Change We Can Agree On??

[Southside Playa]

Check this out:

President Obama seeks change in federal contracting - 3/04/09 - Houston News - abc13.com

This has been long overdue. Would we all agree (Left & Right)??

If I am correct this move will spur competition & bring an end to the lop-sided azz contracts that have previously been issued.

Please chime in.

[Mrs.Rubber2Burn]

I must keep my mouth shut as my hubby works for one of those companies that do military contract work. That is my family's health insurance and food on our table.

[Red05]

I agree that the change is long overdue. I'm trying to figure out why the contacts weren't handled like this before?

[frisbee]

There is alot of waste but cutting anything to do with the military and how they are treated i'm against . Some of the private contracting helps them out . If he wants to cut something how about all the free travel that gov. officials take , like senetors ,govenors , congressmen ,ect , have they ever heard of Video confrenceing. We spend Billions on thier free travel . They sure said something to the cars execs about how they traveled to congress and how come they didn't cut thier travel means .

[Red05]

Originally Posted by frisbee

There is alot of waste but cutting anything to do with the military and how they are treated i'm against . Some of the private contracting helps them out . .

Helps them out how? If the contracts are handed out "no bid", how can we know the government is getting the best deal possible? This has nothing to do with taking anything away from the military, just the way military contracts are awarded.

[Dino]

Originally Posted by Red05

Helps them out how? If the contracts are handed out "no bid", how can we know the government is getting the best deal possible? This has nothing to do with taking anything away from the military, just the way military contracts are awarded.

I have got to agree. I am a defense contractor and many contracts are very competitive. However, many of the no-bid contracts are very large contracts and the way they are given out should have greater oversite. It is difficult to get into many areas because the "big boys" have monoploies over contracts in different locations so it is difficult for smaller businesses in some respects unless they know one of the big players.

[skydivr]

As a soldier, I don't always want my gear to be the product of the lowest price bidder...sometimes you get what you pay for...and sometimes qualified competition is a good thing.

[Dino]

Originally Posted by skydivr

As a soldier, I don't always want my gear to be the product of the lowest price bidder...sometimes you get what you pay for...and sometimes qualified competition is a good thing.

If you "get what you paid for" it is because it is what you asked for in the gov contracting world. Many times contractors are blamed for poor government management of contracts. I have seen it from both sides and government program managers have a lot of power to make sure contractors are doing the right thing. Ususally if it is bad the government accepts it that way.

Unfortunately it is the troops that suffer for it.

[Red05]

Originally Posted by skydivr

As a soldier, I don't always want my gear to be the product of the lowest price bidder...sometimes you get what you pay for...and sometimes qualified competition is a good thing.

True, but quality and service are obviously looked at when comparing and choosing bids. Competition is a good thing...it spurs achievement in most cases. "No bid" takes the competition out of it.

[BusaWhipped]

Not in that world anymore. We always contracted our projects via the RFP process. That doesn't mean the lowest bidder automatically won. We spent alot of time scrutinizing the responses to get a confidence level that the company could actually deliver according to the requirements, responses, previous projects the company worked on, etc. Competition is always a good thing. Its the foundation of capitalism.

[Red05]

Originally Posted by BusaWhipped

We spent alot of time scrutinizing the responses to get a confidence level that the company could actually deliver according to the requirements, responses, previous projects the company worked on, etc.

Ok, so a company proves itself to be worthy and competent. Does that mean said company should be awarded contracts indefinitely and automatically? That basically takes competition out of the picture, save the competion that occured back when this company got the contract originally. I still don't accept that a no bid situation is ever a smart way of doing business.

[skydivr]

Don't get me wrong, I think competition is a good thing. Some of those nobids that were put out early in the game were because they had to be done yesterday and there were only a few games in town that could actually perform. I see soldiers getting better gear, and quicker than ever before (a good thing). Frankly, it always comes down to how well the program is managed....