OUTSOURCING
Contracting
for services is an increasingly crucial part of the government marketplace.
One
ramification of increased service contracting is greater attention on
outsourcing which has become a lightning rod issue in the House and
Senate.
The
Federal government needs the ability to fully utilize competitive sourcing,
outsourcing, and privatization options to achieve the necessary performance of
commercial activities more efficiently, at “best value” and at lower total
operating cost. Unfortunately,
current statutes and Federal implementation policies unduly restrict the
Government’s actions related to competitive sourcing of commercial
activities.
Outsourcing has significant
benefits for the U.S. taxpayer. As
former President Ronald Reagan said about privatization in 1986: “the Federal government has increasingly
sought to provide services that can be more efficiently provided by the private
sector. To address this problem, I
have established a working group to investigate which Government functions could
be effectively returned to the private sector. I have also included several initiatives
in this area in the recently-released budget. This strategy does not necessarily
require eliminating services now provided by the Government. Rather, it would make private
alternatives available. Such a
strategy ensures production of services that are demanded by consumers, not
those chosen by Government bureaucrats.
It also leads to more efficient and lower cost production of those
services, and often removes Government-imposed restraints on
competition.”
Indeed,
a recent report from the General Accounting Office states that when competition
for government contracts takes place, taxpayers receive an over 30% savings
regardless of whether the government employees or the private sector win a
public-private cost comparison.
For more
information (including what is listed below), click HERE
(CSA Members
only):
Congressional
testimony
White
Papers and Issue Briefs on outsourcing and related issues
Congressional
“Pep Rally”
CSA
letters to the Congress
CSA
letters on outsourcing of security guards