Why It Matters

Approximately 20 percent of federal buildings in the government's central real estate database have location coordinates that do not match their reported zip codes, a problem so persistent that the agencies responsible for submitting the data have largely abandoned the system. According to a June 2026 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, "Federal Real Property: GSA Should Improve and Streamline Its Real Property Inventory," this cascading failure undermines the entire purpose of maintaining a federal inventory. The Federal Real Property Profile (FRPP), maintained by the General Services Administration (GSA), is supposed to serve as the government's central database for federal buildings. Reliable data can help inform efforts to more efficiently use federal space, yet lack of reliable data is one reason management of federal real property has been on GAO's High Risk list for over 20 years.

The Big Picture

Congress and the Trump administration have directed agencies to identify and dispose of underused real property, a mandate that requires accurate inventory data to execute properly. Without it, the government risks continuing to maintain buildings it does not need while failing to optimize the space it does use.

Data in the FRPP inventory is submitted to GSA by the agency responsible for each asset. In theory, this distributed reporting model allows for comprehensive coverage. In practice, it has produced a database so unreliable that both federal agencies and external stakeholders have largely abandoned it. When GAO assessed the accuracy of FRPP location data for fiscal year 2024, the findings were mixed but troubling. The data were generally accurate at the country and state level, but became less accurate at more granular levels. Beyond the coordinate-to-zip-code mismatches, the broader pattern is clear: the further down agencies and stakeholders try to drill into the FRPP, the less they can trust what they find.

The problem is compounded by the database's sheer complexity. The FRPP contains more than 100 data fields, making it unwieldy for users trying to extract actionable information. The system has become so cumbersome that officials from all five federal agencies GAO selected for detailed interviews said they make limited use of the FRPP. Instead, all five agencies said they rely on their own more comprehensive systems to manage their real property. For the broader stakeholder community, the pattern was even more pronounced. All nine federal real property stakeholders interviewed by GAO said they make limited use of the FRPP, citing concerns about data reliability, presentation, and timeliness.

The GAO report made three recommendations to improve the FRPP inventory's accuracy and usefulness. The first is straightforward: the GSA Administrator, in coordination with the Director of OMB, the Federal Real Property Council (FRPC), and reporting agencies, should improve the accuracy of building location data in the FRPP. GAO suggested that GSA could revise its Validation and Verification process or tools to ensure that different location data points such as geocoordinates and zip codes are in alignment.

The second recommendation is designated a priority recommendation. The GSA Administrator should develop a plan that outlines the steps, resources, and any legislative changes needed to streamline and improve the FRPP. Critically, GAO specified that this plan should be based on user needs and include input on the data elements' usefulness from Congress, the FRPC, and other real property industry stakeholders. GAO suggested that GSA could solicit input on the usefulness of geocoordinates and street addresses as part of developing the plan.

The third recommendation calls for GSA to implement the plan and communicate any changes to Congress, the FRPC, and real property industry stakeholders. As part of its communication, the agency should consult with Congress about any legislative changes needed to streamline and improve the FRPP. GSA concurred with all three GAO recommendations. However, all three recommendations currently have a status of Open, meaning actions to satisfy the intent of the recommendations have not been taken or are being planned.

The Bottom Line

GAO previously identified problems with FRPP location data reliability, most recently in 2020. The fact that similar issues persist six years later suggests that addressing them will require sustained pressure and resources. As a recent GAO audit of GSA documented, multiple priority recommendations on federal real property management remain unresolved. GSA has updated guidance for agencies that submit data to the FRPP, but these efforts have not yet solved the underlying problem.

What comes next depends on whether GSA treats these recommendations as a priority or as another item on a long list of deferred improvements. Given that Congress and the Trump administration have directed agencies to identify and dispose of underused real property, the timing is opportune. The government cannot execute that mandate effectively without reliable data about what it owns.

Access the Legis1 platform for comprehensive political news, data, and insights.

Spot something wrong? Report an issue with this article