GAO, often called the "Congressional Watchdog,” is an independent, non-partisan agency that works for Congress. GAO examines how taxpayer dollars are spent and provides Congress and federal agencies with objective, non-partisan, fact-based information to help the government save money and work more efficiently. GAO’s core values—accountability, integrity, and reliability—and GAO’s people values—valued, respected, and treated fairly—are equally essential to successfully achieving our mission to support Congress and serve the American people.
GAO's headquarters is located in Washington, D.C. We also have field offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Dayton, Denver, Huntsville, Los Angeles, Norfolk, Oakland, and Seattle.
According to the Partnership for Public Service, GAO is consistently ranked as one of the best places to work in the federal government and has continually ranked number one among mid-sized federal agencies for its support of diversity in the workplace. GAO’s recruitment and outreach efforts focus on recruiting a robust cadre of employees to ensure diversity is represented at all levels within the agency. GAO’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts are supported by a number of organizational units and groups, including:
• The Special Assistant to the Comptroller General for Diversity and Inclusion, who advises GAO’s senior leadership and employee groups on ways to enhance and implement DEI efforts;
• The Office of Opportunity and Inclusiveness, which helps promote and maintain a work environment that is fair, unbiased, and inclusive in support of equal employment opportunity protections for GAO employees and applicants;
• The Learning Center, which supports GAO’s goal for a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment by providing a range of DEI courses and resources; and
• Advisory groups and employee organizations, who advocate on behalf of employee group members and sponsor and implement DEI activities throughout the agency.
