As might be expected in an audit of the agency that manages federal working space, an IG report has generally praised the GSA’s “reduce the footprint” program as it applied to its Pacific Rim region.
Auditors made no recommendations but brought two issues to management’s attention:
First, while GSA “captures a significant volume of data for each potential space reduction project” it “has not established policy and procedures describing how it should be incorporated into decisions on space reduction projects. Absent such guidance, GSA may not have assurance that project decisions are based on complete and relevant information.”
Second, while GSA policies establish, among other things, the size of new individual work stations, limits on private offices, and acoustics and privacy considerations, “it does not define the circumstances under which an exemption is appropriate. Furthermore, the policy does not establish a process for requesting, approving, and documenting exemptions. Without clear policy and procedures in place, GSA is at increased risk that exemptions will not be applied in a consistent and defensible manner.”
