Federal Real Property: Leading Practices Could Help GSA Better Achieve Its Reorganization Goals
Fast Facts
Hundreds of thousands of federal employees work in office space provided by the General Services Administration's Public Buildings Service.
The Service’s major reorganization in 2025 didn't fully follow 4 leading reorganization practices. For example, it didn’t conduct strategic workforce planning before cutting staff by 45%.
The resulting workforce gaps have affected customer service. For example, officials from one agency said they’ve had to delay projects to dispose of unneeded space because the Service now has fewer cost estimators providing essential project information.
We recommended that the agency fully follow leading practices.
Highlights
What GAO Found
The Public Buildings Service’s reorganization to become more centralized, consistent, and streamlined has not fully aligned with four selected leading practices for agency reform.
Selected Leading Practices for Agency Reform
Specifically, as of December 2025:
- Establishing Goals and Outcomes. Public Buildings Service officials told GAO that goals for the reorganization included becoming more consistent and streamlined, but the bureau has not yet established performance measures to assess its progress toward meeting these goals.
- Involving Key Stakeholders. The Public Buildings Service informed employees and tenant agencies starting of the reorganization. But communication has been primarily one-way, and the bureau does not have a plan to solicit feedback from tenants and staff that could help improve and engender confidence in the new organization.
- Managing and Monitoring Reform Implementation. Officials from selected tenant agencies told GAO that, since the start of 2025, they have felt the effects of the large staffing reductions at the Public Buildings Service, with one tenant agency noting delays in service. Public Buildings Service officials told GAO that it restarted surveying tenant agencies about service delivery in December 2025 but did not add questions to monitor the reorganization’s progress toward its goals.
- Strategic Workforce Planning. Public Buildings Service officials said the agency did not conduct workforce planning before reducing its workforce by 45 percent as of November 2025. Officials said that they have since tried to align existing employees to address skill gaps but are unsure how many more personnel were needed to fill existing gaps. Officials from selected tenant agencies voiced ongoing concern about the Public Buildings Service’s capacity.
By more fully aligning with leading practices moving forward, the Public Buildings Service could ensure that its reorganization achieves its goals of improving consistency and customer service and streamlining decision-making.
Why GAO Did This Study
The Public Buildings Service, within the General Services Administration (GSA), provides workspace for hundreds of thousands of federal employees. In March 2025 the Public Buildings Service started a large-scale reorganization, including workforce reductions, which were guided by the administration, according to agency officials. Public Buildings Service officials said they formally implemented the reorganization in October 2025, but employees and tenants were still adjusting to it in December 2025.
The Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 includes a provision for GAO to review the Public Buildings Service’s management of real property programs. This report examines the extent to which the Public Buildings Service’s reorganization efforts aligned with selected leading practices for agency reforms, among other objectives.
GAO compared the reorganization actions taken by the Public Buildings Service from March 2025 to December 2025 to four selected leading practices for agency reforms identified in prior GAO work. These practices were selected based on their relevance, the status of the Public Buildings Service’s reorganization, and relevant administration guidance.
Recommendations
GAO recommends that the Public Buildings Service Commissioner: (1) establish performance measures for the reorganization goals; (2) develop a strategy to solicit and incorporate feedback on the reorganization from employees and tenant agencies; (3) monitor reorganization progress toward the goals; and (4) conduct strategic workforce planning that includes analyzing skills gaps. GSA agreed with the recommendations.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Public Buildings Service | The Public Buildings Service Commissioner should establish performance measures for the reorganization goals of improving consistency in service delivery, reducing duplication, streamlining operations, improving workforce flexibility to respond to evolving demands, and developing national standards for processes. (Recommendation 1) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Public Buildings Service | The Public Buildings Service Commissioner should develop a strategy for continuously soliciting and incorporating feedback on the reorganization from employees and tenant agencies. (Recommendation 2) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Public Buildings Service | The Public Buildings Service Commissioner should develop a plan for monitoring the implementation of the reorganization that includes key milestones and deliverables to measure progress towards meeting goals and tenant satisfaction. (Recommendation 3) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Public Buildings Service | The Public Buildings Service Commissioner should conduct strategic workforce planning to identify and address skills gaps and align any gaps with the agency's mission and goals. (Recommendation 4) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|