.1 - GAO's DAYBOOK VIA LISTSERV

The U.S. General Accounting Office, Congress' Watchdog agency, now has available a mailing list service for a daily electronic posting of the GAO Daybook. The "GAO Daybook" is the daily listing of released GAO reports and testimony.

The GAO Daybook list is a "distribution-only" list. You can NOT post messages to this list. Subscribing to the GAO Daybook means you will automatically receive two e-mail messages each business day. The GAO Daybook is released at approximately 5:00 pm EST. The following day, at approximately 9:00 am EST, a message is posted announcing the availability of electronic files of released reports.

DAYBOOK LISTSERV
To subscribe to the GAO Daybook, send an e-mail message to: with the message:

subscribe daybook

BACK ISSUES of DAYBOOK
Back issues of the GAO Daybook may also be obtained via e-mail. To receive an index of back file names, send an e-mail message to: > with the message:

index daybook

To receive back issues of the GAO Daybook, send an e-mail message to: with the message:

get daybook [filename]

For example: get daybook daybook.950811

**PLEASE NOTE***
The release of a GAO report does not necessarily mean that the report is available electronically immediately. GAO reports are uploaded to the INTERNET as soon as they are available electronically. Because GAO reports are often released by Congressional requesters, there may be a delay in file availability. If your search does not retrieve a specific file, please try the >RECENTLY RELEASED REPORTS<<< (http://www.gao.gov/new.items/newtitle.htm) area on the GAO home page or try again later. We apologize for any inconvenience and are working to reduce lag time.

Not all GAO testimony (documents beginning with a "T") is available electronically at this time. Correspondence (documents ending >with a "R") is not available electronically.

1.2 - GAO FAQ VIA AUTO-REPLY E-MAIL

To receive the current GAO FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) automatically, send an e-mail message with "info" in the body to:

*NEW* 1.3 - COMPTROLLER GENERAL DECISIONS VIA LISTSERV

The Comptroller General Legal Decisions and Opinions mailing list is a "distribution-only" list. You can NOT post messages to this list. Subscribing to the Comptroller General Decisions mailing list means you will automatically receive one e-mail message each business day.

SUBSCRIBE INFO:
To subscribe to Comptroller General Decisions, send an e-mail message to: with the message:

subscribe decisions

INDEX FOR BACK ISSUES OF COMPTROLLER GENERAL DECISIONS:
Back issues of Comptroller General Decisions may also be obtained via e-mail. To receive an index of back issue file names, send an e-mail message to: with the message:

index decisions

RETRIEVAL OF BACK ISSUES OF DECISIONS:
To receive back issues of Comptroller General Decisions, send an e-mail message to: with the message:

get decisions [filename]

For example: get decisions decisions.960325

2.0 - PRINTED COPY ORDER INFORMATION

The first printed copy is FREE of charge. Additional copies are $2.00. Checks and credit cards are accepted. Checks or money orders should be made out to the Superintendent of Documents, when necessary. Visa and Mastercard credit cards are accepted.

Orders for 100 or more copies to be mailed to a single address are discounted 25%.

Printed copies via U.S. Mail are available by calling 202-512-6000 (TDD number is 301-413-0006), sending a FAX to 301-258-4066, or by writing to:

P.O. Box 6015, Gaithersburg, MD 20884-6015.

Please include the report number and complete postal mailing information in your request.

Telephone requests can be made 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

During non-business hours, leave a voice mail message with complete information, including the report number and postal mailing information.

Copies may also be picked up at the GAO headquarters at:

700 - 4th St., NW, Washington, DC (Room 1100)

We are one block from the Judiciary Square Metro Red Line station. Use the "F" Street exit and go to the corner of 4th & G St, NW.

2.1 - E-MAIL ORDERING PRINTED COPIES

Printed copies via U.S. Postal Service mail can be ordered using e-mail.

Use the electronic form below and send to:

orders@gao.gov

You can print this whole page by selecting the copy and copying it to anothe file with your browser.

Customer ID Number*:
(* If using ID#, you ONLY need to provide your
(**See FAQ Section 7.1 - Customer ID#'s - for details.)
First Name:

Last Name:

Organization/Division/Office:

Building:

Room #:

Street Address:

City:

State:

Zip:

Country (if not USA):

****************************************

DOCUMENT REPORTS NUMBERS
For example: HEHS-95-58 (You do not need to include leading "GAO/")

*NOTE - You MUST include a date ONLY when requesting Comptroller General Decisions (B# documents). Dates are not necessary for GAO Report orders.

DATE*

Report #1:

Report #2:

Report #3:

Report #4:

Report #5:

NOTE: This form can also be obtained automatically by sending an e-mail message with "form" in the body to:

orderform@www.gao.gov

Return to the Breadwinner Home Page

Return to Money Series Home Page