Enormous Pressures
This arrived yesterday from Professional Services Council, the trade group that represents government contractors:
"Results from a survey released today show that the federal acquisition workforce continues to face enormous pressures, including increasingly complex oversight and growing mission requirements."
The report, drawing on interviews with contract workers, underscores some longstanding but poorly addressed problems. Obviously, the council has an angle. But they make some very good points that are worth more attention. Among them:
The size and complexity of contracts has "increased dramatically" while the size and capability of the workforce has stagnated or declined.
Procurement workers believe that there's too much after-the-fact oversight rather than a focus on improving "front end" processes and worker skills.
Many government workers believe that senior officials don't really care about procurement, despite the fundamental and growing role it plays in the operation of the government.
"The survey results clearly show what the new administration will have to contend with in relation to the federal procurement system, and since the U.S. Government acquires $450 billion a year in goods and services, acquisition issues should be a high priority," said PSC President and CEO Stan Soloway.
Procurement workers -- you agree? Or what?
By Robert O'Harrow |
December 2, 2008; 9:30 AM ET
Procurement Debate
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Posted by: vh2007 | December 9, 2008 12:16 PM
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Economic Systems must give flexibility to the one in charge, money issues have to be treated like if it were officers own money.
Enforce responsability checked by independent Auditors, minimum every six months without notice.
Auditors, have to be selected, randomly, to avoid corruption.
All systems have flaws, none is perfect, effective control is the key word.