General Services Administration: Sustained Attention Required to Improve Performance

Highlights

GAO assessed the General Services Administration's (GSA) ability to: (1) effectively manage changes; (2) improve its human resources management to ensure a quality work force; and (3) establish an effective information management structure to support managerial decisions and to ensure effective financial control and oversight.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
General Services Administration	To strengthen GSA efforts to prepare effectively for the future, the Administrator of General Services should make the integrated strategic planning process being developed an intrinsic part of GSA management practices for establishing broad consensus on goals and objectives across the agency.	Closed – Implemented GSA demonstrated a strong commitment to strengthening the planning process by including all senior executives in the development of the strategic plans and familiarizing employees with the plans and their purposes.
General Services Administration	To strengthen GSA efforts to prepare effectively for the future, the Administrator of General Services should strengthen the links among strategic planning, operational planning, and budget development by using the strategic plan to drive budget development and deriving operational plans from the strategic plan.	Closed – Implemented GSA has taken action to improve the link between the planning and budget formulation processes. The guidance for the 1992 budget formulation process directs managers to use the strategic plan as a basis for developing budget estimates.
General Services Administration	To strengthen GSA efforts to prepare effectively for the future, the Administrator of General Services should familiarize other key organizations, particularly the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Congress, with the GSA strategic plan.	Closed – Implemented GSA did not involve key congressional representatives and OMB staff with the strategic planning process and the resulting goals and objectives to be achieved, but GSA did provide copies of the final plan to Congress and OMB.
General Services Administration	To improve executive performance management and to better hold executives accountable for agency and program results, the Administrator of General Services should ensure that each senior executive's performance plan is tied to agency, service, and unit goals and objectives, and that all Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 assessment criteria are used in developing performance objectives and measurements.	Closed – Implemented GSA is doing more now to monitor executives' performance and to ensure that program goals and objectives are met. GSA developed a new standard performance plan for senior executives that identifies critical elements for all of GSA executives and performance standards or benchmarks to measure accomplishments.
General Services Administration	To improve executive performance management and to better hold executives accountable for agency and program results, the Administrator of General Services should ensure that performance plans articulate clear, realistic, and, where possible, measurable goals and objectives so that the senior executives' contributions to the achievement of agency, service, and unit goals and objectives can be accurately assessed.	Closed – Implemented GSA executives are also expected to supplement their performance plans with specific objectives that can address plan milestones, service goals, and other specific assignments.
General Services Administration	To improve executive performance management and to better hold executives accountable for agency program results, the Administrator of General Services should use the ExecuTrac system to support the strategic planning process and collect information on plan accomplishments and key performance indicators to hold managers accountable.	Closed – Implemented ExecuTrac is used as the basis for discussion of the progress and problems GSA encounters in meeting agency objectives at meetings of GSA executives.
General Services Administration	To improve executive performance management and to better hold executives accountable for agency and program results, the Administrator of General Services should identify ways to ensure that central office policies and goals are effectively carried out in the regions.	Closed – Implemented GSA changed the reporting channels, and now regional administrators report directly to the Deputy Administrator. They previously reported to a staff office.
General Services Administration	To strengthen GSA efforts to develop and maintain an effective senior executive cadre, the Administrator of General Services should implement an executive development program that includes core technical and managerial training requirements for all senior executives and elective courses to update executive skills in areas such as change management, quality management, human resources management, performance measurement, and financial management.	Closed – Implemented The GSA Managerial Excellence Program was designed to provide opportunities for all supervisors and managers to obtain the full range of managerial competencies.
General Services Administration	To strengthen GSA efforts to develop and maintain an effective senior executive cadre, the Administrator of General Services should institute an active program that will develop the managerial and executive skills and capabilities of the agency's managers to provide a pool of qualified personnel for Senior Executive Service (SES) consideration as vacancies occur.	Closed – Implemented GSA has not established an executive candidate pool to develop the skills and capabilities of senior management personnel for SES consideration as vacancies occur. According to GSA officials, the GSA executive resources board decided not to establish a candidate pool because its members endorse an approach that allows all qualified persons to apply for executive positions when vacancies occur.
General Services Administration	The Administrator of General Services should direct the Commissioner, PBS, to expand the delegation of building management authority to cover additional buildings where agencies are capable of and willing to assume these responsibilities, and delegate, on a case-by-case basis, major repair and alteration authority to agencies capable of carrying out these activities.	Closed – Implemented GSA stated that authority for virtually all single-tenant buildings has been delegated. In addition, it will continue to consider additional building delegations and delegations of major repair and alteration authority on a case-by-case basis. GAO does not agree that GSA has done enough to identify all opportunities to expand building delegations. It does not appear that GSA will do much more.
