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Cheers to the GSA Multiple Awards Schedule (MAS) Advisory Panel, for refusing to be intimidated by pressure from the GSA IG and from Congressman Waxman to cancel the Blue Ribbon Commission. The findings of the MAS Advisory Panel have made clear what those in industry and in the contracting corps have long suspected: that the pricing clause is difficult to interpret, almost impossible to apply consistently, and is the cause of much of the tension among the GSA IG Auditing team, GSA Contracting Officers and GSA Industry Partners. This confusion also drove up costs of both government and industry and was long overdue for an overhaul. Hopefully, the new Acting Administrator will act quickly on the findings of the Panel and prevent future unfortunate instances such as Sun Microsystems, EMC and Canon's withdrawal from the GSA Schedules Program.
Jeers to NASA for losing sight of its mission and for not focusing on its core competencies. The recent accomplishment by China brings into sharp focus that it has been almost 40 years since NASA had astronauts walking on the moon, inspiring a new generation. Perhaps NASA should spend more time focusing on outer space and less time focusing on procurements of off-the-shelf technology and office supplies. We Need NASA to focus on what it does best, "Space: the final frontier, and boldly go where no one has gone before." Instead, they waste time and energy trying to figure out how to buy a PC for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Certainly, OMB's Office of Procurement Policy (OFPP), now that it has a new director, could exert more rigor on overseeing GWAC proliferation and thereby help NASA focus on its core competencies.
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