The Office of Federal Procurement Policy is developing new criteria in the coming weeks for what qualifies as a best-in-class contract.
As part of its overhaul the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the Trump administration is trying to put an end to most of the duplicative multiple award contracts that exist across government today.
Under the revised version of FAR Part 8, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy and the FAR Council are mandating the use of best-in-class or preferred contract vehicles for common goods and services. Under category management, these include everything from IT services to medical supplies to facilities and construction services.
Kevin Rhodes, the senior advisor at OMB and nominee to be the OFPP administrator, said the FAR rewrite isn’t just about reducing the red tape and burdens that have built up over the past 40 years, but these changes better prioritize consolidated governmentwide contracts to strengthen the government’s purchasing power, reduce duplication, lower administrative costs, shifting to a more strategic enterprisewide buying.