GAO Says Competitive-Sourcing Could Be Improved
GAO said this week the competitive-sourcing process has left significant room for improvement. GAO noted that 84 percent of all commercial positions are located in just seven departments.

“While recent OMB guidance has stressed that agencies should tailor their plans to meet mission needs, the emphasis in the guidance is still more process than results,” GAO said. “Agencies have focused on meeting targets to announce and complete competitions and have not assessed broader issues, such as weighing potential improvements against the costs and risks.”

The auditors recommended that OMB ensure greater consistency in classifying commercial positions, work with agencies to make strategic sourcing decisions and require them to develop results-oriented competition plans.”