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- Addressed

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- Partially Addressed

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- Not Addressed

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- Consolidated or Other

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- Pending

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- Closed-Partially Addressed

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- Closed-Not Addressed

Year Identified: 2013

Area Number: 9

Area Type: Fragmentation, Overlap & Duplication

Action:

The Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury should conduct a study to determine the feasibility of consolidating asset management activities including, but not limited to, the use of asset tracking systems and the sharing of vendor and contract resources. This study should include the likely costs and benefits of consolidation, as well as GAO's key questions to consider when evaluating consolidation proposals.

Progress:

The Department of Justice (Justice) and the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) Asset Forfeiture Programs have jointly conducted a study to assess the feasibility of shared services in the areas of asset management and asset-tracking systems as GAO recommended in September 2012. In June 2013, the directors of each asset forfeiture program approved a project plan, including specific project tasks, assignments, and timelines, for completing a study of three areas: consolidating or sharing asset-tracking systems, the sharing of vendor resources in storage facilities, and the sharing of contract resources. The departments also established a joint working group to evaluate the recommendation and carry out the study, which was completed in May 2014. The study concluded that the costs of consolidation outweighed the benefits in the areas of asset-tracking systems and property management. However, the working group identified ways to improve communication and coordination between Justice and Treasury in an effort to realize greater efficiencies. Completing the study provided Justice and Treasury with the information needed to determine if consolidation was cost effective and provided information for improving efficiencies in asset management activities for both departments.