Federal procurement can sound like a dry topic. But to people who follow it closely, it becomes an exemplar for much of how the government relates to everything else — companies, citizens, even other countries. The government’s relationship with industry can be cooperative or antagonistic, overbearing or casual, creaky or lightning fast. Over time, the system is capable of improvement.
Procurement gets knocked for being too process- or rules-oriented. One edition of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, the bible of the profession, runs more than 2,500 pages. The FAR is long and detailed. Yet how many pages of material does someone need to cover to become a lawyer? A certified public accountant? A dentist? A rabbi?…
Procurement also gets rapped, by the uninitiated or the simply casual observer, for rigidness and resistance to change. In truth the FAR is constantly reviewed and revised, and someone could write a small book about how much procurement has changed in the last 30 years. Those who become proficient in the regulations and enabling statues use them creatively. Like a violin, in klutzy hands it’s unbearable, in skilled hands an instrument of great flexibility. Success in federal buying comes not just from knowing the rules, but also in knowing industry, knowing your agency, and generally the ability to read the room… Read the full article here.
