Instead, Congress should act to enshrine A-76's central policy in permanent legislation. The policy is sound, well-considered and timeless. Good government dictates its continuation and enforcement. Objections to outsourcing are often raised when federal government workers stand to be replaced by private sector employees. Outsourcing is a very controversial subject.
Federal unions feel threatened by widespread outsourcing.
The new 12 percent burden rate that will be added to federal employees' bids, in the absence of more-verifiable cost data, scares federal unions. Union officials, for example, want the right to keep work in-house, as in the Federal Aviation Administration's Integrated Computing Environment Mainframe and Networking contract with the Agriculture Department. It is a critically important principle in its own right, and the current trend in some agencies places that principle at risk. He has long experience in federal information technology issues. All rights reserved.