Senate panel backs GSA reorganization

A Senate committee on Tuesday brought the General Services Administration's ongoing internal reorganization one step closer to completion by unanimously approving a House bill that would merge the agency's two separate revolving funds.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee backed H.R. 2066, which would join funding for the Federal Technology Service and Federal Supply Service, procurement organizations merging into the new Federal Acquisition Service as part of the reorganization.

The Senate version struck language from the House-approved bill stipulating that GSA appoint five regional executives for the Federal Acquisition Service.

Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, also added an amendment eliminating another House provision that would have allowed GSA to award retention bonuses to members of the acquisition workforce.

The Senate panel's action comes nearly a full year after the House passed its version, which is sponsored by Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va. GSA officials have said keeping the funds separate creates bureaucratic hurdles to meeting customer needs. In the meantime, the agency has taken administrative steps to merge its two procurement organizations, although a GSA official recently said even that process would not be mostly complete until September.

The Senate committee's action is the latest in a recent string of congressional moves concerning GSA. Both chambers' appropriations committees recently have given the reorganization their blessings. The fiscal 2006 Transportation-Treasury spending bill required GSA to seek the panels' approval.

President Bush also has sent the nomination of Lurita Alexis Doan to be the next GSA administrator to the Senate for consideration. If confirmed, Doan would face a host of challenges, including getting GSA business lines that are reporting losses back on track.

A spokesman for the House Government Reform Committee, which Davis chairs, said he is glad the Senate moved on the bill allowing the reorganization, but objected to Voinovich's amendment. "We think the measured use of such bonuses would help stabilize our shrinking acquisition workforce," said Robert White, the spokesman.

A spokesman for Voinovich was not immediately available for comment.