Summary

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service's (MMS) plan to reorganize a regional field operations office, focusing on the plan's: (1) development and implementation; and (2) projected impact on the office's ability to carry out its responsibilities.

GAO found that MMS: (1) devised the plan to distribute the inspection work load more equitably, better utilize personnel, and more efficiently use helicopters; (2) changed district offices' geographic boundaries, converted some district offices to subdistrict offices, and relocated district office geoscientists to another regional office; and (3) estimated that the plan would offset its implementation costs of $922,000 with annual savings of $748,000 within 2 to 3 years. GAO also found that: (1) the plan balanced inspection work loads for three district offices, but not for the fourth one or for the two subdistrict offices; (2) MMS did not analyze the plan's possible impact on geoscientists' current or proposed duties and responsibilities; (3) the plan did not address ways to more efficiently use helicopters; and (4) MMS overstated its projected savings by at least $392,000.