Year Identified: 2019

Area Number: 21

Area Type: Cost Savings & Revenue Enhancement

Action:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Administrator should update the strategy identified in its 2007 Advance Contracting of Goods and Services Report to Congress to clearly define the objectives of advance contracts, how they contribute to FEMA’s disaster response operations, and whether and how they should be prioritized in relation to new post-disaster contract awards.

Progress:

FEMA agreed with GAO’s December 2018 recommendation, and has taken steps to incorporate a more strategic approach to its advance contracts through the development of a FEMA Acquisition Manual, but has not yet finalized the manual. In December 2019, FEMA officials stated that the manual will provide clear definitions, objectives, and instructions for planning, awarding, and administering advance contracts, including how they should be prioritized in relation to new post-disaster contracts, and they anticipate completing the manual in June 2020. Successful completion of the FEMA Acquisition Manual should help FEMA ensure that it is maximizing the use of its advance contracts, to the extent practical and cost-effective, to quickly provide goods and services following a disaster.

Action:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Administrator should ensure the Head of the Contracting Activity updates the Disaster Contracting Desk Guide to include guidance for whether and under what circumstances contracting officers should consider using existing advance contracts prior to making new post-disaster contract awards, and include this guidance in existing semi-annual training given to contracting officers.

Progress:

FEMA agreed with GAO’s December 2018 recommendation, and has taken steps to update its Disaster Contracting Desk Guide to provide additional guidance to contracting officers on the use of advance contracts, but has not yet completed the update. In December 2019, FEMA officials stated they anticipate completing the update to the Desk Guide in June 2020. According to FEMA officials, the updated Desk Guide will provide operational guidance on the use of advance contracts, based on the instructions and objectives for planning, awarding, and administering advance contracts identified in the newly developed FEMA Acquisition Manual, also expected to be completed in June 2020. Updating the Disaster Contracting Desk Guide and finalizing the FEMA Acquisition Manual should help FEMA to ensure it is effectively utilizing its advance contracts.

Action:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Administrator should update and implement existing guidance for program office and contracting officer personnel to identify acquisition planning time frames and considerations across the entire acquisition planning process, and clearly communicate the purpose and use of its Master Acquisition Planning Schedule.

Progress:

FEMA agreed with GAO’s December 2018 recommendation and in February 2020 completed steps to update and implement guidance identifying acquisition planning timeframes across the entirety of the acquisition planning process and clearly communicate the purpose of its Master Acquisition Planning Schedule. In February 2020 FEMA released updated procurement guidance that includes information and average estimated timeframes for completing activities—such as market research, independent government cost estimates, and drafting requirements documents—in advance of an acquisition package being submitted to the contracting office.

Further, in July 2019 FEMA officials identified additional steps taken to communicate the purpose and use of its Master Acquisition Planning Schedule. These steps included updating training slides, sending initiation memos to senior leaders within FEMA's directorates requesting their participation in the Integrated Project Team process, and identifying the date acquisition packages should be completed to allow for new contracts to be awarded on time. These steps should ensure that program and contracting officials have the information needed to inform their acquisition planning efforts and effectively utilize the Master Acquisition Planning Schedule to help meet FEMA’s goal of reducing the number of non-competitively awarded bridge contracts.

Action:

The Secretary of the Army should direct the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to establish a formal process to solicit input from officials directly involved in the agency's response and recovery following a disaster and to share that input with the Emergency Support Function Leadership Group.

Progress:

Pending

Action:

The Commandant of the Coast Guard should establish a formal process to solicit input from officials directly involved in the agency's response and recovery following a disaster and to share that input with the Emergency Support Function Leadership Group.

Progress:

Pending