A Promise Broken on a vow to end no-bid contracts

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: St. Petersburg Times

It was the political equivalent of Barack Obama's eyes being too big for his stomach.

Obama's campaign pledge to require competition for all contracts over $25,000 sure sounded good, but even the most ardent watchdogs say it would be all but impossible.

Indeed, since Obama took office, none of the instructions from the White House's Office of Management and Budget -- which serves as the administration's controller -- has put any limits on the value of no-bid contracts. The guidance from the president and OMB appears to acknowledge that federal agencies may not always bid a project competitively, and instead has encouraged managers to do more to increase competition among contractors.

There is a paper trail:

Read more: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2010/jan/06/promise-broken-vow-end-no-bid-contracts/

[Crzyrussell]

1. The government would be paralyzed if

everything over 25,000 had to go out to bid. Plus it would be costly.

It is just another case of campaign promises vs the real world.

[natrat]

6. fuck that noise--it's a lie and they could easily reign in spending with more competitive bidding

[SpartanDem]

7. They have read the entire article

it does says there is more competitive bidding, but that the specific pledge of everything above 25,000 was broken.


In a memo March 4, 2009, President Obama ordered the OMB to develop rules to "govern the appropriate use and oversight of sole-source and other types of noncompetitive contracts and to maximize the use of full and open competition and other competitive procurement processes." But no mention of any $25,000 rule.

The OMB followed up with a July 29, 2009, memo ordering agencies to cut by 10 percent the total dollars awarded via three types of so-called "risky" contracts, including no-bid or single-bid contracts. Again, nothing on a $25,000 rule.

Then, on Oct. 27, 2009, the OMB's Office of Federal Procurement issued guidelines for agencies that asked procurement officers to find more ways to use competitive contracts. But it didn't mention the $25,000 rule that candidate Obama had promised, either.

Scott Amey, an expert in government contracting and counsel for the nonprofit Project on Government Oversight, said Obama deserves credit for addressing the issue, but it's unrealistic to think he could fulfilll his promise.
(snip)
"Improving federal contracting and ensuring that our taxpayer dollars are spent well are top priorities," their e-mail said. "The President has charged federal departments and agencies with saving $40 billion annually by Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 through terminating unnecessary contracts, strengthening acquisition management, ending the overreliance on contractors, and reducing the use of high-risk contracts across government. The government’s major contracting agencies – which account for more than 98 percent of contract spending – are on track to meet this goal, identifying more than $19 billion of savings for the first year of this reform effort."

Progress? Watchdogs such as the Project on Government Oversight say yes. But that's still not fulfilling Obama's pledge to require competitive bidding for all contracts over $25,000. So we rate this one a Promise Broken

[Oerdin]

2. Very disappointing.

From the public option, to ending the war in Iraq, to closing Gitmo, ending don't ask don't tell, and now to ending the corruption of no bid contracts. Obama hasn't fulfilled any of his pledges. He's surrounded himself with corporatist types like, former Goldman-Sacks execs, etc... And basically given the party base the finger. Why should I volunteer my time and give my money again?

[Proletariatprincess]

3. Yet another great disappointment......

and they seem to keep coming.
I had allowed myself a quickening of hope after the inauguration...that is all gone now. I never really trusted Obama and didn't vote for him (voted Nader) but I did hope he would do what he promised...or give it a good try anyway. But, as it turns out, he is worse than I thought he would be.

[Frank Cannon]

4. No-bid fucking contracts. What a concept.

Would you accept a "no-bid contract" to put a new roof on your house? To put a new transmission in your car?

Jesus Christ, we must be one bunch of stupid assholes to have accepted that the concept of a "no-bid" contract makes any goddam sense whatsoever.

[pundaint]

5. Yes, In the "real world" we are, as a country, stupid assholes

No other conclusion has any supporting evidence.

[grahamhgreen]

9. Not stupid, just corrupt at the management level and above.

[Crzyrussell]

17. Let's get real,

25,000 is nothing when it comes to business or government! Many day to day repairs cost that much..

If you had any knowledge of how government operates you would probably realize this.

[winyanstaz]

8. Another promise broken......

what else is new?

[salguine]

12. Yeah, throw it on the pile with the rest of them. You know, if they ran a barrel of

vanilla pudding against Obama in the primaries, I'd cast my vote for the pudding. And now we learn of $20 MILLION from the healthcare and pharmaceutical cartels. Fuck Obama. Fuck him from here to 2012.

[TornadoTN]

16. BBBBBBBUUTTTTTTTTTTTT YOU MUST WANT PALIN!!?!11!!!!1!!1111

I'm fucking sick of voting for the lesser of the two evils. I feel especially dirty after I fell for most of the campaign bullshit and personality of this guy.

[PSPS]

10. It should be news only when obama KEEPS a promise.

[glitch]

19. He kept the promise to escalate the war on Afghanistan. In fact he doubled down on it.

To be honest, quite a bit more than doubled.

[Psephos]

11. Why has no one raised the Constitutional issue that it's illegal that Bush has a 3rd term? n/t

[bkohatlanta]

13. Honest people don't need excuses, dishonest people never run out of them.

I don't think that Archimedes would recognize Obama.

[dipsydoodle]

14. Can you say

Animal Farm.

[uponit7771]

15. Obama didn't vow to end them in the second he stepped into office and I can understand...

...winding them down slowly as to not break shit instead of pulling the rug out real fast.

This seems like another pony post

[DisgustedInMN]

18. The bigger question is...

.. is there any campaign promise Barry will come though on?