The Social Security Administration's Management of Personal Property at Headquarters Needs Improvement
HRD-83-50
Published: Jun 21, 1983. Publicly Released: Jun 21, 1983.
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Highlights
GAO reviewed the management of personal property, which consists of office furniture and equipment, required for operations at the Social Security Administration (SSA) headquarters.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security Administration | SSA should make annual physical inventories of personal property as required by SSA regulations. |
Closed – Implemented
Annual inventories are being conducted on a routine basis.
|
| Social Security Administration | SSA should develop and maintain accurate inventory records of stored personal property. |
Closed – Implemented
SSA is developing an automated property accountability system which will improve its ability to inventory stored property. However, development of the system was halted until the SSA Financial/Administrative Integrated Management System (FAIMS) is completed. FAIMS is not scheduled to begin until May 1987. SSA issued a solicitation on the system to be implemented by October 1989.
|
| Social Security Administration | SSA should adequately coordinate the disposal of excess personal property with GSA. |
Closed – Implemented
Improvements were made in coordinating property disposal with GSA.
|
| Social Security Administration | SSA should make annual property accountability surveys at SSA headquarters. |
Closed – Implemented
Property accountability surveys are made as part of the routine property inventories.
|
| Social Security Administration | SSA should require that custodial officers obtain signed receipts when they issue sensitive property. |
Closed – Not Implemented
SSA initially agreed with this recommendation, but after implementing it, SSA found that it was too cumbersome to use and the effort was not economically sound. GAO had no basis to disagree.
|
| Social Security Administration | SSA should emphasize to property management officials the need for controls over sensitive property to avoid loss or theft. |
Closed – Implemented
Property management officers were reminded of their responsibilities by memorandum in August 1983. Periodic reminders will be issued in the future.
|
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Topics
Federal agency reorganizationFederal property managementInventory controlMonitoringOffice equipmentPersonal propertyProperty disposalProperty lossesProperty managementSurveys