Orlando, FL – The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) said it had cancelled a conference and exhibition slated for May at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando.
A notice on the GSA website indicated the GSA Training and Expo event was scrubbed due to the latest round of federal spending reductions. “In the current fiscal climate, agencies and businesses alike have been forced to make tough spending cuts,” the notice said. “After carefully reviewing the projected spending and attendance for this year’s conference, GSA is suspending Expo for 2013 in an effort to use our resources responsibly.”
The OCCC told Trade Show Executive March 5 they had not received a formal notice of cancellation from the GSA. Media reports in Washington indicated the decision to cancel was made in late February.
The news was followed by the announcement that the April 8-10 Defense Intelligence Worldwide technology conference at the Baltimore Convention Center was cancelled due to budget constraints.
The GSA had no immediate comment on the cancellation, but its website continued to list its 2014 expo in San Antonio. The event is aimed at providing educational content for companies seeking to become vendors for the federal government.
“Even with reduced budgets, GSA remains committed to your agency’s recognized need for training and to be kept abreast of the latest developments in acquisition and offerings from our industry partners,” the cancellation announcement said. “GSA offers a wide array of online and virtual training, as well as classroom training closer to your location.”
The GSA, which manages Uncle Sam’s huge real estate and logistical footprint, is under the same requirements of the so-called budget sequestration to make significant reductions in its budget. In addition, the agency was taken to the woodshed by Congress and the media for spending too much on a 2010 conference in Las Vegas.
Reach GSA Interim Administrator Daniel Tangherlini at (202) 501-0800 or daniel.tangherlini@gsa.gov; Expo management staff at (202) 501-1231 of expo@gsa.gov
