Commercial Activities Panel: Improving the Sourcing Decisions of the Government; Final Report, April 2002

The Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (the Act) required that the Comptroller General of the United States convene a panel of experts to study the policies and procedures governing the transfer of commercial activities for the federal government from government personnel to a federal contractor. The Panel held a total of 11 meetings over the period of May 2001 to March 2002, including three public hearings in Washington, D.C., Indianapolis, Indiana, and San Antonio, Texas. In these hearings, panelists heard first-hand both about the current process, primarily the cost comparison process conducted under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76, as well as alternatives to that process. Panel staff conducted an extensive amount of additional research, review, and analysis in order to supplement and evaluate the public testimony. This report includes the findings of the Panel as a whole, as well as a written statement from each Panel member as the Panel's report and recommendations.