DOD Real Property: Actions Needed to Improve Oversight of Underutilized and Excess Facilities : Government Accountability Office (GAO) , March , 2025
DOD Real Property: Actions Needed to Improve Oversight of Underutilized and Excess Facilities : Government Accountability Office (GAO) , March , 2025
From the report: "In order for the Department of Defense (DOD) to optimize its use of real property, it seeks to periodically review its inventory to identify unneeded or underused facilities. In support of this effort, DOD provided guidance to its components to ensure consistency of utilization measurement and reporting across the department. However, GAO found that the military services have not fully followed this guidance and are reporting inconsistent and inaccurate real property data. For example, the Air Force uses a standard methodology to calculate utilization rates for each facility, but the Navy and Marine Corps report average utilization rates across a set of similar facilities. Without taking actions to hold the military services accountable for following its utilization guidance, DOD will continue to lack a clear picture of the department’s portfolio of real property.
The military services have taken steps to improve efficiency in managing space utilization within DOD real property. For example, the Army is piloting a tool to improve visibility of space utilization in properties measured by square footage. However, the services continue to face challenges in optimizing space given the need to support unexpected requirements and maintain temporary facilities. For example, some installations are using relocatable structures, such as trailers, to fulfill immediate needs until permanent facility space is identified."
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