Federal Contracting: Commercial Item Test Program Beneficial, but Actions Needed to Mitigate Potential Risks
Abstract
Federal agencies rely on the commercial marketplace for a range of goods and services. In 1996, Congress authorized the use of simplified acquisition procedures for commercial items now valued up to $6.5 million under the Test Program for Certain Commercial Items. The test program is currently authorized until January 2015. However, due to a lack of reliable data, Congress has had limited insights into the actual use and benefits of the test program. The House Armed Services Committee report that accompanied the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 mandated GAO to report on the use of the authority provided under the test program. This report addresses (1) the extent to which federal agencies have used the test program, and (2) its benefits and risks, if any. DOD, DHS, and DOI accounted for 74 percent of test program use in fiscal year 2011 based on data reported in FPDS-NG. For five components within these three agencies, GAO assessed data, reviewed regulations and agency policies, analyzed 26 of the largest test program contracts, and interviewed contracting officials.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 04, 2014
- Accession Number
- AD1166567
Entities
People
- Ada Nwadugbo
- Angie Nichols-friedman
- Dae Park
- Danielle Greene
- Erin Schoening
- Gary Bianchi
- Jacob Beier
- Julia Kennon
- Kenneth Patton
- Loan Lfrim
- Penny Berrier
- Robert Graves
- Roxanna Sun
- Sylvia Schatz
- Timothy J. Dinapoli
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office