Federal Procurement: Smarter Buying Initiatives Can Achieve Additional Savings, but Improved Oversight and Accountability Needed
Abstract
Each year, federal agencies obligate over $400 billion on goods and services, but they miss out on savings when they do not leverage their collective buying power. In 2005, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed agencies to leverage spending through strategic sourcing. In 2014, OFPP, an office in OMB, announced its category management initiative, which is intended to further streamline and manage entire categories of spending across the government more like a single enterprise. GAO was asked to examine the current status of the FSSI program and the extent to which OFPP has incorporated lessons learned from the program into its category management initiative. This report addresses (1) savings and other benefits the FSSI program has achieved, and (2) lessons identified and incorporated into OFPPs category management initiative. GAO analyzed FSSI spending, savings, and adoption data for all seven active FSSIs for fiscal years 2011 through 2015; reviewed OMB, OFPP, Leadership Council, and GSA strategic sourcing and category management guidance; and interviewed GSA and FSSI program officials and OFPP staff. To increase potential savings, GAO is making 6 recommendations, including that OFPP ensure agencies submit transition plans, monitor their use, and ensure agency specific targets and performance metrics to measure adoption of FSSI and category management solutions are set. OMB and GSA concurred with the recommendations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1170662
Entities
People
- Angie Nichols-friedman
- Emily Bond
- Holly Williams
- Julia Kennon
- Kristine Hassinger
- Max Sawicky
- Peter Haderlein
- Roxanna Sun
- Timothy J. Dinapoli
- W. W. Russell
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office