The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection has announced
a strategic sourcing plan — “A12” — that it says it will
use to analyze buying trends throughout the agency and
streamline purchasing in-bulk to reduce costs.
“By institutionalizing strategic sourcing, AI2 will
transform CBP’s spending from a tactical to strategic
focus,” said Commissioner Robert C. Bonner.
After starting the program last October, CBP said it is
nearing completion of the first of three phases, and has
assessed its current acquisition process and identified
a new one, and conducted a pilot project for spending
analysis and started another for strategic sourcing.
CBP’s announcement follows recently issued guidance from
the Office of Management and Budget directing agencies to
come up with at least three commodities eligible for
strategic sourcing by October. OMB said it wants agencies
to step up use of the initiative in procurement.
It said starting in January agencies would be required
to report “on the implementation of strategic sourcing
plans, reductions in prices, improvements in supplier
performance and changes in the achievement of
socioeconomic goals.”
