OMB Holds Public Meeting on Government Contracting

On June 18, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) held a public meeting on four central issues concerning government contracting: (1) maximizing the use of competition; (2) improving practices for selecting contract types; (3) strengthening the acquisition workforce; and (4) clarifying when functions should be performed by federal employees and when contractors may appropriately be considered. This hearing was in response to President Obama’s Presidential Memorandum on Government Contracting, issued on March 4, 2009, which establishes a framework for improving critical components of the federal acquisition system and management of the federal government’s work force of federal employees and private sector contractors. The Memorandum directs OMB, in consultation with federal agency leadership, to improve and strengthen federal contracting practices and to seek input from the public on the most effective ways to achieve this goal. AGC will submit a statement to OMB for the record before the July 17, 2009 deadline. For more information, contact Marco Giamberardino at (703) 837-5325 or giamberm@agc.org.