General Services Administration	The Administrator of General Services should direct the Commissioner, PBS, to revise the information reporting requirements under building delegations to require agencies to report all operating cost and performance information needed to determine annual operating expenses and to oversee delegated building management.	Closed – Implemented GSA now requires agencies to provide additional cost and expense information on their building operations. GSA has also taken steps designed to obtain more and better building performance data.
General Services Administration	The Administrator of General Services should direct the Commissioner, PBS, to expand the use of contracts for building management services in multitenant and other buildings where it would not be feasible to delegate to the tenants.	Closed – Implemented GSA stated that it will continue to implement OMB Circular A-76 and abide by the "Edgar" Amendment. The method used for building management services in a particular facility will depend on the needs of the client agency and the economies of the situation.
General Services Administration	The Administrator of General Services should direct the Commissioner, PBS, to focus efforts primarily on strategic management issues, such as the size and location of government facilities, when and how new facilities are to be acquired, and when it is in the government's best interests to modernize and renovate a building or to sell it.	Closed – Not Implemented In response to GAO's work and the National Performance Review (NPR), GSA committed to end its long-standing support-services monopolies, separate its policy and oversight responsibilities from service delivery, restructure the Public Buildings Service and improve how it interfaces with customer agencies, and use private-sector practices as benchmarks to enable it to reform the way it does business. GSA is committed to: (1) continuing to streamline and reengineer its current functions; (2) establish an agencywide Office of Policy and Oversight to enhance its ability to carry out effective governmentwide policy and oversight; and (3) identify the most cost-effective method of carrying out each of its 16 major mission-support functions or business lines. Until GSA completes its analyses of its 16 major business lines, GSA's future role in the federal support-services area is in question.
General Services Administration	The Administrator of General Services should direct the Commissioner, PBS, to develop policy procedures, guidance, and other support mechanisms to help agencies use and manage their facilities strategically as tools to accomplish the goals and objectives of their missions and programs.	Closed – Not Implemented In response to GAO's work and the National Performance Review (NPR), GSA committed to end its long-standing support-services monopolies, separate its policy and oversight responsibilities from service delivery, restructure the Public Buildings Service and improve how it interfaces with customer agencies, and use private-sector practices as benchmarks to enable it to reform the way it does business. GSA is committed to: (1) continuing to streamline and reengineer its current functions; (2) establish an agencywide Office of Policy and Oversight to enhance its ability to carry out effective governmentwide policy and oversight; and (3) identify the most cost-effective method of carrying out each of its 16 major mission-support functions or business lines. Until GSA completes its analyses of its 16 major business lines, GSA's future role in the federal support-services area is in question.
General Services Administration	The Administrator of General Services should direct the Commissioner, PBS, to strengthen delegation oversight and contract administration to ensure that the value and integrity of the facilities assets are preserved and that they are used effectively to support government programs.	Closed – Implemented To improve the oversight and management of agency-managed buildings, GSA now requires agencies to provide additional cost and expense information on their building operations. GSA has also taken steps designed to obtain more and better building performance data.
General Services Administration	To ensure a smooth transition, the Administrator of General Services should direct the Commissioner, PBS, to develop a comprehensive plan and timetable for implementing this role change. This plan, developed in consultation with the agencies, should include the elements outlined in this report and should be shared with OMB and Congress to ensure their commitment and support for the change.	Closed – Not Implemented In response to GAO's work and the National Performance Review (NPR), GSA committed to end its long-standing support-services monopolies, separate its policy and oversight responsibilities from service delivery, restructure the Public Buildings Service and improve how it interfaces with customer agencies, and use private-sector practices as benchmarks to enable it to reform the way it does business. GSA is committed to: (1) continuing to streamline and reengineer its current functions; (2) establish an agencywide Office of Policy and Oversight to enhance its ability to carry out effective governmentwide policy and oversight; and (3) identify the most cost-effective method of carrying out each of its 16 major mission-support functions or business lines. Until GSA completes its analyses of its 16 major business lines, GSA's future role in the federal support-services area is in question.
General Services Administration	To help develop a customer-oriented focus to PBS operations, the Administrator of General Services should direct the Commissioner, PBS, to provide total quality management (TQM) training to PBS personnel.	Closed – Implemented GSA has adopted TQM as an agency priority. In fiscal year 1990, GSA began providing TQM to its employees and nearly all of its senior executives had attended at least one course. GSA has also formed a national quality council, designated a TQM officer, and is beginning to identify its customers' needs -- an important TQM element.
