Weaknesses in National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Facilities Utilization Program

Gao ID: PSAD-79-53 March 15, 1979

In order to identify the management of underused, deactivated, or inoperable facilities as an area for future study, GAO reviewed the Facilities Utilization Program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA established its Facilities Utilization Program to monitor the use of its real property, which has a capitalized value of over $2.8 billion. The program's purpose is to strengthen the system for conducting annual facilities utilization reviews and to develop a building space management system to best utilize these facilities.

NASA developed three management reports, which focus primarily on office space and major technical facilities. Errors in classifying some building space distorted the office density ratios and made it appear that office space was better utilized than it actually was. Since tenants label their space according to their own interpretation of NASA Management Instructions, some space classifications vary from building to building, affecting the overall assessment of office space utilization. Tenants also interpreted Management Instructions differently for the other reports, lowering the accuracy and reliability of the reports.

Recommendations

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