Staff Shortages Hindering Property and Procurement's Ability to Collect Payments, Commissioner Says

With a portfolio exceeding $1.2 billion in insured government property, DPP faces significant challenges in asset management, collections, fiscal control, and procurement due to understaffing and recent resignations

Like several other departments and agencies within central government, the Department of Property and Procurement is facing critical staff shortages as it prepares for the new fiscal year. “Our budget request supports the filling of 10 new and vacant positions,” explained Commissioner Lisa Alejandro, as she defended an operating budget request of $20,850,998.

The department’s vacancies include a position for a program manager, who DPP expects will “be instrumental in improving operations in the fiscal unit, which is currently understaffed.” It’s a move that will bring DPP closer to improving unit productivity, Commissioner Alejandro told lawmakers during Thursday’s meeting of the Senate Committee on Budget, Appropriations and Finance. Hiring new staff is crucial, as DPP lost 8 employees in the current fiscal year – two retirements, one dismissal and five resignations.