Much More Can Be Done by the State Department To Improve Overseas Real Estate Management

The Department of State's Office of Foreign Buildings Operations (FBO) is responsible for acquiring, constructing, selling, and maintaining properties located around the world. FBO has had numerous problems in managing its overseas real estate for many years. GAO reviewed these problems in a previous report, and some improvements have been made including: general criteria and guidelines have been issued concerning employee housing; a preventive maintenance and repair handbook has been prepared and issued to the posts; a pilot preventive maintenance program has been started; and staffing levels at the Office of Foreign Buildings Operations headquarters have increased. However, other problems remain.

GAO found that post-level property managers lack the experience and technical expertise to fulfill their responsibilities effectively. At present the Office has no control over the careers, assignment, or training of either the General Services officers or the area officers. The full costs of operating and maintaining individual buildings are still not known; as a result, it is nearly impossible to determine whether and when a building should be replaced. Real property inventory records continue to be inaccurate and incomplete, and construction projects continue to experience unnecessary delays and consequent cost overruns. Further, excess overseas property is not promptly identified and, therefore, is unnecessarily retained. Finally, State's current housing policies and standards overseas are inconsistent with those agreed to at the Washington level.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: No director on record Team: No team on record Phone: No phone on record