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Return to Article: Report: Defense made IT purchases without competition

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  Did anyone stop to ask themselves WHY the DOD program offices went to GSA and NIH etc. to get their needs met? Because: 1. The DOD Acquisition workforce was cut drastically in the 90s and the workload just grew and grew. 2. Doing it RIGHT and IAW the laws and regulations takes time and resources. It was easier to go to NIH who did not worry about following the rules. 3. It seems no one does any planning any more (probably because of the funding dilemma noted below, and also because we are in a war). But where are we now? Now, DOD is greatly restricting what can be offloaded and insisting it be done by DOD Contracting Offices. But have they increased the staffing at all? Of COURSE not! Have they increased planning? OF COURSE not. Has congress relaxed any of the hoops we have to jump through? OF COURSE not. I agree with the Defense Acquisition Performance Assessment. The system (big A) is SO broken, it's a wonder we get done what we do. I agree, I'm also at Wit's End.

  jennifer Posted November 29, 2007 1:13 PM
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  The report states, "We previously reported similar results regarding DoD contracting officers'improper use of non-DoD multiple-award contracts in the DoD Inspector General (IG) Report No. D2007-023, "FY 2005 DoD Purchases Made Through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration," November 13, 2006." How many more reports does the DoDIG have to issue before DoD contracting officers start getting the process right? Maybe there's some collusion going on here. The contracting officers continually screw up so the DoDIG has something to investigate and report on each year. Bureaucratic commensalism.

  Advocator Posted November 27, 2007 12:16 PM
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  "All of the millions the DoD wasted on DAWIA training" went to the IT companies. Most of the training is now just online courses that the student can click through to get to the test. Then you just use printouts or search electronic version of the text to find the answers. What in class training is left is just running through a contract scenario where you are supposed to apply the information provided on-line. The classes are less than two weeks long, provide very little time for experience sharing and even less in the way of actual instruction.

  K D Posted November 27, 2007 11:54 AM
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  I bet you 10 to 1 that most of this happened in the last two weeks of the FY. Based on our wonderful funding stream ( as in most all previous years) agencies and activities do without funding all year and then the funding is dumped right at year end. At that point many go looking for the quick way to ensure it is spent that FY. This is part of the problem with a yearly budget rather than a two year budget at the very least. I do not believe it has anything to do with the competence level of the acquisition professionals. They are told to get it spent by year-end through whatever legal means are available to them, or face the consequences from their commands, ie ratings etc. They look for the first available IDIQ to get it done in time. They are jumping through so many hoops anymore, it is a wonder that any acquisition folks are left.

  Wits end! Posted November 27, 2007 11:29 AM
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  This is just the tip of the iceburg when it comes to the DOD procurement policy. I work at a major weapons supplier's facility, and have seen more and more noncompetitive awards that have turned into cash cows for this company. There is no opportunity provided to allow for a fair and equitable competition, and the best I can do is try to ensure that the taxpayer isn't ripped off at too high a cost. I wish I could do more, but with a family to support, I am limited in what I can say or do, and also, there is no one in the higher level of management that I feel I can trust, or will give my concerns serious consideration. The Foxes have been put in charge of the henhouse, and there is no accounting for the missing chickens.

  jd Posted November 27, 2007 7:40 AM
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  You mean all the millions the DoD wasted on DAWIA training for personnel didn't prevent this acquisition abuse?

  Dr. K. Posted November 27, 2007 5:33 AM