GAO was asked to review strategies that experts recommend retirees employ to ensure income throughout retirement, choices retirees have made for managing their pension and financial assets for generating income, and policy options available to ensure income throughout retirement and their advantages and disadvantages.
According to the GAO, the Postal Service needs to address its aging vehicle fleet, but that doing so will be difficult because it is in a state of financial crisis, having lost $2.6 billion in the first 6 months of FY 2011.
During fiscal year 2010, DOD achieved its initial goal of transitioning approximately 75 percent of NSPS employees to the General Schedule system despite having to overcome some challenges. DOD plans to transition the remaining NSPS employees by the January 1, 2012, mandated deadline.
The GAO has issued a report on the potential cost savings vs. risk factors for the USPS moving to a 5 day mail delivery schedule. According to GAO, the new schedule would likely result in substantial savings, however the extent of these savings depends on how effectively it is implemented.
The recent publicity about charge card abuse by federal employees outlined in a GAO report has been reported in news media all over the country. The Office of Management and Budget has new guidance for federal agencies telling them steps they must take to get a handle on the problem.
The issue of credit card abuse in government surfaces on a regular basis. Little seems to change. A new GAO report highlights a problem with purchase cards. The reaction of many in the government community is likely to be “Thanks for the report. We don’t really care.”
Changes to the procedures for allowing protests to a decision for contracting government work could lead to an interesting situation. An agency offical can protest his own agency’s decision.
OPM should work with the CHCO Council to determine more efficient ways to administer the federal student loan program and to measure its results, GAO said.
GAO issued a special publication of answers to key questions about Social Security reform.
Has the Social Security Administration engaged in an illegal grassroots lobbying effort? The GAO concludes there is not a violation.
