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Mar 28, 2012

Comments

Doug Brooks

Bryan,

That would be a wonderful and wise change of policy by POGO - the reckless focus on lowest price that Congress apparently prefers has undermined the stability operations industry and, more to the point, damaged vital U.S. policies. There is a strong correlation between the waste fraud and abuse highlighted by the Commission on Wartime Contracting and other investigative bodies and the absurd emphasis on getting the very lowest price possible, at the expense of quality and ethics.

This may be the last statement POGO came out with on Lowest Price:
http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2009/10/cwc-findings-on-embassy-guards-fiasco-amount-to-blame-shifting.html

If POGO could come out with a statement emphasizing the value of 'best value' contracting over race-to-the-bottom lowest-price contacting that would be helpful to policy-makers and industry alike. Competition is important to cost efficiencies, but not at the cost of quality and ethics, we look forward to POGO clarifying their position that point.

Best regards,

Doug Brooks
ISOA

Bryan Rahija

Hi Doug, thanks for your comments. Not sure that we've been so "outspoken" in favor of "lowest price" alone -- "technically acceptable" is obviously a key part of the equation and we've seen how cutting corners to reduce costs can hurt the taxpayer.

Doug Brooks

"Some contractors may complain"? Why? I think we all on the same side of the labor trafficking issue. Good law and good enforcement rewards good companies. Actually the industry supports enforcement and has for a long time. ISOA proactively held a well attended, high-level conference on trafficking five years ago (that POGO may have missed).

In fact the real problem undercutting ethics is the ridiculous single-minded emphasis on 'lowest price' contracts vs. best value. While POGO has been outspoken in its support for lowest price, the policy has cost taxpayers dearly in terms of quality and waste, and penalized the more ethical contractors that are more expensive as a result of following the law and regulations.

ISOA is collaborating on new labor trafficking conference and will be announcing details soon. We look forward to POGO's support and attendance.

-Doug Brooks, ISOA

Annette Tchelka

I support passage of S. 2234 to end human trafficking. I am disgusted to think that our contractors and subcontractors even need legislation to prevent them from taking part in this despicable practice. Does no one have a conscience unless it's enforced on them?

Joyce West

This is a very important issue. I guess that those who engage
in this make a great deal of money but this is just slavery in
the 2012 version. Criminal and horrible.

Joseph Theis

Have any contractors ever been penalized in any way, criminal, civil, or administrative, for abuses that involve contract fraud, forced labor, or labor trafficking? Has any contractor ever been barred for permitting such abuses to happen to its employees? Has the Defense OIG ever investigated such a case? I understand that DOD OIG has issued an audit report on the problem, but that should result in investigations. Which agencies have authority to act in this area?

attack on Iran

I remember how much of an issue this was in Bosnia. My memory may be faulty, but I am certain that there was some scandal where there were some UN or NATO troops that were actually involved themselves in trafficking. Certainly hope this legislation passes.

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