Rep. Davis suggests his replacement as Congress' contracting lead

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) could be the new procurement and acquisition lead in Congress, Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) said Jan. 31. “He’s up to snuff,” Davis said in an interview with Federal Computer Week. He said Issa, ranking member on the Oversight and Government Committee’s Domestic Policy Subcommittee, has private-sector experience. Issa founded Directed Electronics, which makes automobile security and convenience products. Issa was chairman of the Consumer Electronics Association and a member of the board of governors of the Electronics Industry Association, according to his congressional Web site.Contracting industry experts said they didn't know who would or could take Davis' place. Senior acquisition officials said they were unsure about Issa. Many of them didn't know anything about hiim.Davis said Issa, who’s serving his fourth term in Congress, is committed to the unsexy but critical governance niche that is so important to government. As an example of Issa’s commitment, Davis said Issa is on a temporary leave of absence from the House Energy and Commerce Committee to serve on the oversight committee, of which Davis is ranking member.Davis said he intends to get Issa acquainted with federal IT and acquisition industry groups in 2008.Issa could not be reached for comment.Davis announced Jan. 30 that he won’t seek reelection, but he will remain in office through the end of this term. “I think it is time for a respite,” Davis said. He has said several times he isn’t ruling out public service in the future. When asked if he would be interested in heading the General Services Administration, he said, “Who knows what the future is.”