A witness noted that managing federal real property is on the GAO’s latest high-risk list, where it has been since first being added in 2003. Image: JL IMAGES/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe security of federal buildings—including the training and job performance of the largely contracted out security guard force—was one of the main concerns about management of agency properties that GAO raised in a recent House hearing.
A witness noted that managing federal real property is on the GAO’s latest high-risk list, where it has been since first being added in 2003. “These reasons include that the government retained more real property than it needed, did not have reliable property data to support decision making, and struggled to secure federal buildings,” he said.
He cited a 2024 report on unannounced testing GAO officials in which security guards failed to detect items such as pepper spray, a baton or a knife in 13 of the 27 tests. “This is a rate comparable to the Federal Protective Service’s own covert testing results.”
“In addition, FPS has not yet fully deployed the Post Tracking System. Under development since 2013, the system was supposed to verify that all guards are qualified but faces technical and data reliability problems,” the testimony said.
However, the GAO credited a 2023 executive order with clarifying the Interagency Security Committee’s role in monitoring agencies’ compliance with ISC’s physical security standards; a 2024 law requiring facility security committees to inform DHS of their decisions on security recommendations; and guidance from the ISC of earlier this year on how agencies assessed the risk if they do not accept such recommendations.
Other issues with real property highlighted in the testimony included: that “federal agencies have long struggled with underused space, which costs millions of dollars”; unreliable data making it difficult to make informed decisions; a deferred maintenance backlog that has increased from $170 billion to $370 billion between fiscal year 2017 and 2024; and that many buildings “are poorly configured and need renovations to meet present-day workforce requirements.”
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