Emerging Policy and Practice Issues (2021)

Abstract

This paper/chapter, presented at the Thomson Reuters Government Contracts Year in Review Conference (covering 2021), attempts to identify some the leading, evolving trends and issues in U.S. federal procurement. Consistent with prior practice, this chapter offers extensive coverage of the federal procurement (and grant) and defense spending trends and attempts to predict what lies ahead, particularly with regard to legislative and executive activity. This year's paper discusses, among other things, the flurry of activity in the public procurement sphere as the Biden administration accelerates efforts to restore and reshape the government, special emergency procurement authorities deployed during the coronavirus pandemic, human capital and the acquisition workforce, infrastructure, sustainable procurement, and other potential trends.

Keywords: Government Contracts, Public Procurement, Defense, Acquisition Workforce, Outsourcing, Sustainable procurement, Other Transactions (OT’s), Infrastructure, Human Capital; Procurement Spending, Grants

JEL Classification: H42, H56, H57, K12, L33