WASHINGTON – Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL) has reintroduced bipartisan legislation to help Make Government Efficient Again.

H.R. 1118 – "The Bipartisan Value Over Cost Act" increases contractual flexibility and contracting competition, provides clarity for acquisition stakeholders, maximizes the Federal Government’s ability to procure modern technology, and helps the small business community by reducing regulatory burdens.

Last Congress, this commonsense proposal passed the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability with a vote of 39-0, passed the U.S. House of Representatives by unanimous voice vote, and passed the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, before it was blocked from a vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

This Congress, "The Bipartisan Value Over Cost Act" is co-led by Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-FL). Congressman Donalds (R-FL) released following statement:

"It's time to Make Government Efficient Again," said Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL). "The General Services Administration’s (GSA) 'Lowest Overall Cost Alternative Standard' is burdensome, has resulted in higher costs, government waste, and we need change. I have reintroduced the 'Bipartisan Value Over Cost Act' to solve this problem once and for all. 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."

Background:

• The General Services Administration’s (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program is the Federal Government’s most-used contracting procedure for commercial products & services
• Currently, the MAS program requires GSA and federal agencies to contract using the “lowest overall cost alternative” standard—established in 1984
• This legacy procurement standard calls for the selection of contracts that are in the best interest of the Federal Government—with price often being the determining factor
• “An agency must use an evaluation method . . . for a reasonable assessment of the price of performance under competing quotations, so as to establish whether one vendor’s quote would be more or less costly than another’s.”
• Various MAS contractors claim the standards increase administrative costs, which leads them to charge the Federal Government higher prices
• This legacy procedure is administratively burdensome—and GSA has agreed that change is necessary

Bill Actions:

• In addition to considering the “lowest overall cost alternative,” this bill would provide GSA with additional flexibility to award contracts based on “best value” if GSA determines it to be in the best interest of the Federal Government
  • Best Value—defined in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 2.101 as “the expected outcome of an acquisition that, in the Government’s estimation, provides the greatest overall benefit in response to the requirement”
• Ultimately, this bill puts the GSA MAS program on a level playing field with other acquisition procedures

More:

• Read Text of Current 119th Congress Version of the Bill HERE.
• Congress.gov profile of Current 119th Congress Version of the Bill HERE.
• Read Text of 118th Congress Version of the Bill HERE.
• See Timeline of 118th Congress Version of the Bill HERE.
• Watch House Floor Passage of 118th Congress Version of the Bill HERE.