Comments on S. 932 (96th Congress)

Comments were requested from GAO concerning the impact of the proposed waiver of procurement laws contained in S. 932 (96th Congress). The waiver clause provides that, with some exceptions, purchases, commitments to purchase, and certain resales may be made regardless of existing legal limitations on the procurement of goods or services by the federal government. Laws regarding labor protection, small business set-asides, the environment, GAO audit authority, and the prohibition against cost-plus-percentage-of-cost contracts would not be affected. However, there would be severe modifications in the effect of many procurement statutes, particularly in behalf of accelerating the development of technological processes or the production of essential materials, such as synthetic fuel. Laws which would be most affected are listed with short synopses of the extent to which this would occur.