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Facility Security: Results of GAO's Survey on the Physical Security of Federal Facilities (GAO-13-223SP, January 2013), an E-supplement to GAO-13-222

GAO-13-223SP Published: Jan 24, 2013. Publicly Released: Feb 20, 2013.
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Highlights

This is an E-supplement to GAO-13-222. This e-supplement presents the results of GAO's Web-based survey of executive branch agencies about how they approach the physical security of facilities that the Federal Protective Service (FPS) is not responsible for protecting. The survey asks agencies questions on 1) the organization and administration of their agencies, 2) sources used to inform physical security programs, 3) security program policy elements and implementation, 4) challenges and best practices in physical security, and 5) the agencies' building portfolios.

Supplemental Material

Background

This e-supplement presents the results of GAO's Web-based survey of executive branch agencies about how they approach the physical security of facilities that the Federal Protective Service (FPS) is not responsible for protecting. The survey asks agencies questions on 1) the organization and administration of their agencies, 2) sources used to inform physical security programs, 3) security program policy elements and implementation, 4) challenges and best practices in physical security, and 5) the agencies' building portfolios.

The survey was administered to chief security offices or equivalents at 36 cabinet level and independent agencies. The surveyed agencies include all non-military agencies that are required under Executive Order 13327 to report to GSA's Federal Real Property Profile (FRPP) as well as those that are not required to report to the FRPP but optionally did so in fiscal year 2010. In addition, although not included in the FRPP, we surveyed the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) due to its large amount of federal real property. We obtained responses from all 36 surveyed agencies. Four agencies reported that all of their facilities were protected by FPS and therefore were outside the scope of our review. Thus, only the survey results of the remaining 32 agencies are presented in the e-supplement. This e-supplement includes the questions asked and a summary of answers given. Responses to open-ended questions requiring a narrative response are not included in this document.

We administered the survey from May 2012 to June 2012 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. A more detailed discussion of our objectives, scope, methodology, and agency comments on the draft report are contained in our report entitled Facility Security: Greater Outreach by DHS on Standards and Management Practices Could Benefit Federal Agencies, GAO-13-222 (Washington, D.C.: January 2013).

 

Contents

Page Name Questionnaire Results
Introduction View View
Section 1: Organization and Administration View View
Section 2: Sources Used to Inform Physical Security Programs View View
Section 3: Security Program - Policy Elements and Implementation View View
Section 4: Challenges and Best Practices View View
Section 5: Building Portfolio View View
Submit your responses to GAO View View
View and print responses View View

 

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Copyright

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Topics

Executive agenciesFederal agenciesFederal property managementGeneral management reviewsInteragency relationsPerformance managementProgram evaluationRisk assessmentRisk managementSecurity policiesStandardsExecutive agency oversightGovernment agency oversight