Return to Article: Procurement policy chief pushes creativity in contracting

By Kimberly Palmer kpalmer@govexec.com June 7, 2005
  • 10275

    Hey Ed, don't worry about those OMB magnetometers. The Frontline Forum meets in the grandly self-styled White House Conference Center at the back of the New Executive Office Building. You know the place, it's the one where the homeless from Lafayette Park occasionally wander in to. I was once introduced to what I thought was a homeless person. Unfortunately, as I tried to help lead him out of the building and get him a meal, I found out that he was a senior procurement executive at a major agency.

    Hey, maybe they can bring back Kelman and he can conduct his scientific Kennedy School style surveys. You remember those? He would ask the eager-beaver GS-11s and GS-12s, "Who thinks acquisition reform has improved things?" If you didn't raise your hand and agree, your name was taken down, and your future determined right then and there. Sure made for a motivated audience.

    Connie the Contractor Posted June 10, 2005 3:30 PM
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    Wow, OMB is bringing back "Frontline Forum"! Can we bring back the Hammer Awards too? They were great. My old boss let me have his when he retired to Florida. It has some dust on it but I still take it out to show the new hires, to a chorus of "oooohs" and "ahhhhhs."

    Maybe I'll bring my NPR Hammer to the first Frontline Forum, if I can get it through OMB security. When is the first Frontline Forum? I'm coming! (Connie, you should come too! We'll have a picnic in the back)

    Ed the Fed Posted June 10, 2005 12:12 AM
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    It's good to see OFPP Administrator Steve Kelman ... er, I mean David Safavian, in charge. I guess the old Tom Davis cabal still runs procurement policy at OMB. Except for the fact that Safavian appears to be a nattier dresser, and keeps his hair cut, how can you tell him apart from Kelman?

    Bring back Angela Styles. At least she tried to tell the truth -- before they let her go.

    Connie the Contractor Posted June 8, 2005 1:40 PM
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    "If something is close to the line, document it, but don't shy away,"

    Wake up call for the chief! If it is close to the line do not do it! In government you never get paid to do anything correctly or to do nothing. However, you get punished for doing something incorrectly or marginal! Therefore, do not do it!

    One of the greatest benefits of pay for performance will be if the process reqards risk taking and playing "close to the line". However, that is not likely to happen because the rewards will go to those that only do as they are told - including acquisition officials.

    taxpayer Posted June 8, 2005 6:51 AM

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Procurement policy chief pushes creativity in contracting
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