GSA has cancelled its annual Training and Expo for a second straight year citing a prohibitive fiscal climate.
In recent years agencies – and in particular GSA – have been under intense pressure to cut conference spending after a good deal of waste was brought to light by agency inspectors general. Given ongoing budget constraints “agencies and businesses alike continue to make tough spending cuts and operate under reduced travel budgets,” the agency noted.
“After careful review of projected attendance and continued travel budget reductions, GSA has made the decision to not hold an Expo in 2014,” GSA said, adding that it considers training to be a significant need and it will work to “identify the most effective way to offer Expo 2015 to deliver better value and savings for our government partners, our vendors, and the American people.”
That could mean the Expo is going virtual, as agencies have increasingly looked to videoconference and other alternatives to physical presence at events and trainings.
Indeed, GSA also announced recently that its SmartPay training would be conducted online in the spring/summer of 2014. According to GSA, the event “will provide the opportunity to attend over 100 training courses, earn CLP credit and interact with the contractor banks, GSA and other attendees.”
