Opportunities and Problems in Meeting the Military's Clothing and Textile Needs With Commercially Available Items

In May 1976, the Office of Procurement Policy decided government agencies should purchase commercial stock items as needed, through normal distribution channels, a shift away from reliance on detailed specifications and maintaining large inventories. The objective of this change was to reduce the government's procurement and distribution costs while stimulating competition, capitalizing on technological innovations, avoiding specification development costs, and reducing the risks and costs of shipment and storage. The key organization in accomplishing the changeover has been the Defense Personnel Support Center (DPSC) which procured $644 million of clothing and textile items in fiscal year 1978. GAO reviewed implementation of this policy by DPSC under a pilot program begun in January 1977.