{"product_id":"federal-contracting-cost-effective-contract-management-requires-sustained-commitment-t-rced-93-2-9781289048532","title":"Federal Contracting: Cost-Effective Contract Management Requires Sustained Commitment: T-Rced-93-2","description":"\u003cp\u003e • Author(s): U. S. Government Accountability Office (\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher: Bibliogov\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher Imprint: Bibliogov\u003cbr\u003e • BISAC: General\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGAO discussed civilian agency contracting practices and steps which could be taken to improve contractor management and oversight. GAO noted that: (1) civil agency contracting problems included agency reliance on contractors to carry out agency missions, ineffective contract administration, insufficient contract auditing oversight, and a lack of high-level management attention to contract management; (2) civilian agencies increased reliance on contractors to perform specialized program tasks and functions; (3) from 1979 to 1991, civilian agency contracting increased in value from $23 billion to $55 billion; (4) there were concerns about whether the extensive use of contractors to support government operations was more cost-effective than performing duties in-house, whether civil agencies have become overreliant on contractors, and whether civilian agencies are using contractors to formulate policy; (5) steps to ensure better contract management and administration included providing adequate contract work descriptions, independent government cost estimates, effective contractor performance and cost oversight, and incentives for good contractor performance; (6) agencies needed to clarify audit responsibilities, reduce audit backlogs, delineate unallowable and questionable costs, and establish guidelines regarding contractor discounts and voluntary management reductions; and (7) agency cultural changes were needed to emphasize contract management, including increased high level management attention, immediate and long-term commitment to contract management, and adequate information systems.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Atlantic Books","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46492703850647,"sku":"9781289048532","price":1429.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0666\/3471\/1191\/files\/9781289048532.jpg?v=1766353905","url":"https:\/\/atlanticbooks.com\/products\/federal-contracting-cost-effective-contract-management-requires-sustained-commitment-t-rced-93-2-9781289048532","provider":"Atlantic Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}