General Services Administration	To help develop a customer-oriented focus to PBS operations, the Administrator of General Services should direct the Commissioner, PBS, to develop effective partnerships with customer agencies.	Closed – Implemented GSA cited its development of effective partnerships with customer agencies through annual Partnership Administration Conferences; regular meetings of the PBS Real Property Executive Advisory Committee, the GSA Client Relations Advisory Board, and GSA meetings with client agencies.
General Services Administration	To help develop a customer-oriented focus to PBS operations, the Administrator of General Services should direct the Commissioner, PBS, to set up regional advisory councils made up of the agencies served in the region to evaluate new program ideas, program changes, and suggestions for improvements and to provide feedback on the quality of services.	Closed – Implemented GSA established advisory councils in the regions. These councils are made up of federal agencies' representatives and GSA staff. Their purpose is to resolve problems, discuss new initiatives, and suggest program improvements.
General Services Administration	To help develop a customer-oriented focus to PBS operations, the Administrator of General Services should direct the Commissioner, PBS, to maintain a one-stop focal point within the central office and regions to field customer inquiries, requests, and complaints.	Closed – Implemented GSA executives agreed that a special group to act as a focal point was not needed. Instead, the executives agreed that special training was needed so that staff would be better prepared to handle problems raised by the client agencies.
General Services Administration	The Administrator of General Services should direct the Commissioner, PBS, to develop a new facilities management information structure and redefine the relevant management information needed to manage facilities' assets strategically, evaluate facilities' costs and performance, and oversee delegated functions.	Closed – Not Implemented In response to GAO's work and the National Performance Review (NPR), GSA committed to end its long-standing support-services monopolies, separate its policy and oversight responsibilities from service delivery, restructure the Public Buildings Service and improve how it interfaces with customer agencies, and use private-sector practices as benchmarks to enable it to reform the way it does business. GSA is committed to: (1) continuing to streamline and reengineer its current functions; (2) establish an agencywide Office of Policy and Oversight to enhance its ability to carry out effective governmentwide policy and oversight; and (3) identify the most cost-effective method of carrying out each of its 16 major mission-support functions or business lines. Until GSA completes its analyses of its 16 major business lines, GSA's future role in the federal support-services area is in question.
General Services Administration	The Administrator of General Services should direct the Commissioner, PBS, to acquire and implement a new facilities management information system capable of: (1) collecting, analyzing, and disseminating this information; and (2) exchanging information with other GSA information systems as needed.	Closed – Not Implemented In response to GAO's work and the National Performance Review (NPR), GSA committed to end its long-standing support-services monopolies, separate its policy and oversight responsibilities from service delivery, restructure the Public Buildings Service and improve how it interfaces with customer agencies, and use private-sector practices as benchmarks to enable it to reform the way it does business. GSA is committed to: (1) continuing to streamline and reengineer its current functions; (2) establish an agencywide Office of Policy and Oversight to enhance its ability to carry out effective governmentwide policy and oversight; and (3) identify the most cost-effective method of carrying out each of its 16 major mission-support functions or business lines. Until GSA completes its analyses of its 16 major business lines, GSA's future role in the federal support-services area is in question.
General Services Administration	The Administrator of General Services should direct the Commissioner, PBS, to reassess the existing relationship between headquarters and regional staff and officials responsible for facilities management in terms of authority, responsibility, accountability, and lines of communications to better ensure consistent, correct implementation of policies and goals.	Closed – Implemented Regional administrators now participate in GSA quarterly general management reviews. They now report directly to the Deputy Administrator. In addition, quarterly management meetings are held with deputy regional administrators to address their needs and concerns.
General Services Administration	The Administrator of General Services should establish and maintain an active human resources planning system that is integrated with other planning processes to identify future staff resources requirements and stipulate how these resources will be acquired.	Closed – Implemented GSA developed a human resources planning system in September 1990 and tested it in 1991. GSA made revisions and is planning for the system to be operational in fiscal year (FY) 1993.
General Services Administration	The Administrator of General Services should develop stronger employee development and training programs that are based on requirements identified in the human resources plan and input received from across the organization.	Closed – Implemented In 1991, GSA initiated a process that combined development and training programs with its human resources planning system. The human resources planning system was revised and is to become operational in FY 1993.
General Services Administration	The Administrator of General Services should assess the level of central personnel office resources needed to ensure that the office can: (1) help develop a human resources planning system in conjunction with line managers; and (2) improve personnel management evaluation of service and regional activities.	Closed – Implemented To improve its personnel management evaluation activities, GSA conducted an on-site evaluation in Region 6 on July 26, 1991. GSA officials plan to conduct two regional evaluations each fiscal year.
