Letter: Higher-level politics impede COTRs

Regarding “OFPP: Better training gets results,” all too often what contracting officer's technical representatives (COTRs) accept is dictated by politics at a higher level. While working at another agency and as an assistant COTR, I was threatened by my director when I suggested that a white paper written by a contractor contained information that wasn't factual.

My director was the COTR, but I had all the technical knowledge. He went on vacation after the white paper was put on his desk and wasn't going to be back in time to provide a timely response. I sent a letter to our headquarters suggesting that it not accept the white paper. The chief information officer’s office called my director on vacation in Hawaii and got him to override my recommendation. 

Anonymous
Defense Finance and Accounting Service

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