Justice Can Improve Its Contract Review Committee's Contribution to Better Contracting
GGD-84-97
Published: Sep 28, 1984. Publicly Released: Nov 13, 1984.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO evaluated how successful the Department of Justice's Contract Review Committee (CRC) has been in conducting preaward reviews of contracts over $100,000, sole-source contracts over $50,000, and potentially controversial contracts.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Justice | The Attorney General should direct CRC to make periodic oral presentations of its findings to contracting officials. |
Closed – Implemented
The Procurement Executive plans to periodically prepare written summaries of frequently found contract deficiencies and distribute them throughout Justice. He also plans to provide written guidance and then supplement that guidance with periodic oral presentations.
|
| Department of Justice | The Attorney General should clarify Justice's policy to delineate the types of contracts that should be submitted to CRC so as to ensure that CRC receives all contracts it should review. These types of contracts should include: (1) letter contracts; (2) purchases of various specific services, such as expert witnesses; (3) exercise of options; and (4) contracts with indefinite dollar amounts estimated to be above the CRC threshold. |
Closed – Implemented
According to the Procurement Exective, Justice's procurement units were told to submit all contracts, including those types listed in this recommendation, for review when they exceed $100,000. For sole source procurements, the threshold is $50,000.
|
| Department of Justice | The Attorney General should direct the Procurement Executive to use CRC findings when developing strategies for carrying out procurement inspections and other oversight functions, such as deciding who and what to inspect, and for establishing the training component of, and training materials for, a career management program. |
Closed – Implemented
The Procurement Executive plans to analyze the types of procurement weaknesses noted during its preaward reviews and take actions to remedy the policy oversight or training deficiencies noted.
|
| Department of Justice | The Attorney General should have the Procurement Executive report to a level no lower than the Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Administration. |
Closed – Implemented
Based on recommendations by GAO and certain Justice organizations, Justice decided to have its Procurement Executive report to the Assistant Attorney General for Administration rather than a lower level Justice official.
|
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