S. 1171: Congressional Oversight to Secure Transparency of Relocations Act

The Congressional Oversight to Secure Transparency of Relocations Act (also known as the COST of Relocations Act) is a bill designed to improve oversight and transparency concerning federal agencies' decisions to relocate jobs. Here’s a breakdown of the key provisions:

Benefit-Cost Analysis Requirement

The bill mandates that before any federal agency can carry out a "covered relocation," it must conduct a benefit-cost analysis. This analysis aims to evaluate the financial and social impacts of moving employment positions.

Submission and Review Process

The process involves several steps:

• The agency must conduct the benefit-cost analysis and prepare an unredacted report detailing its findings.
• This report is then reviewed by the agency's Office of Inspector General (OIG).
• The OIG is required to submit its findings to Congress, ensuring legislative oversight.

Contents of the Benefit-Cost Analysis

The benefit-cost analysis must include:

• Anticipated outcomes and improvements from the relocation, quantified in monetary or other appropriate measures.
• An explanation of how the proposed relocation will achieve these outcomes.
• Metrics to measure success.
• A detailed employee engagement plan and a list of stakeholders affected.
• A timeline of past and future stakeholder engagements.
• An assessment of impacts on stakeholders served by the affected positions and those in the destination agency.
• A comprehensive strategy for the relocation, including staffing, budget, implementation timelines, risk assessments, and succession planning.
• Analysis of how the relocation might affect the agency's mission during and after the move.

Public Availability

The report must be published in a manner that protects confidential information, such as trade secrets.

Inspector General Reporting

The OIG must submit a report to specific Congressional committees within 90 days of receiving the agency's report. This report will include:

• Details about the data used in the benefit-cost analysis.
• Conclusions from the analysis.
• Assessment of adherence to existing guidance for benefit-cost analyses, particularly regarding relocations from the National Capital Region to other areas.

Definitions and Scope

The bill provides definitions for key terms, including:

• "Covered relocation," which refers to significant changes in positions, either through administrative redelegation or actual moves of agency components involving a substantial number of employees.
• "Federal agency," which is defined in terms of existing law.

The legislation clarifies that it does not negate existing legal requirements related to federal agency relocations.

Relevant Companies

None found.