Congress: TSA must toe small-biz line

Washington Technology Newswatch ^ | 11 October 2006 | Alice Lipowicz

[COBOL2Java]

The Transportation Security Administration now must adhere to the same small-business procurement goals as do other federal agencies, according to a provision adopted by Congress in the fiscal 2007 homeland security appropriations bill. TSA previously was exempted.

Under the new law, which President Bush has signed, TSA must aim to award to small businesses 23 percent of its prime contracts, the federal government’s mandated goal.

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), ranking member of the Senate Small Business Committee, attached the provision to the appropriations bill. It reverses a TSA exemption to the Small Business Act that had been in effect since the agency was formed following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

“By every account, TSA has abused procurement privileges granted in the aftermath of Sept. 11,” Kerry wrote in a press release. “As a result, capable, qualified small businesses are left out of the federal procurement process.

“When it comes to ensuring that America’s small businesses receive the opportunities they need to grow and succeed, it's time to bring the Bush administration in check. That starts today at TSA,” he wrote.

[COBOL2Java]

This sounded like a good idea at first, until I saw that it was Kerry's idea.

[dirtboy]

My Gawd. TSA is screwed up enough without this.

[BobL]

It's a lousy idea, period.

Government should use vendors who give the best value. If they're small business (which they're usually not), that's fine.

This is a self-imposed tax on government services. One would think that with the Republicans controlling Congress and the White House, this garbage would finally end.

I guess not.

[US Navy guy]

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), ranking member of the Senate Small Business Committee, attached the provision to the appropriations bill. THAT shoud tell you something about this.

[theBuckwheat]

You neglected to mention that Sen. Kerry served in Vietnam.

[Diogenesis]

"(John Kerry's) default position is the conventional wisdom of the Massachusetts Left:
on foreign policy, foreigners know best;
on trade, the labour unions know best;
on government, bureaucrats know best;
on defence, graying ponytailed nuclear-freeze reflex anti-militarists know best;
on the wine list, he knows best."
Mark Steyn

[driftdiver]

"Government should use vendors who give the best value. If they're small business (which they're usually not), that's fine. "

Nonsense, contracting officers are much like anyone else in the world. They are impressed by the name brands and money behind the big companies. The big companies make their jobs easy. The big companies are NOT the best deal though in many cases.

[Humble Servant]

GET ME OUT OF THIS LUNATIC ASSYLUM!!
--Steve in MA

[sgtbono2002]

We have been there and done that and it sucks.

Half of these businesses dont even exist until after the contract is let.

[LibertarianInExile]

I hope we have minority set-asides, too. And let's make sure that we don't discriminate against illegal aliens. Oh, and God forbid we prevent any poor foreign corporations from bidding. Nothing's more important than cultural tinkering and political pandering. We need that far more than an efficient and effective national defense.

Now, where's my fiddle? I need something to play while Rome burns!