General Services Administration: Opportunities for Cost Savings and Service Improvements

GAO discussed congressional oversight of the General Services Administration (GSA), focusing on opportunities for cost savings and service improvements. GAO noted that GSA: (1) has a virtual monopoly over the provision of federal office space, supplies and equipment, and certain other mission-support services; (2) resembles a large business enterprise, although it has structural weaknesses in the way it conducts business; (3) dependence on monopoly power precludes it from meeting its customers' demands; (4) has made a commitment to end its service monopolies, separated its policy/oversight and service provider roles, reorganized its Public Buildings Service, and is reforming the way it conducts business in response to recommendations; (5) has expanded its ongoing reform efforts and proposed $24 billion in cost savings over the next 5 years, in response to the Administration's initiative to reduce the size of government; and (6) needs to show that any proposed reforms will involve acceptable risks and are likely to result in improved support services to federal agencies and cost savings for taxpayers.