Employees Win at High Rate

Meanwhile, the percentage of competitions won by the in-house side rise slightly from 89 to 91 percent between 2003 and 2004, OMB reported. Such results “should dispel any fears that employees are disadvantaged by changes OMB initiated in 2003 to improve the competition process and increase the consideration of best value when making selections between public and private sources,” the report said. “In addition, every agency that conducted competitions reported taking steps to address workforce needs. Steps may vary, but generally include: timing competitions to minimize workforce disruptions, involving human resource advisors to assist employees as they reorganize their operations, and exploring opportunities to provide ‘soft landings’ for directly affected employees.” Federal employee organizations and many in Congress argue that even when the in-house side wins, it often is at the cost of cutting jobs, and continue to express objections regarding the 2003 change, arguing that it tilted the playing field in favor of contractors.