Bush to Allow Private Sector Bids (Wait until you hear Federal Unions SCREAM!)

Associated Press AOL Update Email | 14 Nov 2002 | R. Fournier

[PhiKapMom]

Bush to Allow Private Sector Bids

By RON FOURNIER
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush plans to subject as many as 850,000 federal jobs to competition from the private sector, administration officials said Thursday, a sweeping reform long sought by Republicans and stiffly opposed by labor unions.

Nearly half of the government's civilian work force could be affected by the plan to be published in the Federal Register on Friday. After a 30-day public review period, Bush can impose the new rules without congressional approval.

``This is inherent to getting the taxpayers the best deal for their dollars and the best service from the government,'' said Trent Duffy, spokesman for the Office of Management and Budget.

Bush and his fellow Republicans have long favored opening public sector jobs to competition from outside government. They argue that competitive bidding will force government bureaucracies to improve service and lower costs - or lose business to the private sector.

Public employee unions are expected to fight the proposal, which could cost their rank and file jobs.

The proposal comes at the heels of last week's GOP victories in congressional elections ,which emboldened Bush and his agenda. The White House is poised to beat back union opposition to another administration initiative, this one in Congress: the creation of the Homeland Security Department.

Current federal rules allow for public-private competition, administration officials say, but the regulations are so cumbersome that private firms are often reluctant to seek government contracts.

Under the plan, ``commercial activities'' conducted by the government - from lawn mowing to hanging drywall and secretarial work - will be open to competition. There are 850,000 such jobs in the federal work force; Bush has set a goal of putting 50 percent of those jobs up for grabs in the first stage of the plan, officials said, with the intention of eventually opening the total 850,000 to competition.

Traditional high-ranking government positions would not be subject to the proposal, according to administration officials who outlined the proposal.

One reform would encourage agencies to complete competitive bid reviews within a year. Under current rules, the competitive bid process can take four years - a delay that scares off private sector bids, officials said.

Rules under which the government buys goods and services will be streamlined to allow for more competitive bidding, officials said.

The Government Accounting Office has determined that public-private competition will save taxpayers 30 percent on each contract.

Expecting opposition from public employees unions, administration officials argue that the initiative would encourage unions to compete and win contracts; it does not mandate that the private sector takeover the jobs.

Bush picked this new fight with federal unions one day after it became clear that he had won another battle with them. With Republicans ready to take full control of Congress, Democrats were largely abandoning their demands for union protections at the new Department of Homeland Security.

The House easily passed a bill that would establish the department on Wednesday, and the Senate was ready to follow suit.

11/14/02 12:58 EST

[Dog]

Mom ...what did the other title say??

[JustAnAmerican]

Very good Idea, as long as the Contractors are held accountable to certain standards. As in, US citizens only, must speak fluent english and must possess more then a 1st grade education. None of this PC cr*p that is still prevelant in the airline industry and lots of other civilan(and Union) government jobs.

[Dog]

I still think this is all a dream!

[PhiKapMom]

You must be talking about the 8a set-side that is for minority owned/women owned businesses. Most of their contracts are not high dollar. They are awarded in AFMC which I am the most familiar with. For 8 years they get preferential treatment in getting contracts but they cannot just sit back and do nothing or perform badly or they will not get anymore contracts.

Know some 8a contractors that have done some great work and others that our louzy. But then that can be said of the other contractors as well -- some are good and some are really bad.

The big guys still get the larger contracts and those companies are white male dominated -- if you don't believe me look at Boeing, Lockheed-Martin; TRW and the list goes on and on.

They are also stiffened the rules on 8a is my understanding and they don't have as many set-asides as they used to have!

[Governor]

I've been working in a Air Farce Calibration as a contractor since '94. The troops love us, we have a required 5 day turn-around for equipment . The old Blue-suit lab took as high as 3 weeks for a simple meter to be returned. There are 7 of us, 2 admin, 1 Quality Assurance and 4 techs replacing 27 Air Farce personnel.

[PhiKapMom]

The title of the thread is what I received in my AOL Update email as the name of the AP article. When I sent to TBO Online to get the link for AP -- it had changed to "Bush Administration Puts 850,000 Federal Jobs Up for Private Sector Bids"

[PhiKapMom]

Are you working at the base outside Columbus that went contractor? The old AGMC at Newark AFS? Heard it has been a great success! When they were Civil service they used to be under the old AFLC where I worked.

[Redleg Duke]

What happened to all of the Bush Bashers that were complaining that nothing would change?

Seems kinda quiet around here today.

[Cuttnhorse]

I think I'll just sit here with a stupid grin on my face for a while:^)

Now remember, no gloating!

[Governor]

One problem is that the Civil Service is allowed to bid on services. They hide their retirement and health costs, so their bids come in extra low. Question, contractors face fines for late or poor work, how do you fine an arm of the Federa Government?

[PhiKapMom]

My understanding is that in Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) that has quite a few contracts that have been bid on, that the contractors have to meet the same standards as civil service.

Most of the contracts for AFMC have gone to a consortium of Government/Private Sector bidders. The Engine deal was awarded to a Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center (OC-ALC)/Lockheed Martin consortium with some smaller companies involved. From all accounts it is working out very well!

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

This is the best news I have read lately! Thank you, President Bush!!!!

[Orangedog]

Hmmm ... do you know what a Section 8 is?

Is this the same section 8 that is used to ruin older suburban neighborhoods when an aprtment complex starts taking section 8 rent vouchers from the government? We have one of these travisties in one corner of my town. The 35 year old, approximately 100 unit, apartment complex started taking section 8 vouchers almost 2 years ago. They also limited the income of the renters. No single person who makes over $17,000/year need apply. If you listen carefully on a quiet day, you can hear the property values of the surrounding homeowners drop.

Let's see...move out the people with decent incomes, replace them with people making about minimum wage (and refuse to renew their lease if they get a raise) and add a bunch of rent-subsidized trash. Gee, what a great idea! Since this happened, a friend of mine who bought a house near there a few years ago has seen his area go from almost crime free to having his car and garage broken into every few months.

[bvw]

I'm no fan of the big corporations -- they would do well to split up into *many* small true *independent* entrepreneurial units. That would really kick this economy into gear!

I despise that rascist and sexist 8a stuff -- and it's used beyond the welfare bureaus, you should know. For example in the railroads, getting smaller jobs is more difficult unless you have minority ownership -- much of the smaller, newer work is partly funded by Federal grants, and that throws the whole thing into the 8a morass.

[PhiKapMom]

AFLC is Air Force Logistics Command. I should have put that in my reply!

I think AFGE represents most of the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) (old AFLC and Air Force Systems Command merger). At least they used to used to! Most worthless civil service employees were the union reps!

[Governor]

Nope, stuck up in the Frozen North at Grand Forks AFB, ND.
Temp is 9 deg. at noon today. This is my 3rd contract here.overall this lab has been fined less then $3000 in fines in 8+ years. It is a true savings of tax dollars, including mine!!

[hosepipe]

Now, THIS, could be a step forward.....
A precident and an Ugh! face slap to the most powerful democratic institution ever...
(the Federal Workers Union Party)

Don't count on it though....the demos(+ DINOS and RINOS) could go bananas on this one.

[PhiKapMom]

Personally I would phase out the whole 8a deal and would split up the big aerospace companies that were forced to merge under the clinton administration.

[DoughtyOne]

I was playing off AFL-CIO. Didn't realize AFLC would actually stand for something. Thanks.

[PhiKapMom]

YIKES! You are really up there! I knew that the old AGMC used to handle calibration and thought you might have been part of them!