Obama misses an opportunity for contractor accountablity
The Obama administration failed to enact its accountability and transparency agenda in its new major contractor database, according to a watchdog group.
Officials announced in today’s Federal Register that they had finalized the rules about the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System. The system contains specific information on federal contractors’ and grantees’ reliability and history of work with the government. It’s intended to significantly enhance the scope of information available to contracting officers as they evaluate prospective contractors competing for their contracts.
However, the system falls flat, according to the Project on Government Oversight (POGO).
“If the government is serious about improving federal spending accountability, it just missed its chance to prove it,” said Scott Amey, POGO's general counsel. “The database was improved, but the administration really missed a golden opportunity to promote its good government and openness agendas,” Amey said.
POGO wanted to a system with real teeth to keep tax money from contractors with poor performances and ratings. The group also pushed for a database that was open to the public. “But instead contractors received a shield to protect them from public scrutiny,” Amey said.
Posted by Matthew Weigelt on Mar 24, 2010 at 1:04 PM