DorobekInsider

Steve Kempf,  the commissioner of the General Services Administration’s Federal Acquisition Service,
is taking 60-day medical leave. In the interim, the post will be filled by Mary Davie,  GSA Federal Acquisition Service’s assistant commissioner of the Office of Integrated Technology Services.

Details are still developing. It is unclear if Kempf’s leave has anything to do with GSA’s ongoing issues. In a note to staff, Kempf confirmed that there have been questions about GSA Federal Acquisition Service’s 2010 Organizational Performance Awards event.

GSA FAS Commissioner Steve Kempf

“I truly do not want to be leaving you at this important time. However, this is necessary if I am going to continue serving our country to the best of our ability,” Kempf said in the note to GSA staff.

Kempf was appointed the FAS commissioner effective July 10, 2010. In the role, he sets strategic direction and oversees the delivery of more than $50 billion of best-value products, services and solutions to federal customers. He served as acting commissioner from April through June 2010, and was the deputy commissioner before that.

GSA has been reeling from revelations about the Public Building Service 2010 Western Region Conference and allegations of extravagant spending. The GSA inspector general report on that incident forced the resignation of former Administrator Martha Johnson and several top agency officials.

After the jump, read the full text of the note that Kempf sent to FAS staff…

Dear FAS,

No doubt all of you have heard about or read the news articles about the investigation into our 2010 Organizational Performance Awards event. I wanted to clarify some items for everyone.

As you know, Acting Administrator Tangherlini is working to ensure that GSA learns from the past and lives up to the standards our customers, and especially taxpayers, expect of us. This is why he asked the Inspector General to look at the FAS 2010 Organizational Performance event. We expect there will be a Congressional hearing to discuss these and other GSA topics and we will provide you with our testimony when it is finalized.

Additionally, I wanted all of you to hear from me directly that I will be taking a medical leave of absence for 60 days, effective Monday, July 30, 2012. I truly do not want to be leaving you at this important time. However, this is necessary if I am going to continue serving our country to the best of my ability in the future. I started at FAS as a GS-9 intern and never left, and representing you and the amazing work you do each day is a privilege. In the meantime, Mary Davie, Assistant Commissioner of our Office of Integrated Technology Services, will serve as the acting commissioner, also effective July 30.

I know these are difficult times but because of you, our warfighters have the supplies they need to protect U.S. interests, agencies have cutting-edge cyber security capabilities, and our acquisition colleagues have the tools, services and training they need to do their jobs better and more efficiently. These and hundreds of other accomplishments may not get as much recognition but are essential to our government’s success. On behalf of the entire FAS leadership team, thank you for the amazing work you do each day.

Steve