GAO examines DOD commercial items acquisition

By Tony Bertuca / July 17, 2017 at 3:43 PM

The Government Accountability Office has released a report detailing the Defense Department's system for acquiring commercial items and the moves it has taken to comply with legislation aimed at streamlining the process.

“DOD has taken a number of actions to address this legislation, including updating its Guidebook for Acquiring Commercial Items and proposing Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement rules. When implemented, these rules will promote consistency in making commercial item determinations, among other things,” the July 17 report states.

The department has also created six centers of excellence dedicated to commercial items, offering a “cadre of experts within DOD to provide advice to the acquisition workforce with regard to commercial item authorities,” according to the report.

In fiscal year 2016, GAO found, 54 percent of Pentagon spending using commercial item procedures went to products, while the remaining 46 percent was for services.

GAO also found that 68 percent of all DOD commercial spending was competitive, slightly higher than the department's past competition rate for overall contract spending.

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