WASHINGTON – This morning, Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) re-introduced bipartisan legislation to evaluate the national security implications surrounding current federal purchasing standards.
"The Safe and Smart Federal Purchasing Act" requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to evaluate the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) provisions in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to determine if the LPTA purchasing process creates any national security risks for federal agencies that focus procurement on price over any other technical or operational factors. The Director of OMB must then report the results of this evaluation to appropriate congressional committees within 180 days of enactment.
Last Congress, this commonsense proposal passed the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability with a vote of 43-0, passed the U.S. House of Representatives with a vote of 397-0, and passed the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs with a vote of 10-0, before it was blocked from a vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate.
"As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, ensuring proper governance and efficiency in federal operations are paramount concerns of mine," said Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL). "Federal procurement processes—although often overlooked—are critical to the operation of our government and necessitate comprehensive assessment. Simply put, affordability considerations and associated national security risks of procurement procedures must be thoroughly evaluated. Last Congress, this commonsense legislation was passed with unanimous support in the U.S. House of Representatives and I once again look forward the successful passage of this proposal in the 119th Congress."
“Federal procurement processes can be obscure, but they are critically important to how the federal government functions in service to the American people,” said House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Gerald Connolly (D-VA). “For these purchasing procedures to be safe, secure, and efficient, we’ve got to guarantee that they don’t in any way put our national security at risk. Our bipartisan legislation brings us one step closer to that important goal.”
Background:
The Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) are a source selection process that allows federal agencies to select the lowest evaluated price that meets minimum performance requirements. LPTA criteria are not always appropriate for agencies seeking complex or technically innovative services and can result in agencies sacrificing long term value for short term savings. This bill ensures that LPTA will not be used in a manner that results in agencies cutting corners or jeopardizing national security.
More:
Read Text of Current 119th Congress Version of the Bill HERE.
Read Text of 118th Congress Version of the Bill HERE.
Watch Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Passage of the 118th Congress Version of the Bill HERE.
Watch House Floor Passage of the 118th Congress Version of the Bill HERE.
Watch House Oversight and Accountability Committee Passage of the 118th Congress Version of the Bill HERE.
