GSA: Can't pay utility bills until shutdown ends

Oct. 4, 2013 - 06:00AM
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Closed for business:

The General Services Administration will not pay any utility bills dated Oct. 1 or later until the shutdown ends, according to an Oct. 3 letter on Fed Biz Opps from a GSA official.

Kenneth Shutika, deputy director of GSA’s energy division, said that despite the shutdown, federal buildings are considered “excepted activities” and can incur an energy or utility bill without an annual appropriation.

But he said utility providers are to continue providing services under existing contracts and will be paid when Congress passes spending legislation for fiscal 2014, the agency said.

“For utility service/energy supply bills with a meter read end date on October 1, 2013 or later, GSA will process payments as soon as appropriations covering all or a portion of Fiscal Year 2014 are received,” he wrote.