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GAO-03-399R 1 (2003-01-31)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaamdp0001 and id is 1 raw text is: I Accountability * Integrity * Reliability United States General Accounting Office Washington, DC 20548 January 31, 2003 Ms. Angela B. Styles Administrator Office of Federal Procurement Policy Washington, D.C. Subject: OFPP Followup to Federal Supply Schedule Recommendations Dear Ms. Styles: This report is to bring to your attention two GAO recommendations concerning the acquisition of information technology services under the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS). In our view, implementation of these recommendations has been delayed because of unnecessary coupling with other FSS issues. In November 2000, we reported' that contracting officers did not follow FSS ordering procedures requiring them to seek competitive quotes for services. We found that many contracting officers were unaware of the requirement. Hence, we recommended, and the Office of Federal Procurement Policy agreed, that the requirement for competitive quotes should be included in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). We also recommended clarification of the FAR pertaining to sole source orders for services using the FSS. Although a FAR case has been opened, little progress has been made in implementing the recommendations. Moreover, the latest informal estimate indicates that a final rule will not be published until April 2004. We are concerned about the delay because sales of services under the FSS continue to substantially increase. Moreover, recent federal audits suggest that the problems still exist. For example, in March 2002, the Office of Inspector General, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, found that contracting officers did not follow the ordering procedures for services in 8 of 20 reviewed contracts with regard to obtaining multiple quotes or providing sufficient information in the request for quotation or statement of work.2 'U.S. General Accounting Office, Contract Management: Not Following Procedures Undermines Best Pricing Under GSA's Schedule, GAO-01-125 (Washington, D.C.: Nov. 28, 2000). 2Office of Inspector General, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Acquisition of Services Using the Federal Supply Schedules, Report Number IG-02-014 (Washington, D.C.: Mar. 27, 2002). GAO-03-399R OFPP Followup

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