GSA launches review of acquisition rules

The General Services Administration is undertaking a comprehensive review of its acquisition regulations and is seeking feedback on aspects of those rules that need clarification or change, the agency announced last week.

While minor changes to acquisition rules at GSA and other agencies are common, the last comprehensive review took place more than five years ago, said Roger Waldron, GSA's acting senior procurement executive. The review presents an opportunity to "take a step back and look at our regulation," including its impacts on the federal acquisition workforce, contractors and taxpayers, he said.

GSA announced the effort to modify its Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement and internal procurement policies in a Feb. 15 Federal Register notice. Comments from industry, government officials and the public will be accepted through mid-April.

"Revisions to the [GSA's regulations] are necessary to maintain consistency with the FAR, and to implement streamlined and innovative acquisition procedures that contractors, offerers and GSA contracting personnel can utilize when entering into and administering contractual relationships," a statement accompanying the request for comments said.

The review will focus on clarifications needed to enhance consistency or avoid duplication with the FAR, aspects of the rules rendered irrelevant by changes in technology or business processes, administrative burdens that can be reduced or eliminated, elements that merit new or additional rules, and aspects of the regulations that impose a significant adverse impact on small businesses.

Waldron said once the public comment period ends, teams will be formed to address specific areas of the regulations and to propose rules. He declined to provide a time frame for completion of the review, saying the schedule would depend on the comments received.

Stan Soloway, president of the Professional Services Council, an Arlington, Va.-based group representing federal contractors, said he anticipates submitting comments as part of the review process. Such reviews are "very productive exercises," he said.

"We've focused a lot over the past year on getting more consistency across the GSA regions and centers on policies and practices," Soloway said.

But Lloyd Chapman, president of the American Small Business League, was skeptical of the benefits the review would yield for small companies. "I've been waiting for this for almost a year now," he said, predicting that GSA would "come out with policies that are anti-small business."

"Any policy that diverts federal small business contracts away from small businesses and toward large businesses . . . needs to be reversed," Chapman said.

Public comments are due to GSA by April 17, and should be submitted with reference number GSAR ANPR2006-N01 by e-mail to gsaranpr.2006-N01@gsa.gov, by fax to (202) 501-4067, via the Internet at the Federal eRulemaking Portal or the GSA acquisition Web site, or by mail to:

General Services Administration, Regulatory Secretariat (VIR)
ATTN: Laurieann Duarte
1800 F St., N.W., Room 4035
Washington, D.C. 20405