The coalition also complained that Transportation improperly administers ITOP and that agencies have had to pay too much for products and services under the contract. Other programs accomplish the same goals and cost less administratively, said Edward L. Allen, the coalition's executive director. Transportation officials said they view the coalition complaints as a good sign. He said the department's plans for a follow-on, ITOP II, should not be killed. Taxpayers and agencies benefit from the program, Lieber said.
Capitalism does work.
ITOP fulfills requirements in the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act by providing competition for task orders on a multiple-award contract, he said. The department recently issued the ITOP II draft request for proposals and Transportation wants to award contracts by December, said Dell Berry, manager of the ITOP Special Projects Office. Lieber said that the follow-on contract does not have an expanded scope. But Allen said that ITOP's goods and services are already available on newer contracts and the follow-on would be a duplicative effort. For instance, General Services Administration schedule contracts now offer services, which was not the case when DOT awarded ITOP contracts in 1996.