Emerging Policy and Practice Issues (2011)

Abstract:     
This paper, presented at the West Government Contracts Year in Review Conference (covering 2011), attempts to identify the key trends and issues for 2012 in U.S. federal procurement. It begins from the premise that the most significant emerging issue in government contracting, looking ahead, is the money (or lack of it). As the fiscal belt tightens, the procurement landscape - what the government buys, from whom, and how - will necessarily change. Consistent with prior practice, this chapter offers extensive coverage of the federal procurement spending trend and attempts to predict what lies ahead. It also discusses the proliferation of policy guidance on information technology (IT) procurement, cloud computing, and cyber-security. In addition, among other things, it addresses the Defense Department’s initiatives to squeeze savings, efficiencies, and productivity out of the acquisition regime and how this may affect the defense industrial base.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 17

Keywords: Government Contracts, Public Procurement, Acquisition Workforce, Outsourcing, Major Systems Acquisition, Procurement Spending, Special Interests, Toxic Environment, Service Contracts, Information Technology

JEL Classification: H42, H56, H57, K12

Accepted Paper Series