Reflections on the Federal Procurement Landscape

The Government Contractor, Vol. 54, No. 7, p.51, February 2012

GWU Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2012-19

GWU Law School Public Law Research Paper No. 2012-19

8 Pages Posted: 8 Mar 2012

See all articles by Daniel I. Gordon

Daniel I. Gordon

George Washington University - Law School

Date Written: February 22, 2012

Abstract

This paper, published in the Government Contractor, presents the reflections on the author's service as the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy from 2009 through 2011. The author identifies his three goals for his tenure as Administrator: strengthening the federal acquisition workforce, driving fiscal responsibility in federal acquisition, and rebalancing the relationship with contractors. The author points to reversal of several negative trends, in particular, decline in the size of the federal acquisition workforce during the years 1992-2009, unsustainable annual increases in procurement spending during those years, and an unhealthy overreliance on contractors in performance of key government functions. In each of those key areas, the author reports on the progress made - increasing the size of the federal acquisition workforce, buying less and buying smarter (particularly through the strategic sourcing initiative), and a better balance in relations with contractors, with more clarity about the proper role of contractors and improved oversight, as well as efforts to increase communication with vendors.

Keywords: government contracts, public procurement, acquisition workforce, outsourcing, insourcing, inherently governmental, strategic sourcing, management support services, blanket purchase agreements, contracting officers, contract management

Suggested Citation

Gordon, Daniel I., Reflections on the Federal Procurement Landscape (February 22, 2012). The Government Contractor, Vol. 54, No. 7, p.51, February 2012, GWU Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2012-19, GWU Law School Public Law Research Paper No. 2012-19, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2018405

Daniel I. Gordon (Contact Author)

George Washington University - Law School ( email )

2000 H Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20052
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.law.gwu.edu/Faculty/profile.aspx?id=3931

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