Research Equipment in the Bureau of Mines

GAO reviewed the Bureau of Mines management of its laboratory research equipment and office furniture. In 1979, the Department of the Interior's Office of the Inspector General reported that the Bureau was seriously deficient in its control of capitalized property. The review dealt primarily with equipment utilization and focused on those conditions which prevent proper control, adequate safeguarding, and maximum usage of all research equipment.

GAO found that, although property control appears to have improved in the Bureau over the past several years, many laboratories do not give property management high priority when allocating responsibilities to limited support staff. None of the laboratories reviewed had implemented Federal regulations concerning idle and unneeded laboratory and research equipment. As a result, equipment was purchased at one laboratory when equipment stored at another site could have been used. Equipment loans to universities and other non-Federal research groups for purposes other than grant- or contract-related work are made on an open-ended or long-term basis. Some of these loans are not documented. GAO found that the Bureau has no agencywide policies or procedures specifying when such loans are appropriate, the maximum length of such loans, or who should authorize and monitor them. Some property has not been adequately protected against deterioration and destruction, and some condition codes assigned to excess and scrap equipment are inaccurate. As a result, Bureau laboratories suffer reduced availability of equipment and may be making some equipment purchases unnecessarily.

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: John W. Sprague Team: General Accounting Office: Energy and Minerals Division Phone: (202) 512-7783