The Coming War On The GSA

mudwhistle

Diamond Member
Gold Supporting Member
Jul 21, 2009
129,589
65,488
2,645
Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts
GOVERNMENT+WORKERS,+obamacartoon.jpg


Obama has been gutting the GSA and the civilian work force in the DOD since he's been in office. Currently we are building new facilities all over the country with contracts that were granted during the Bush years, but the care and maintenance of those faculties are under Obama's control.

Usually when you expand the number of buildings on post you need more folks to take care of them. Instead we've been losing maintenance workers by retirement, death, or moving to other positions. 30% of the workforce in my department is gone, we've even been told not to work harder by our superiors because if we were able to cover for the missing positions they would disappear. Problem is that's not a problem. Even when most of the active duty was deployed we couldn't keep up with all of the work orders that were called in. We had to only answer priority 1 and 2 work orders last Summer and ignore priority 3s.

Now I keep seeing reports that are being released to the AP of lazy government employees going on expensive vacations. Reports of lavish spending by the government are surfacing. What I'm seeing on the ground is spending with no follow-up. Massively wasteful spending going into buildings and facilities and nobody there to take care of it. Every building on post is becoming climate-controlled with expensive computer driven HVAC systems that don't work as designed. Replacing aging WWII and Korean War style buildings with pretty Baby-poop brown poorly insulated fabrications that require constant air-conditioning to keep them habitable. The existing structures are being switched from workable, easily controlled manual control systems to a complex computer driven smart systems that aren't smart enough to adapt to changing variables in the environment.

So in effect, the workload has greatly increased but the work force has been hollowed-out out of necessity thanks to a refusal to hire from the very top. All hiring was bottle-necked under the control of one general in Washington.

So who is Obama gonna blame for this one?

Probably Bush and the workers themselves.

The great healer at work once again.
 
Facilities maintenance?

Contracts, baby, contracts. The increase in total maintenance contracts around town are amazing. It's a boom right now.

And the recent GSA scandal? LMAO...typical. Such screwups on our dime.
 
Last edited:
Facilities maintenance?

Contracts, baby, contracts. The increase in total maintenance contracts around town are amazing. It's a boom right now.

Yup. It's a cash-cow for contractors. Non-government contractors.

Guess what......if you contract it out they don't do the job. We have constant reminders of how well these contract maintenance companies do their jobs when they turn the facilities over to us. What we usually get is a system that has been neglected for the entire time the contract was in force. A system that should have lasted 30 years is broke after only 5 years.
 
It is the Conservatives who have traditionally attacked the federal workforce and used them as the basis for all that ails government.

Arbitrary budget cuts have forced drawdowns through attrition and yes maintenance is one of the first things to be cut
 
Facilities maintenance?

Contracts, baby, contracts. The increase in total maintenance contracts around town are amazing. It's a boom right now.

Yup. It's a cash-cow for contractors. Non-government contractors.

Guess what......if you contract it out they don't do the job. We have constant reminders of how well these contract maintenance companies do their jobs when they turn the facilities over to us. What we usually get is a system that has been neglected for the entire time the contract was in force. A system that should have lasted 30 years is broke after only 5 years.
Yup. I blame the contracting officers there. They put an incomplete description of the required maintenance to be done over the period of the contract (Statement of Work) on the street. They get bids and take the lowest, of course.

But the bids are based on those incomplete requirements the GSA put out. The contractors sure aren't going to do more than what the Statement of Work said.

And, how about that new GSA scandal?

The recent revelations of excessive and inappropriate spending for a General Services Administration (GSA) regional training conference in Las Vegas could not have come at a worse time given the fiscal constraints facing our government.

Now more than ever, federal managers must deliver value to the American public for every dollar spent. The good news is that the vast majority of federal managers and employees are doing their jobs. The bad news is that a few egregious examples of excess or poor management can easily undermine public confidence in government.

The taxpayer dollars spent on a clown, mind reader, conference swag , lavish parties and advance planning for the 2010 GSA conference in Las Vegas violated the government’s procurement rules and regulations, and the agency’s own internal controls. It’s shameful, at the very least.

What does this say to federal executives? You work in a fishbowl. Be mindful that you are accountable to the American taxpayer and that somebody is likely watching.

....​
Lessons from the GSA conference scandal - Ask the Fedcoach - The Washington Post
 
Last edited:
It is the Conservatives who have traditionally attacked the federal workforce and used them as the basis for all that ails government.

Arbitrary budget cuts have forced drawdowns through attrition and yes maintenance is one of the first things to be cut

Well, I'm currently in the system and I can say without a shadow of doubt that you're full of crap.
 
I heard or read somewhere that the administration was aware of this lavish conference and abuse of taxpayer money 10 months ago...but did not take action on it until it became public...

I dont know if this is true and I dont recall where I heard/read it.

