Leave contracting alone, industry coalition says

A group of trade associations issued today a joint statement condemning a federal panel's recommendations for changes to procurement rules. The trade groups believe the Acquisition Advisory Panel's suggestions would erase 10 years of procurement reforms.

The Services Acquisition Reform Act of 2003 created the panel, which is often called the SARA Panel. Its recommendations concern the purchase of commercial services.

But the trade groups say the proposed changes "would add time and expense to government agencies’ efforts to buy private-sector solutions and support, and would make the procurement process less flexible."

The result of the proposals would be a procurement process that is less efficient, effective and fair, according to the joint statement from the trade groups.

The groups submitted their statement to the panel. The coalition includes the Information Technology Association of America, the Professional Services Council, the Contract Services Association, the Aerospace Industries Association, the National Defense Industrial Association, and the Government Electronics and Information Technology Association.