Legistorm: Transparency's Sidekick

Congress created the Commission on Government Procurement to take a comprehensive look at the extensive federal procurement system. The Commission report, issued after a two and one-half year study, made 149 recommendations. GAO has monitored progress and problems in implementing the recommendations. Of the 57 recommendations that needed congressional action, 7 are now law, 21 are in pending legislation, and 29 have not been acted upon.

Several important laws have been enacted: creation of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy to provide government-wide leadership on procurement matters, expansion of the scope of simplified purchasing procedures, expediting procurement financing, and clarification of the basis for using contract and grant-type arrangements. The recommendations on the private enterprise policy have not been thoroughly aired among executive agencies or with the private sector. The Office of Management and Budget did not follow its prescribed program, and an executive branch position on emphasizing the private sector has not been established. The executive branch also has not formally addressed two specific recommendations--the use of industrial funding and continuous evaluation of procurement and distribution systems on a total cost basis. Congress has taken the initial step of requiring mission information in the President's budget, and a few congressional committees are experimenting with the concept.