The White House recently released a pair of Executive Orders (EOs) that aim to streamline the way the government acquires products and services. The complexity and inefficiency of government procurement has long been decried by industry and government officials alike. Numerous steps have been taken to simplify processes and open access to businesses that can provide the innovative solutions the government needs. These latest EOs focus on reforming the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (FASA), the two guiding principles of federal procurement.

Common Sense FAR

The "Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement" EO highlights the fact that the federal government is the world's largest buyer, spending nearly $1 trillion on procurement contracts each year. However, the provisions that guide that buying are cumbersome and, in many cases, outdated. The FAR is 2,000-plus pages containing 3,000-plus directives. The EO seeks to overhaul the FAR with plain English and eliminate nearly all non-statutory and duplicative regulations. Continue reading →