Public Works Consolidation

The Navy plans to consolidate public works departments at three of its facilities in the Jacksonville, Florida, area--Mayport Naval Station, Jacksonville Naval Air Station, and Cecil Field Naval Air Station. The new public works center in Jacksonville will provide centralized planning and management for public works, public utilities, public housing maintenance, transportation support, engineering services, shore facilities planning, and corresponding logistical support. This fact sheet provides information on the (1) cost of public work operations before and after consolidation, (2) changes to authorized personnel levels and the impact of consolidation on employee relocation, and (3) cost of renovating public office space at Jacksonville Naval Air Station to accommodate the new center.

GAO found that: (1) in fiscal year (FY) 1991, the last year before consolidation, the Navy spent $83.1 million for public works services at its three Jacksonville locations; (2) the FY 1994 budget estimated $97.3 million for projects after consolidation; (3) the increased cost was the result of a Department of Defense-wide accounting change that was not related to the creation of the public works center; (4) under the new accounting system, the Center will pay for certain expenses that it was not previously required to pay; (5) personnel for public works functions decreased by 19 due to consolidation; and (6) the cost to renovate a building for the public works center was estimated at $1.2 million, and an additional $150,000 was estimated to modify another small building.