Fiscal Year End Spending Spree

[BMT (RIP)]

Any stories worth telling?

We know:
1. Veterans Affairs Department spent more than a half million dollars for artwork
2. Coast Guard spent nearly $200,000 on "cubicle furniture rehab".
3. Agriculture Department spent $140,000 on toner cartridges in just one day.


BMT

[SF_BHT]

You do not even want to know what we did I the last 30 days.......

Now I am looking at more sequestration and Gov Shutdown.

[SF18C]

Originally Posted by SF_BHT

You do not even want to know what we did I the last 30 days.......

Now I am looking at more sequestration and Gov Shutdown.

Same here! We probably spent more money in Sept than all year long!

[The Reaper]

Poor budgeting by the leadership.

TR

[SF_BHT]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Poor budgeting by the leadership.

TR

You are spot on. Unfortunately my Agency has no leadership just managers and that is a joke also. I have no idea how we do anything.

I have been trying to get them to give me a fiscal line for the whole year so I can manage it throughout the whole year for the last 10 yrs. No one will do it. But for the last 60 days I can just order anything and I mean anything. I have learned to have my units list ready with vendors and I hit them hard the first few weeks to stock up for the coming FY. I then have to watch the fiscal process until it is ordered so they do not wind up in the fiscal black hole. Thank god our Fiscal chief is a retired USN Chief. I have developed that asset and we work the system for what indeed and my upper management have never caught on. You have to do what you have to do.

Now we are receiving equipment and supplies and now I have my guys stashing it for the next FY. The only problem is people that do not plan have tried to hit us up for expendables and I as the boss have to be the bad guy. As most know that is not hard. Piss poor prior planning does not constitute an emergency on my part. They really hate it when I tell them that.

[Ret10Echo]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

Poor budgeting by the leadership.

TR

Agencies should be required to construct zero-based budget builds. Most simply add percentages onto the previous year's bogus numbers.... But with the way congress forces waste into spending bills it would not result in a much better circumstance.

[MiTTMedic]

I remember, back in the day, successfully managing the budget for 12 different sections, coming in with almost zero over/under. Then, coming in to work and being told to find something to spend some additional money on by noon that day. We're talking low to mid six-figures we were given in "found money" as a gift because we did so well managing our budgets. Happened every year.