Request from Administrator Doan to Kenneth W. Kaiser, Chair, Integrity Committee, President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency
September 7, 2007
Mr. Kenneth W. Kaiser, Esq.
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Chair, Integrity Committee
President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Room 3975
Washington, DC 20535-0001
Dear Mr. Kaiser,
The GSA Inspector General (IG), in a memo dated 13 August 2007, has reported a significant lack of cooperation in support of the IG’s investigations and requests for data from industry. I have also received a letter from Senator Grassley dated 24 August 2007 in which he, too, cites his concern that industry is not cooperating with the GSA IG’s request for information. Further, Senator Grassley has asked me to take steps to “address the problem”. More to the point, I am concerned that the lack of cooperation that has been reported is not an isolated case but is reflective of a systemic issue for the GSA OIG throughout industry as well as with GSA employees.
In support of these concerns, I am requesting assistance from the President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency to help me address the matters stated by both Senator Grassley and the GSA IG.
I do not understand the cause for this apparent lack of responsiveness to requests for information from the GSA OIG. Moreover, I share the GSA IG’s concern about the importance and urgency of the problem, for it is imperative, given our core mission, for GSA to have a fully capable, competent, independent and respected OIG, capable of gaining industry and GSA employee cooperation for investigations and audits.
Hence, I am requesting an outside review by the president’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE) to identify the issues that underlie Senator Grassley’s concerns, as well as the GSA IG’s concerns, about the apparent lack of cooperation. I am requesting that you conduct an independent review in which you consult with industry groups, as well as with a cross-section of GSA employees, to determine if there is any validity to the perception of the lack of cooperation. I am also requesting that you analyze the responses and provide recommendations which I and the GSA IG can work together to implement.
Given the importance and the urgency of our need for this analysis, I am asking that the PCIE act on this request within 30 days and, if at all possible, provide a written report to me within 90 days.
My hope is that, with an objective analysis from the PCIE, and with cooperation on implementing the recommendations that are provided by PCIE, together, the GSA IG and I can make a full effort to fix the systemic and disturbing problem of the lack of cooperation identified in the GSA IG’s August 13, 2007 memo and Senator Grassley’s August 24, 2007 letter.
Cordially,
Lurita Doan
Administrator
Cc: Senator Charles Grassley
Brian Miller, GSA Inspector General Services Administration
Clay Johnson, III, Chair, PCIE
Last Reviewed 9/30/2008