The High-Risk List

The Government Accountability Office just announced that they've released their 2009 High-Risk List of programs in need of major, speedy improvement.

Some entries are unsurprising. Strategic Human Capital Management remains on the list, as it has since 2001, and human capital issues play a role in 18 of the 30 High-Risk Areas, as well as in GAO's concerns about the Department of Homeland Security, Internal Revenue Service Business Systems Modernization, the Improvement and Modernization of Federal Disability Programs, and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's Insurance Programs.

On the other hand, GAO cited the Federal Aviation Administration's increased attention to its human capital challenges as one reason it decided to remove Air Traffic Control Modernization Program from the high-risk list this year. I'm not sure that everyone I talk to about aviation issues will agree with GAO's decision, but the 2007 ITT contract was a big step forward.