GAO Looks at Federal Building Security

Although agencies are trying to measure the effects of building security improvements they have put in place in recent years, it is difficult to measure the actual impact and resources for measurement initiatives have been scarce, according to a GAO report. Agencies “have not established specific guidance and standards for developing and using performance measures for facility protection programs in particular. This differs from the information technology security area, where agencies not only are required to measure performance, but also have detailed guidance and standards for developing and implementing performance measures,” GAO said in report GAO-06-612. Federal building security, in particular defending against the risk of terrorism, is on GAO’s “high risk” list of issues needing urgent attention.