Anyone?

I also heard on Fox News that of that 800K.....130K was spent vetting the facility...now I am well aware that corporations vet different venues...usually spend a few oights at 3 or 4 bnefore opting for the best one.

If that 130K is a real number....how many venues were visited and by how many people? Bear in mind...the room, food and entertainment (golf, etc) is free of charge when vetting a venue...it is considered a privelage to be on the short list and have the opportunity to present your venue...

So what was the 130K spent on?
 
Facilities maintenance?

Contracts, baby, contracts. The increase in total maintenance contracts around town are amazing. It's a boom right now.

And the recent GSA scandal? LMAO...typical. Such screwups on our dime.
Time to privatize and de-unionize.
 
Facilities maintenance?

Contracts, baby, contracts. The increase in total maintenance contracts around town are amazing. It's a boom right now.

Yup. It's a cash-cow for contractors. Non-government contractors.

Guess what......if you contract it out they don't do the job. We have constant reminders of how well these contract maintenance companies do their jobs when they turn the facilities over to us. What we usually get is a system that has been neglected for the entire time the contract was in force. A system that should have lasted 30 years is broke after only 5 years.
Yup. I blame the contracting officers there. They put an incomplete description of the required maintenance to be done over the period of the contract (Statement of Work) on the street. They get bids and take the lowest, of course.

But the bids are based on those incomplete requirements the GSA put out. The contractors sure aren't going to do more than what the Statement of Work said.

And, how about that new GSA scandal?

The recent revelations of excessive and inappropriate spending for a General Services Administration (GSA) regional training conference in Las Vegas could not have come at a worse time given the fiscal constraints facing our government.

Now more than ever, federal managers must deliver value to the American public for every dollar spent. The good news is that the vast majority of federal managers and employees are doing their jobs. The bad news is that a few egregious examples of excess or poor management can easily undermine public confidence in government.

The taxpayer dollars spent on a clown, mind reader, conference swag , lavish parties and advance planning for the 2010 GSA conference in Las Vegas violated the government’s procurement rules and regulations, and the agency’s own internal controls. It’s shameful, at the very least.

What does this say to federal executives? You work in a fishbowl. Be mindful that you are accountable to the American taxpayer and that somebody is likely watching.

....​
Lessons from the GSA conference scandal - Ask the Fedcoach - The Washington Post

We have to define the difference between a GS worker and a WG worker.

The GS worker is what used to be called primarily "White Collar" workers. The managers. The WG or "Wage Grade" worker is the person doing the actual hands-on work.

Here on post they came up with a system they called FISBI which was a new way to provide service to the customer. Their primary job was to fix Fan-coils all over the post. Fan-coils are a simple way of cooling rooms in buildings using a chill-water piping system and with individual units. Using a fan motor to force air over the chilled coil rather than using a central air-handler to force chilled air into the space. At one time there was only 2 individuals on post that conducted maintenance on these units for the whole post, but the occupying units themselves were supposed to provide personnel to change out filters. With everyone deployed this never got done. (It never got done with them here ether)

So FISBI was created to handle the extra workload with overhires. Problem with it was for every hands-on maintenance worker there was 3 managers. Why, I have no idea. Well, a few months ago they eliminated FISBI yet they have nobody to replace them.

Seems like to me that the GS workers are what they're focusing on. The higher paid workers that seem to be kicking back enjoying AC and not doing anything while the WG workers are sweating their asses off.
 
Yup. It's a cash-cow for contractors. Non-government contractors.

Guess what......if you contract it out they don't do the job. We have constant reminders of how well these contract maintenance companies do their jobs when they turn the facilities over to us. What we usually get is a system that has been neglected for the entire time the contract was in force. A system that should have lasted 30 years is broke after only 5 years.
Yup. I blame the contracting officers there. They put an incomplete description of the required maintenance to be done over the period of the contract (Statement of Work) on the street. They get bids and take the lowest, of course.

But the bids are based on those incomplete requirements the GSA put out. The contractors sure aren't going to do more than what the Statement of Work said.

And, how about that new GSA scandal?

The recent revelations of excessive and inappropriate spending for a General Services Administration (GSA) regional training conference in Las Vegas could not have come at a worse time given the fiscal constraints facing our government.

Now more than ever, federal managers must deliver value to the American public for every dollar spent. The good news is that the vast majority of federal managers and employees are doing their jobs. The bad news is that a few egregious examples of excess or poor management can easily undermine public confidence in government.

The taxpayer dollars spent on a clown, mind reader, conference swag , lavish parties and advance planning for the 2010 GSA conference in Las Vegas violated the government’s procurement rules and regulations, and the agency’s own internal controls. It’s shameful, at the very least.

What does this say to federal executives? You work in a fishbowl. Be mindful that you are accountable to the American taxpayer and that somebody is likely watching.

