GAO Finds Gaps in USE IT Act Data on Federal Office Space Utilization

The Government Accountability Office found that data collected under the USE IT Act gives agencies an incomplete view of their real estate, Government Executive reported. According to the Oct. 16 report, 155 fully vacant buildings and leased spaces covering 4.6 million usable square feet were left out of the General Services Administration's initial reporting. GAO also said some agencies counted rooms such as cafeterias and auditoriums as office space, which could distort utilization rates. Agencies told GAO that only about 22% of their owned and leased space is covered by the reporting requirements. A GSA spokesperson told Government Executive the agency is in full compliance with the statute and is working with executive branch partners to address GAO's recommendations. GSA's Andrew Heller told a House committee in June that the data is not an apples-to-apples comparison.