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Return to Article: Army secretary approves massive outsourcing plan

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  Secretary White's recent announcement concerning the Army's Third Wave in outsourcing is truly a move towards operation of America's Army like a business. Unfortunately, the business practices resemble ENRON, WorldCom, and other corporations whose practices include corporate greed, deceit, and disregard for those workers who those companies relied upon.

  White's "Third Wave" promises to be "bigger and faster" than the previous two waves of selling off the vital services performed by federal employees. It also claims support of the competitive sourcing initiative of the President's Management Agenda, while citing outsourcing options that do not allow for public-private competition. And in at least two cases contained in the documents announcing this new Army policy, identifies obtaining enabling legislation that does not exist yet.

  Development of a policy that includes hopes of obtaining legislation from Congress is consistent with this administration's "My way or the highway" approach to doing the business of the federal government. This is further evidenced by DoD's claim that language forbidding the application of outsourcing quotas, and not following the provisions of the FAIR Act in conducting public-private competitions using A-76 are based steeply in the Army's hope to be allowed to do what they want.

  White's "Third Wave" plan also promises to increase the disadvantage to small businesses in public-private competitions by consolidating the outsourcing of base-support and other work at regional or Army-wide levels. Claiming "economy of scale", Major General Anders Asdland wants to bundle this work under the Army's major reorganization efforts. Stan Soloway, president of the pro-contractor Professional Services Council has cautioned the Army not to consolidate to the point of eliminating the participation of small contractors.

  Efforts such as these also limit the ability of federal employees and the unions that represent them from participation in public-private competitions.

  The Secretary of the Army's policy demands 100 percent of all Army determined non-core spaces and demands plans to compete these spaces by December 20. Clearly a move to stick the agency's thumb in the noses of Congress and the General Accounting Office by setting target quotas for outsourcing.

  Many of these non-core spaces (i.e. positions, FTE) appear on the Army's FAIR Inventory. FAIR Act provisions identify these positions and functions as being subject to OMB A-76 studies. White's "Third Wave" plan seemingly ignores this requirement and encourages the use of untried methods of conversion to private sector contractor performance. As previously stated, in some cases with the hope of obtaining enabling legislation.

  White's misguided wholesale privatization is clearly designed to support the deep pockets of politically-connected corporations, replacing the tried and true performance of federal employees who accomplish the work that supports the mission first.

  Anonymous Posted February 24, 2003 4:48 PM
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  When I was hired by the federal government (late 70s) the person who hired me said that this position was secure and permanent, "for the rest of your life." This was agreed to.

  The government is now breeching that agreement. There is little doubt that this is true for thousands of others.

  Anonymous Posted February 24, 2003 4:47 PM