Skip to main content

Federal Facilities Beyond the 1990s: Ensuring Quality in an Era of Limited Resources Summary of a Symposium (1997) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:

FEDERAL ACQUISITION REFORM: A STATUS REPORT AND OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE
Pages 66-75

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 66...
... , reviewing federal procurement policies and practices. The past three years have seen unprecedented changes in federal acquisition practices, changes prompted by both Congress and the Executive Branch.
Read the entire page →
From page 67...
... The traditional short-term contracts are being Reemphasized, to stress multiyear contracts that allow building more productive relationships between buyer and seller. Under the authority of FASA and various Presidential executive orders, governments que specifications and standards are being eliminated whenever possible, to follow commercial practice, such as the use of commercial specifications and private sector voluntary standards.
Read the entire page →
From page 68...
... FASA established the use of government credit cards or purchase cards for so-called micro purchases, those of less than $2,500. Virtually all procurement laws are eliminated below that threshold (except for requirements to buy from the Federal Prison Industries and the National Industries for the Blind and Severely Handicapped)
Read the entire page →
From page 69...
... Commercial items include services as well as supplies. Competing Sources The National Performance Review has worked to introduce competition among government contracting offices, to promote better service and customer focus.
Read the entire page →
From page 70...
... For federal contracting personnel, ARNET is becoming a vital source of professional information. It will soon provide training materials and handbooks, the list of parties excluded from doing business with government, the list of vendors who accept electronic funds transfer payments, Davis-Bacon wage rates, service contract blanket wages, and other information needed on a daily basis.
Read the entire page →
From page 71...
... Streamlined Solicitations for Commercial Items FASA contains an important provision encouraging agencies to move closer to commercial practice. The law requires agencies to do market research, not only to identify needed products and services, but also to ascertain exactly how the commercial world buys them, and to seek similar terms and conditions.
Read the entire page →
From page 72...
... New Techniques and Approaches under FASA and FARA Several specific contracting approaches and techniques authorized by FASA and FARA bear on facilities management. FARA allows agencies to carry out a two-phase selection process for a design-build project in a single contract.
Read the entire page →
From page 73...
... The multiple award provision has also raised concerns about extremely sensitive tasks, such as some environmental remediation, for which multiple contracts may not be appropriate. The next change in the FAR, in June, will make it clear that agencies can make class determinations; if they conclude that a particular class of procurements would-not be appropriate for multiple awards, they can make exceptions for those classes of contracts.
Read the entire page →
From page 74...
... Summary and OutIook for the Future The recent and ongoing reforms offer a great opportunity to reengineer processes to take advantage of the flexibility and efficiency of commercial practices, electronic commerce, and other procedures. In the past three years, most of the reform has been devoted to changing procurement laws and regulations.
Read the entire page →
From page 75...
... and regulations. Procurement personnel will need the training and tools to ensure that we take full advantage of the new procedures, the new flexibility, and the new opportunities to innovate.
Read the entire page →

Key Terms

  • electronic commerce
  • federal procurement
  • order contracts
  • multiple contracts
  • task order

  • national performance
  • commercial items
  • administrative costs
  • commercial practice
  • multiple task

  • performance review
  • competitive range
  • multiple awards
  • elevator maintenance
  • reform act

  • procurement policy
  • fund transfer
  • simplified procedures
  • government contracting
  • contracting offices

  • facilities management
  • efficient procurement
  • purchase card
  • federal contracting
  • acquisition reform

  • program offices
  • offers considering
  • extremely sensitive
  • fara bear
  • commercial item


    • This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
    More information on Chapter Skim is available.