....​
Lessons from the GSA conference scandal - Ask the Fedcoach - The Washington Post

We have to define the difference between a GS worker and a WG worker.

The GS worker is what used to be called primarily "White Collar" workers. The managers. The WG or "Wage Grade" worker is the person doing the actual hands-on work.

Here on post they came up with a system they called FISBI which was a new way to provide service to the customer. Their primary job was to fix Fan-coils all over the post. Fan-coils are a simple way of cooling rooms in buildings using a chill-water piping system and with individual units. Using a fan motor to force air over the chilled coil rather than using a central air-handler to force chilled air into the space. At one time there was only 2 individuals on post that conducted maintenance on these units for the whole post, but the occupying units themselves were supposed to provide personnel to change out filters. With everyone deployed this never got done. (It never got done with them here ether)

So FISBI was created to handle the extra workload with overhires. Problem with it was for every hands-on maintenance worker there was 3 managers. Why, I have no idea. Well, a few months ago they eliminated FISBI yet they have nobody to replace them.

Seems like to me that the GS workers are what they're focusing on. The higher paid workers that seem to be kicking back enjoying AC and not doing anything while the WG workers are sweating their asses off.
Good distinction and I agree.
 
Yup. I blame the contracting officers there. They put an incomplete description of the required maintenance to be done over the period of the contract (Statement of Work) on the street. They get bids and take the lowest, of course.

But the bids are based on those incomplete requirements the GSA put out. The contractors sure aren't going to do more than what the Statement of Work said.

And, how about that new GSA scandal?

The recent revelations of excessive and inappropriate spending for a General Services Administration (GSA) regional training conference in Las Vegas could not have come at a worse time given the fiscal constraints facing our government.

Now more than ever, federal managers must deliver value to the American public for every dollar spent. The good news is that the vast majority of federal managers and employees are doing their jobs. The bad news is that a few egregious examples of excess or poor management can easily undermine public confidence in government.

The taxpayer dollars spent on a clown, mind reader, conference swag , lavish parties and advance planning for the 2010 GSA conference in Las Vegas violated the government’s procurement rules and regulations, and the agency’s own internal controls. It’s shameful, at the very least.

What does this say to federal executives? You work in a fishbowl. Be mindful that you are accountable to the American taxpayer and that somebody is likely watching.

....​
Lessons from the GSA conference scandal - Ask the Fedcoach - The Washington Post

We have to define the difference between a GS worker and a WG worker.

The GS worker is what used to be called primarily "White Collar" workers. The managers. The WG or "Wage Grade" worker is the person doing the actual hands-on work.

Here on post they came up with a system they called FISBI which was a new way to provide service to the customer. Their primary job was to fix Fan-coils all over the post. Fan-coils are a simple way of cooling rooms in buildings using a chill-water piping system and with individual units. Using a fan motor to force air over the chilled coil rather than using a central air-handler to force chilled air into the space. At one time there was only 2 individuals on post that conducted maintenance on these units for the whole post, but the occupying units themselves were supposed to provide personnel to change out filters. With everyone deployed this never got done. (It never got done with them here ether)

So FISBI was created to handle the extra workload with overhires. Problem with it was for every hands-on maintenance worker there was 3 managers. Why, I have no idea. Well, a few months ago they eliminated FISBI yet they have nobody to replace them.

Seems like to me that the GS workers are what they're focusing on. The higher paid workers that seem to be kicking back enjoying AC and not doing anything while the WG workers are sweating their asses off.
Good distinction and I agree.

Something that's not even funny is the fact that we get calls that the AC is off when the ambient temp is below 60 degrees.
 
3 guesses who Obama is blaming for the wasteful spending being reported at the GSA?


Boooooooooooosh.

The Obama administration is responding to the recent report that shows a federal agency spent more that $800,000 on a lavish conference near Las Vegas by putting some of the blame on the Bush administration.

“At least we have taken, bold, swift forceful action to hold those responsible accountable and put in place protections to make sure this never happened again,” a White House official told Fox News.

The Inspector General Office’s report last week about the 2010 General Services Administration conference outside of Las Vegas indicates the Obama administration knew about the trip since May 2010. The report was followed by a release of videos.


Video from taxpayer-paid government conference shows employee joking about coming under investigation.

One video shows an employee performing in the fake music video, which is laced with jokes and references that only federal employees are likely to get.

In the lyrics, the employee sings: "Donate my vacation, love to the nation, I'll never be under OIG investigation."

The report found the Public Buildings Service, part of the General Services Administration, spent more than $840,000 on the conference.

Read more: White House Pushing Blame On Bush Administration For GSA Debacle | Fox News

White House Pushing Blame On Bush Administration For GSA Debacle | Fox News
 

Forum List

Back
Top