The scandal that’s pushed GSA into the ethical spotlight could have been easily avoided if the agency’s officials had followed their own rules and cost-saving measures to plan the event that’s now led to a criminal probe, ruined reputations and lost taxpayer trust.

In fact, according to industry experts, if they had used GSA contracting vehicles, new technology and negotiating power to achieve sharp discounts, the event for 300 attendees at a four-star Las Vegas hotel likely would have cost less than a quarter of the $823,000 GSA spent. Keep reading →