GovernmentExecutive.com

Return to Article: Defense, GSA officials vow to clean up contracting

• 5500
  

  I'm not sure how GSA can clean up contracting, when DoD is doing all it can to muddy it up. For example, within the Army Material Command (and others commands are following suit) requires just about 100% membership in the Acquisition Workforce. The reasoning seems to be that anyone that parks next to a person that might have something to do with contracting, must be in the acquisition program. All this has accomplished was to reinforce and build the DoD Acquisition University and the host of other schools and contractors. Many vacant positions now must be filled with Acquisition Workforce members, thereby eliminating persons from outside AMC from applying for positions (except for Defense Contracing) that have absoluting nothing to do with acquisition. Everytimg the Government does something intelligent, it takes 2 steps back because of someone's pet project that is put in place with other hidden agendas. What is the fix? I don't see any fixes, only things getting worse. My personal fix is to retire as soon as I can, so I can maybe become part of the contractor world.

  GovExec.com reader Posted July 20, 2004 7:28 AM
• 5435
  

  I was removed from a classified site (I am under 3 NDA' they refuse to give me a copy of) for reporting doors that do not lock, computers that were unsecured, and the hidden location that contains deadly material getting pizza deliveries.

  Now they want me to quit or be fired. I am currently at the Senate Level (Feinstein) who blew me off too by sending my complaint from DC back to California to restart the entire story after "Austin" had taken laborious notes on this. If the public ever finds out the whole story behind the largest Security Company in the world (28 nations) and the way they run these "hidden" buildings, there will be an outrage of epidemic proportion. I have written everyone I know too including Tom Ridge and GWB with zero results. Kudos for addressing this issue. The powers that be I have contacted do not seem to want to address this.

  Paul Maxson Posted July 14, 2004 8:52 PM
• 5431
  

  Frankly, I've known this day of reckoning for GSA would come for many years. I am only surprised it took this long.

  GovExec.com reader Posted July 14, 2004 11:57 AM
• 5427
  

  As a contracting officer, I can say that the main thing that would stop corner-cutting is the relentless emphasis on awarding, awarding, awarding. Just get it awarded, that is the culture here in the VA. When contracting officers have cradle to grave responsibilities like they do in the VA, all other phases of contracting suffer due to the singular focus on making awards. I refuse to cut corners and take the time to actually follow the regulations, which doesn't make me popular. It's the contracting culture as promoted by management.

  GovExec.com reader Posted July 14, 2004 9:09 AM
• 5426
  

  I guess even the GSA Administrator, Mr. Perry, has to be supervised by one of the leaders of the procurement mafia -- Ms. Lee. Think about this. A Clinton era OFPP Administrator who has burrowed back into a senior career position at DOD leads a GSA-sponsored kick-off to "get it right," i.e., stop abusing the procurement reform initiatives that she was involved in sponsoring. Amazingly, Mr. Perry - a senior Bush appointee appears to be playing "second banana" to Ms. Lee. The hypocrisy never ends.

  Who said bi-partisanship is dead? The procurement mafia transcends all party labels and apparently even extends to having Clinton appointees overseeing senior Bush Administration officials.

  I guess there's nothing new here, since Steve Kelman helped to force Angela Styles out of her job at OFPP. I can't wait until Stan Soloway returns in a second Bush term.

  Signed,

  Outraged acquisition professional

  GovExec.com reader Posted July 14, 2004 8:58 AM
• 5421
  

  I have heard this whiney stuff a million times. These people aren't going to stop cheating they wouldn't recognize the right way to do it if it bit them on the nose. Same stuff - different day.

  GovExec.com reader Posted July 14, 2004 6:49 AM