Framework for assessing the acquisition function at federal agencies
| Pages | 131-176 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JOPP-06-01-02-2006-B006 |
| Published date | 01 March 2006 |
| Date | 01 March 2006 |
| Subject Matter | Public policy & environmental management,Politics,Public adminstration & management,Government,Economics,Public Finance/economics,Texation/public revenue |
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT, VOLUME 6, ISSUES 1 & 2, 130 2006
SELECTED REPRINTS
In order to avoid duplicate efforts of busy practitioners and
researchers who are searching for useful and practical procurement tools
and techniques, the Journal of Public Procurement reserves a special
section, “Useful Reprints,” as an information repository by reprinting
selected and useful publications such as guidelines, reports, and
instructions of governments and international organizations. Of course,
selected reprints are not necessarily useful for all procurement
professionals and for all types of procurement.
In this issue, two reprints are from the federal government. We hope
that state and local procurement officers will submit useful state and
local publications that we cannot access.
We welcome all suggestions for reprints. Please mail or e-mail your
reprint suggestions directly to:
Khi V. Thai, Editor-in-Chief
Journal of Public Procurement
Florida Atlantic University
111 E. Las Olas Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
E-mail: Thai@fau.edu
Copyright © 2006 by PrAcademics Press
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT, VOLUME 6, ISSUES 1 & 2, 131-176 2006
FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING THE ACQUISITION
FUNCTION AT FEDERAL AGENCIES
U.S. Government Accountability Office*
ABSTRACT. Federal agencies are relying increasingly on contractors to
perform their missions. With hundreds of billions of tax dollars spent each year
on goods and services, it is essential that federal acquisition be handled in an
efficient, effective, and accountable manner. The Government Accountability
Office (GAO), however--as well as other accountability organizations,
inspectors general, and the agencies themselves--continue to identify systemic
weaknesses in key areas of acquisition. In fact, the acquisition function at
several agencies has been on GAO's high-risk list, which identifies areas in the
federal government with greater vulnerability to fraud, waste, abuse, and
mismanagement. In January 2005, we added interagency contracting to this list.
Far too often, the result of poor acquisitions has been an inability to obtain
quality goods and services on time and at a fair price. We can no longer afford
such outcomes. Given current fiscal demands and the fiscal challenges we are
likely to face in the 21st century, the federal government must improve its
ability to acquire goods and services in a cost-effective manner. GAO
developed this framework to enable high-level, qualitative assessments of the
strengths and weaknesses of the acquisition function at federal agencies. Such
assessments can help senior agency executives identify areas needing greater
management attention, and enable accountability organizations (including
GAO) to identify areas requiring more focused follow-up work. The framework
consists of four interrelated cornerstones that our work has shown are essential
to an efficient, effective, and accountable acquisition process: (1) organizational
alignment and leadership, (2) policies and processes, (3) human capital, and (4)
knowledge and information management. The framework supports an integrated
evaluation approach, but each of these cornerstones can stand alone so users of
this framework may tailor evaluations to an agency's specific needs.
--------------------------
* Reprinted from the U. S. General Accountability Office (2005, September).
“Framework for Assessing the Acquisition Function at Federal Agencies”
(GAO-05-218G). Washington, DC. Several modifications are made, including
endnotes and exclusion of its Administrator’s transmittal memorandum.
Copyright © 2006 by PrAcademics Press
132 U.S. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE
INTRODUCTION
Federal agencies have responsibility for a vast array of missions-
assuring national defense, building and maintaining the nation's
infrastructure, assessing and collecting tax revenue, advancing scientific
knowledge, and promoting the health and well-being of the nation's
citizens, among many others. To achieve these various missions, federal
agencies use a variety of approaches and tools, including contracts to
acquire goods and services needed to fulfill or support the agencies'
missions. Federal agencies award contracts worth over $300 billion
annually. Acquiring these goods and services in an efficient, effective,
and accountable manner is therefore essential. However, our work-as
well as the work conducted by the inspectors general, other
accountability organizations, and the agencies themselves-continues to
identify systemic weaknesses in key areas, which often result in cost,
schedule, and performance problems on individual procurements.
GAO has developed this framework to provide senior acquisition
executives, as well as GAO and other accountability organizations, an
ability to assess at a high level the strengths and weaknesses of agencies'
acquisition functions. This framework comprises four interrelated
cornerstones that our work has shown promote an efficient, effective, and
accountable acquisition function: (1) organizational alignment and
leadership, (2) policies and processes, (3) human capital, and (4)
knowledge and information management. These four cornerstones are
summarized below.
Cornerstone 1: Organizational Alignment and Leadership
Organizational alignment is the appropriate placement of the
acquisition function in the agency, with stakeholders having clearly
defined roles and responsibilities. There is no single, optimal way to
organize an agency's acquisition function. Each agency must assess
whether the current placement of its acquisition function is meeting its
organizational needs. Committed leadership enables officials to make
strategic decisions that achieve agencywide acquisition outcomes more
effectively and efficiently.
Cornerstone 2: Policies and Processes
Implementing strategic decisions to achieve desired agencywide
outcomes requires clear and transparent policies and processes that are
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