Summary
No one is likely to accuse Rep. Henry Waxman, D-California, of the delays and inaction that plagued last year's Congress. On March 15, the House overwhelmingly passed Waxman's Accountability in Contracting Act (HR 1362) by a vote of 347-73. The reform drive grabbed headlines for crowd-pleasing verbiage as "minimizing no-bid contracts" and "disclosing contractor overcharges," but some industry officials argue that the thrust of the legislation fails to match its hyperbole. With few exceptions, HR 1362 does not make a dent in the problems that afflict the procurement system. The bill is born out of a lot of misinformation about the federal contracting process. Generally, agencies can use non-competitive contracts for no longer than one year, unless the government would be seriously injured by the limitations on the contract period. Waxman's office anticipates that language from his original House bill will be worked out in conference with the Senate.
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Extract
Cleaning Up Contracts
No one is likely to accuse Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., of the delays and inaction that plagued last year's Congress. Take, for example, a three-day span in mid-March. Tucked neatly among the passage of four of his good government bills and hearings on the world's foremost former covert agent, Valerie Flame, was his opening salvo against "out-...
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