Government Report Shows Stimulus Spending Slowed By Staff Shortage


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March 12, 2010 6:56 p.m. EST

Topics: economy, business and finance, economy, United States
Mitchell Jaworski - AHN Reporter

Washington, DC, United States (AHN) - The Commerce Department's inspector general issued a report Friday that cited staff shortages as the reason for delays in stimulus distributions.

According to the report, several agencies have not awarded money in the form of grants and contracts as fast as expected because the additional workload spurred by stimulus programs has burdened existing staff.

The report surveyed 29 agencies that received funds for distribution from the American Recovery and Reinvestment act of 2009. Roughly 85 percent of respondents said staff was inadequate to handle both regular workloads and items from the recovery act.

Respondents ranged from agencies, such as the Department of Defense to Health and Human Services. The agencies said the staff shortages were causing award delays, decreased post-award monitoring and expanded staff hours.

Agencies are in the process of hiring additional personnel and reassigning staff in order to ensure timely completion of recovery act work, the report said.

Personnel levels are projected to increase more than 125 percent in the summer of 2010, compared to 2009, according to the study. That would mark an increase of roughly 2,300 workers.


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