Other Concerns Raised

The administration also has objected to language in the Senate version that would add limits to DoD’s use of “best value” in determining whether to contract-out work or keep it in-house, as well as House language to: prohibit enforcement of the Hatch Act for employees who transfer to certain international organizations but who keep federal employee coverage, rights and benefits; reduce the DoD acquisition work force by 25 percent over five years; prohibit the use of goals for considering jobs for contractor performance; and delay implementation at DoD of any changes in government-wide changes in contracting-out policy until DoD reports on the potential effect. The White House also threatened to veto any changes in the base closing process set to start in 2005; the House version would put half of DoD’s facilities off limits for possible closure and would require that DoD keep a certain floor level of capacity. That bill is now heading to a House-Senate conference.