Promote the Use of Sound Business Arrangements

• Federal agencies have an array of acquisition approaches and contract types available to them that provide flexibility to acquire the ranges of goods and services agencies need.  When effectively employed, agencies can acquire the goods and services they need in a timely manner and establish appropriate cost sharing and incentive structures.
• Our work at the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies has found, however, that at times the lack of well-defined requirements, the use of ill-suited business arrangements or poorly structured incentives, and inadequate oversight of contractor performance contributed to unmet expectations and schedule delays and place the government at risk of potentially paying more than necessary.

  Highlights of GAO-08-568T (PDF), Highlights of GAO-09-271 (PDF)

^ Back to topWhat Needs to Be Done

To ensure that the government effectively employs the range of tools available to it to acquire needed goods and services, senior agency leadership must

• set the appropriate tone at the top to aggressively address issues that leave agencies vulnerable to fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement.

  Full Report of GAO-06-838R (PDF, 25 pages), Highlights of GAO-09-271 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-07-1098 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-09-624T (PDF), Highlights of GAO-10-163T (PDF)

• provide additional guidance, tools, and assessments to ensure that its personnel employ well-defined and sound business arrangements;

  Highlights of GAO-06-996 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-07-273 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-07-559 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-08-263 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-09-271 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-09-792 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-09-839T (PDF)

• ensure contracts are performance- and outcomes-based and that contractor performance is measured on that basis; and

  Highlights of GAO-06-66 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-07-58 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-08-263 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-09-271 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-09-839T (PDF)

• provide effective contractor oversight.

  Highlights of GAO-08-263 (PDF), Highlights of GAO-08-572T (PDF), Highlights of GAO-09-271 (PDF)

^ Back to topKey Reports

Defense Management

Contract Management

Federal Contracting

Coast Guard

Contract Management

Federal Contractors

Defense Acquisitions

Department of Energy

High-Risk Series

Department of Homeland Security

Department of Homeland Security

Federal Acquisitions and Contracting

Defense Contracting

Defense Contracting

Defense Acquisitions

NASA Procurement

Defense Acquisitions

Interagency Contracting

Contract Management

Defense Acquisitions

More Reports