General Services Administration	The Administrator of General Services should direct the GSA Career Advisory Panel (GCAP) to provide oversight in the development of the human resources planning system.	Closed – Implemented GSA views GCAP as an advisory group without this authority and, therefore, believes it should not be the vehicle for setting up a human resources agenda. As an alternative, GCAP decided that each member would provide comments, if warranted, on proposed human resources initiatives from the Office of Personnel. GSA recently abolished GCAP.
General Services Administration	The Administrator of General Services should direct the GSA Career Advisory Panel to set up a human resources management agenda with specific objectives and goals that can be used in SES performance plans.	Closed – Implemented GSA views GCAP as an advisory group without this authority and, therefore, believes it should not be the vehicle for setting up a human resources agenda. As an alternative, GCAP decided that each member would provide comments, if warranted, on proposed human resources initiatives from the Office of Personnel. GSA recently abolished GCAP.
General Services Administration	To improve the GSA internal information resources management (IRM) environment and establish a framework for meeting its financial and program management information needs, the Administrator of General Services should remove internal IRM responsibilities from the IRM Commissioner and assign them to a new senior IRM official, such as an Associate Administrator for Information, whose sole responsibilities are to strengthen and improve the management of GSA information resources.	Closed – Not Implemented In response to GAO's work and the National Performance Review (NPR), GSA committed to end its long-standing support-services monopolies, separate its policy and oversight responsibilities from service delivery, restructure the Public Buildings Service and improve how it interfaces with customer agencies, and use private-sector practices as benchmarks to enable it to reform the way it does business. GSA is committed to: (1) continuing to streamline and reengineer its current functions; (2) establish an agencywide Office of Policy and Oversight to enhance its ability to carry out effective governmentwide policy and oversight; and (3) identify the most cost-effective method of carrying out each of its 16 major mission-support functions or business lines. Until GSA completes its analyses of its 16 major business lines, GSA's future role in the federal support-services area is in question.
General Services Administration	To improve the GSA internal information resources management environment and establish a framework for meeting its financial and program management information needs, the Administrator of General Services should develop an agencywide information architecture that identifies and links all information needs, both financial and nonfinancial, with appropriate systems applications and related hardware to carry out the GSA mission and program objectives.	Closed – Not Implemented In response to GAO's work and the National Performance Review (NPR), GSA committed to end its long-standing support-services monopolies, separate its policy and oversight responsibilities from service delivery, restructure the Public Buildings Service and improve how it interfaces with customer agencies, and use private-sector practices as benchmarks to enable it to reform the way it does business. GSA is committed to: (1) continuing to streamline and reengineer its current functions; (2) establish an agencywide Office of Policy and Oversight to enhance its ability to carry out effective governmentwide policy and oversight; and (3) identify the most cost-effective method of carrying out each of its 16 major mission-support functions or business lines. Until GSA completes its analyses of its 16 major business lines, GSA's future role in the federal support-services area is in question.
General Services Administration	To improve the GSA internal IRM environment and establish a framework for meeting its financial and program management information needs, the Administrator of General Services should strengthen GSA top management oversight of systems development and implementation of new systems by involving the existing automatic data processing steering committee appropriately.	Closed – Implemented GSA revised the charter for the IRM Executive Steering Committee to further strengthen management information oversight. The revised charter provides a more active role for GSA top management.
General Services Administration	To improve GSA financial management systems and provide a sound basis for guiding system development efforts, the Administrator of General Services should complete an agencywide financial systems plan as part of the development of the agency's information architecture.	Closed – Not Implemented In response to GAO's work and the National Performance Review (NPR), GSA committed to end its long-standing support-services monopolies, separate its policy and oversight responsibilities from service delivery, restructure the Public Buildings Service and improve how it interfaces with customer agencies, and use private-sector practices as benchmarks to enable it to reform the way it does business. GSA is committed to: (1) continuing to streamline and reengineer its current functions; (2) establish an agencywide Office of Policy and Oversight to enhance its ability to carry out effective governmentwide policy and oversight; and (3) identify the most cost-effective method of carrying out each of its 16 major mission-support functions or business lines. Until GSA completes its analyses of its 16 major business lines, GSA's future role in the federal support-services area is in question.
General Services Administration	To improve GSA financial management systems and provide a sound basis for guiding system development efforts, the Administrator of General Services should ensure that the Office of Financial Management Systems is provided with the necessary resources to improve GSA financial management.	Closed – Implemented GSA stated that its Office of Financial Management Systems will continue to ensure improvement in financial management continues.
General Services Administration	To improve GSA financial management systems and provide a sound basis for guiding system development efforts, the Administrator of General Services should continually monitor supply operations and remove from inventory those commodities that are not cost-effective to stock.	Closed – Implemented Officials from the Federal Supply Service provided information on several special projects designed to better monitor supply operations that were scheduled and completed during this fiscal year.

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