Compensation and Travel of Borrowed Professional Staff

GAO commented on the compensation and travel of employees who are detailed to the Commission on Federal Paperwork, focusing on whether: (1) there is any limitation on the length of time which an agency may detail an employee to the Commission; (2) the Commission may reimburse the detailed employee's agency for the employee's basic pay; (3) the Commission may pay for the relocation expenses of federal employees detailed to the Commission; (4) the Commission may procure staff from state and local agencies; (5) the Commission should accept free services from the private sector and from state and local governments; and (6) conflict-of-interest provisions apply to personnel employed by the Commission as experts and consultants or as persons serving without compensation. GAO held that: (1) the regulations governing the detail of employees to the Commission did not express any time limitations; (2) the Commission may reimburse the detailee's agency for the employee's basic pay; (3) the regulations did not provide explicit authority permitting the payment of relocation expenses to employees detailed to the Commission; (4) state and local staff may be procured if they work in the capacity of an expert or consultant; (5) the Commission may accept free services from the private sector; and (6) GAO did not have the authority to decide whether conflict-of-interest provisions applied to Commission personnel.