Two EOs continue biggest overhaul of federal acquisition since 1990s
Summary
Federal procurement under the FAR receives consistently negative assessments regarding its efficiency.” The President also signed a second executive order yesterday calling on agencies to buy commercial products or justify why they can’t. In 2021, for example, three industry groups and 44 technology companies wrote a letter pressing the White House to make clear to agencies that they should follow this long-held requirement of buying commercial software first so they can take more advantage of private sector innovations. “Led by OFPP, the FAR Council will rewrite the FAR in plain English, eliminate non-statutory and duplicative regulations, remove DEI and wokeness and add buyer guides in place of burdensome and outdated requirements,” the Office of Management and Budget wrote in a release. “This long-overdue Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) will ensure a faster acquisition cycle, lower barriers to entry for small businesses, startups, and other new entrants and eliminate wasteful bureaucratic bloat,” OMB said. “To complement the RFO, a brand-new website will bring an unprecedented level of transparency to the procurement process, so that any member of industry or the general public can stay informed on regulatory updates, buyer guides, and the overall process.” The deadlines for the commercial buying EO also are not as tight.