Pay & Benefits

GSA issues update to rules governing relocation expense reimbursement following real estate lawsuit

A recent deal to settle multiple lawsuits against the National Association of Realtors has changed how real estate agents are compensating, necessitating a tweak to how agencies reimburse federal workers who must relocate for work.

Management

Trump’s refusal, so far, of transition assistance creates a ‘real risk’ for government continuity

The Harris campaign has reached agreements with GSA and the White House on presidential transition preparations.

Management

Agencies must disclose excess supply policies under bill headed for enactment

Under the legislation, which awaits the president’s signature, agencies must designate an official to identify potentially useful unused items like office equipment and furniture from across the federal government.

Management

GSA has a backlog of 36,000 open fire, safety and health risk conditions in federal buildings

After a complaint to GSA’s inspector general that the agency was violating employee health and safety regulations, auditors found a database of unresolved risk issues at federal buildings across the nation that dated back a decade. 

Management

Both Harris and Trump are historically behind on presidential transition planning

GSA is beginning to provide office space and information technology support to the candidates, who have both just recently named the heads of their transition teams.

Management

GSA will update its property management regulations to reflect gender inclusive pronouns

The agency previously adopted similar updates to regulations governing federal travel earlier this year.

Pay & Benefits

GSA: Per diem rates for federal workers will increase this fall

The amount of money federal agencies will reimburse employees for traveling expenses will increase for both lodging and for meals and incidentals beginning in October.

Management

GSA awards contract for $524M CISA headquarters 

The agency will leverage its largest Inflation Reduction Act-funded project to date to help construct a 630,000-square-foot building for the cybersecurity agency at the St. Elizabeths West Campus. 

Management

GSA updates standards to advance green federal buildings

The Biden administration wants federal buildings to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045.

Tech

Hackathon imagines federal agency websites enhanced by artificial intelligence

GSA sponsored Wednesday’s competition, which took place in Washington, D.C., New York City and Atlanta.

Management

Federal employees exposed to lead and bacteria in water due to delayed GSA response, IG says

A new report found that water quality at a federal building in Detroit included potentially harmful levels of lead, copper and Legionella bacteria, and the Public Buildings Service did not respond to the threat promptly. 

Management

The General Services Administration celebrates 75 years as the federal government’s landlord

The agency is central to efforts to promote green buildings and right-size the federal real estate portfolio.

Tech

As GSA turns 75, one of its leading technologists reflects on the agency's mission

Ann Lewis, director of the Technology Transformation Services, talks implementation, money and more.

Management

Biden administration pledges to help agencies offload more federal buildings

The government's real estate czar calls the post-pandemic building underutilization "concerning," but warns agencies will have to spend money to save money.

Updated Management

GSA unveils advisory committee for transparency initiatives

The committee will help foster new goals and initiatives under the Biden administration’s open government plan.

Oversight

Telework questions pervade recommendation that GSA work on space utilization data

While the amount of office space required by federal agencies has been a longstanding issue, there’s more attention on it due to the increased use of telework since the pandemic.

Oversight

GSA failing to monitor building maintenance contracts, watchdog says

A new report from the GSA inspector general found that contractors did not complete a majority of maintenance work orders sampled in six federal buildings.

Management

GSA lacks management controls for keeping foreign gifts, IG says

An inspector general’s audit of the agency’s Foreign Gifts and Decorations Program found that GSA officials were missing gifts from its inventory while also possessing prohibited items due to insufficient management practices. 

Oversight

Contentious FBI headquarters plan looms over House hearing on real estate footprint

The House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management sought to examine the FBI’s strategy for managing its overall office space requirements, but the ongoing controversy over its potential new headquarters again took center stage. 

Management

GSA hasn’t performed asbestos inspections at 66% of buildings requiring them, GAO says

The watchdog found that more than 600 federal buildings weren’t in compliance with GSA’s own asbestos management policy requiring facilities to be examined every five years.