Two high-ranking senators requested information about conference travel and spending in all GSA regions in a detailed letter on Friday.
The Public Buildings Service Western Regions conference scandal is reverberating across government. A new Federal News Radio online survey found other agencies are feeling the effects of GSA's problems. More than half of all respondents said their agency canceled conferences or meetings.
The leaders of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee gave the acting GSA administrator 21 days to answer 41 multi-part questions about the agency's efforts to prevent waste, fraud and abuse following the now infamous Western Regions Conference. Senators also recommended the agency review all other recent GSA conferences for possible problems.
Under the one-year contract, Big Blue will develop a system to collect data for the Public Building Service to analyze to find areas to become more energy efficient.
A memo from acting administrator Dan Tangherlini details the steps agency employees must go through to receive approval for conferences and other travel. In wake of GSA Western Regions conference, other agencies also are reconsidering hosting conferences.
Some departments are improving personnel practices around recruitment and knowledge management even in the face of pay freezes and criticisms of public servants. DHS created a higher education engagement group to bring in college students. GSA finds quality of applicants still strong. Senior leaders highlight successes during Public Service Recognition Week.
Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) is calling for the General Services Administration to stop paying an official at the center of the conference spending scandal.
General Services Administration Inspector General Brian Miller told senators on Wednesday his office had made a criminal referral to the Justice Department relating to the ongoing spending scandal. Speaking at the last of four congressional hearings about the GSA, Miller testified that he has heard from "a lot" of whistleblowers since his report was released several weeks ago.
In a letter to employees, Acting Administrator Dan Tangherlini and IG Brian Miller asked employees to be more vigilant to prevent waste, fraud and abuse. They said one of the most troubling aspects of the PBS conference incident was no one reported it or took action to stop it.
Acting General Services Administration chief Dan Tangherlini said the 'Hats Off' incentive program has been suspended. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who has promised an investigation into agency spending, said she's not sure GSA's actions are enough to change the culture.
The chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said he will hold a hearing when Congress returns from recess on the scathing IG report and other shortcoming at GSA's Public Building Service. Scott Amey of POGO said the management failures at GSA show a systemic problem.
The new acting administrator of the General Services Administration has written to agency employees telling them not to allow the mistakes of a few affect the achievement of their goals. Tangherlini, who formerly served as the chief financial officer of the Treasury Department, said GSA will "redouble" its efforts to the core values of delivering efficient and effective services. GSA chief Martha Johnson resigned Monday and two of her top deputies were fired following the release of an inspector general's report detailing excessive spending at an October 2010 regional training conference.
March 28th and March 30th, 2011 Tangherlini serves as the principal policy advisor on the development and execution of the budget and performance plans for Treasury
Treasury\'s Dan Tangherlini explains the reason behind the website relaunch and move to the cloud.