CONTRACT MANAGEMENT: Update on DoD's Purchase of Black Berets
Abstract
On May 2, 2001, we testified on Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) efforts to purchase black berets for Army forces. These purchases responded to the Army's announcement, in October 2000, that Army personnel would begin wearing berets 8 months later. In an effort to respond to the Army's requirement in the limited% time provided, DLA contracted for production of nearly 5 million berets at a cost of about $30 million. In the process, DLA shortcut normal contracting procedures and waived restrictions, contained in the so-called "Berry Amendment," that limit Department of Defense (DOD) purchases of certain items, including clothing, to those produced in the United States or its possessions. Despite these efforts, DLA was unable to meet the Army's deadline, and it terminated three contracts because the contractors did not meet delivery requirements. In response to your request, we followed up on our earlier work in order to assess the current status of the black beret procurement as well as the status of DOD's efforts to ensure proper waivers of the Berry Amendment. To date, DOD has received about 2.1 million berets-less than 1 million of which were distributed to Army personnel. DOD still expects another 1.6 million berets to be delivered by September 2002. DOD has also taken steps to ensure that proposed waivers of the Berry Amendment are considered at an appropriate management level. DOD no longer allows the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics) or the service secretaries to delegate their authority to approve Berry Amendment waivers. Requests for waivers must also be supported by analyses of why alternatives that would not require a waiver were unacceptable. Since these requirements were set, the Under Secretary has approved six waivers, all of which originated at the Defense Logistics Agency. Because DOD is taking actions to ensure proper waivers of the Berry Amendment, we are not making recommendations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA397209
Entities
People
- Jeff Sessions
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office