The memo follows a recent OMB report touting savings through competitive sourcing, specifically when decided on the basis of best “quality” and not just lower costs, a criterion that has been weakened by language in recent appropriations bills.
Critics of basing job competitions on quality as well as cost argue that it introduces too much subjectivity into the process and invites abuse such as giving contracts to well-connected businesses, and they see, rightly, that the number of job competitions and jobs being converted to the private sector are increasing.
OMB says agencies plan to study 26,591 full-time positions in fiscal 2006 compared to 4,876 in fiscal 2005. Such an increase in job competitions is likely to be accompanied by increased scrutiny of contract awards, especially where tight agency resources are concerned.
