CHAPTER 6 Appropriate Role of Contractors Supporting Government
CHAPTER 6 Appropriate Role of Contractors Supporting Government
CHAPTER 6 Appropriate Role of Contractors Supporting Government
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Finding 2:<br />
The existence <strong>of</strong> a multisector workforce, where contractor employees are<br />
co-located and work side-by-side with federal employees, has blurred the lines<br />
between: (1) functions that are considered governmental and functions that are<br />
considered commercial; and (2) personal and non-personal services.<br />
As.early.as.1962,.a.Cabinet-level.report.to.President.Kennedy.on.government.contracting.practices.(known.as.the.“Bell.Report”).concluded.that.reliance.on.third.parties.to.perform.the.work.<strong>of</strong>.government.“blurred.the.traditional.dividing.line.between.the.public.and.<br />
private.sectors .” 125 .As.one.commentator.has.pointed.out,.such.blurring.was.not.an.accident.in.that.the.architects.<strong>of</strong>.this.change.acknowledged.that.it.would.challenge.traditional.<br />
notions.<strong>of</strong>.<strong>of</strong>ficial.accountability.for.work.performed.by.non-government.actors . 126 .<br />
Finding 3:<br />
Agencies must retain core functional capabilities that allow them to properly<br />
perform their missions and provide adequate oversight <strong>of</strong> agency functions<br />
performed by contractors.<br />
It.is.axiomatic.that.federal.government.<strong>of</strong>ficials.need.to.maintain.the.skills.and.competencies.required.to.manage.and.implement.all.<strong>of</strong>.the.government’s.work—including.<br />
that.performed.by.the.growing.contractor.workforce . 127 .However,.as.discussed.above,.there.<br />
is.reason.to.question.whether.the.government.has.retained.adequate.personnel.with.such.<br />
skills.and.competencies . 128 .<br />
Finding 4a:<br />
Some agencies have had difficulty in determining strategically which<br />
functions need to stay within government and those that may be performed<br />
by contractors.<br />
Finding 4b:<br />
The term “Inherently <strong>Government</strong>al” is inconsistently applied across<br />
government agencies.<br />
The.impossibility.<strong>of</strong>.drawing.a.bright.line.between.governmental.and.non-governmental.<br />
functions.has.inevitably.led.to.inconsistent.application.<strong>of</strong>.the.competitive.sourcing.policy.<br />
across.the.government ..As.David.Walker,.Comptroller.General.<strong>of</strong>.the.United.States,.stated.in.<br />
2003,.“[t]he.Commercial.Activities.Panel.heard.complaints.from.all.sides.with.regard.to.the.<br />
lack.<strong>of</strong>.clarity,.transparency,.and.consistent.application.in.the.current.A-76.process .” 129 .<br />
.There.are.acknowledged.difficulties.in.determining.exactly.what.functions.are.inherently.governmental<br />
. 130 .Such.difficulties.are.not.new ..GAO.stated.in.1991.that.it.was.unable.to.<br />
definitively.conclude.whether.service.contractors.were.performing.inherently.governmental.<br />
125 ..Report to the President on <strong>Government</strong> Contracting for Research and Development in Systems Development<br />
and Management: Hearings before a Subcommittee <strong>of</strong> the Committee on <strong>Government</strong> Operations, House <strong>of</strong><br />
Representatives,.87th.Cong ..191-263.app ..I.[hereinafter.Bell.Report.(1966)] ..<br />
126 ..Guttman.at.330 .<br />
127 ..Bell.Report.at.144 ..<br />
128 ..See, e.g.,.U .S ..GAO,.High Risk Series:.An Update, GAO-05-207 (Jan ..2005) .<br />
129 ..Walker,.The Future <strong>of</strong> Competitive Sourcing.at.305 ..<br />
130 ..Steven.L ..Schooner,.Competitive Sourcing Policy: More Sail Than Rudder?,.33.Pub ..Con ..L.J..263,.272.(2004) .<br />
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