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Return to Article: GSA cancels mental health contract following investigation

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  Amazing, I must say as one who learned contracting when the ASPR was around and the print was very small, and to stop and think that I missed a promotion with the Air Force just as the Defense Dept. changed the requirements to the point that one had to have 4 years of college. Yes Sir/Yes Maam I learned my dedication and loyalty to this country in the Republic of South Vietnam, ended up stabbed and shot thru the brain and forfeited part of my disability in order to serve this great country in a different style.

  Just a "Combat Vet"

  P.S. guess someone may have done a pre-award survey prior to writing this contract.

  GovExec.com reader Posted July 14, 2004 3:17 PM
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  I am not surprised that a contract for EAP services is awarded to a weapons firm and than they subcontract it to an HR firm with almost zero mental health experience. Over and over we see these contracts awarded to firms with no or little experience and with zero oversight by the federal government at huge waste of taxpayer revenue.

  What is most surprising is that almost nobody cares when these stories break time and time again. And it is going to get worse if the President has his way and most of the federal government is outsourced. There will be contract award mistakes so disastrous that lives will be lost-- I wonder if the apathetic American Public would even care if that happened and people lost their lives because contracts are awarded based on non-meritorous decisions.

  GovExec.com reader Posted June 27, 2004 6:21 PM
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  This is another example of how the federal government handles mental health. Prior to retiring, I spent six years working under a supervisor who took orders from the upper management of the agency, who refused to provide accommodations or any support of me for having a mental illness - depression. Their method of handling it was punishment, discrimination, mental abuse, harassment, ignoring requests for accommodation followed by denial of accommodations when pushed and failure to follow procedures. I made the mistake of not filing a formal complaint. If this is how the government treats the rank and file in the military, God help us and them. Ignorance is no excuse; there are far too many resources available via the Internet. The first step they need to take is to actually read their own policies. The absurdity of GSA contract officials is a crime!

  GovExec.com reader Posted June 26, 2004 11:24 AM
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  Big Deal! This is standard procedure and it is done all the time. Those contractors that have existing contracts agree to hire a specific sub and the government agency awards the contract to the one that already exists. New businesses and small businesses are shut out of the government procurement process unless they can become a sub to an existing contract. The government procurement process is so complicated and time consuming that everyone tries to avoid it as much as possible. Therefore, get a big contract with an established company and then tell that company who to hire as a sub for each task you give them.

  What's new? That is part of the reason that the government technology systems are so screwed up. System development is awarded to major contractors (who build planes or boats) and they hire subs that should have been hired to begin with. The contractor's staff generally is made up of people that "real" systems developers would not hire. You get the poorest of quality for top bucks. Also the people contracting the work (not the contract personnel) do not know enough to evaluate what the contractor is telling them and showing them and systems are delayed over and over as the contract costs rise to astronomical heights.

  tax payer Posted June 25, 2004 6:59 AM
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  ANOTHER multi-million dollar scam involving government funds. And I haven't heard of one person being fired. Much less going to jail. And worst of all, who suffers?! Our military personnel who need it the most! Guess there's just no shame when it comes to federal funds. Is it too late to bring back firing squads?

  Art Doss Posted June 24, 2004 8:23 PM