Instead, they can turn to external acquisition organizations and vehicles. The evidence of this change is found across the government. The Federal Aviation Administration was recently given a clean slate to write its own procurement rules by a Congress fed up with systems not being acquired on time or meeting the agency's needs. The Commerce Department has developed its streamlined Concept of Operations program, aiming to radically cut its procurement lead time. At Transportation, for example, a new office is marketing the agency's multiple-award Information Technology Omnibus Procurement contract across the government.
Sales mean money for the operation, since it operates purely on a reimbursable basis.
The most radical transformation has occurred at the General Services Administration, with the revamping of its Multiple Award Schedule contracts. And program officials across the government are listening and buying. Under such agreements, agencies negotiate deals with GSA Schedule vendors that allow them to fill recurring needs while taking advantage of quantity discounts and savings in time, paperwork and money. Responsiveness to agency customers, then, appears to be the new bottom line, the internal mandate as well as the government wide battleground for procurement offices wanting to demonstrate their competence and relevance. In their press for effectiveness and speed, these offices will have to guard against cutting corners lest concerns about competition and fair play arise anew.