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Latest Policy Publications
POGO’s experts push policymakers to enact commonsense reforms that tackle waste, corruption, and abuse of power; hold those who’ve violated the public trust accountable; protect our constitutional rights; and make the government work for all people.
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Public Comment
Feds vs. Contractors: Federal Employees Often Save Money, But an Advisory Panel is Needed to Create a Cost Comparison Model
The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced a public meeting on March 5, 2013, and requested public comments on “the practice of comparing the relative cost of performance by Federal employees versus contract performan...
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Analysis
The Benefits of Bid Protests
In his recent article "Bid Protests: The Costs Are Real, But the Benefits Outweigh Them" Daniel I. Gordon defends the U.S. bid protest system and argues that the benefits of the system can be enhanced though greater transparency in government procurements.
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Analysis
Pentagon Math, Hagel, and the President’s Budget
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and other defense officials headed to the Hill this week to testify about the President’s Budget.
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Analysis
Budget Takes on Contractor Compensation Cap
Contractors are permitted to price or seek reimbursement from the government up to $763,029 in costs for each of their employees’ compensation packages. This is nearly twice the salary of the President of the United States. The President is calling for a reduction, and Congres...
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AnalysisObama’s Useless Budget Data...and Improbable Budget Strategy
Since the defense budget roll out on Wednesday, April 10, Pentagon budget geeks all over Washington have been popping Ibuprofen trying to unscramble the mess that DOD and OMB have made out of the 2013 and 2014 defense budgets. My take on this dysfunction is explained below.
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Analysis
Defense Contracting Competition in Free-Fall
Although the Department of Defense has recently been making a concerted effort to increase competition in its acquisition of goods and services, a new GAO report finds that competition in defense contracting has been in steady decline over the last 5 years.
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Analysis
MOX Costs Spiral Further Out of Control
The much beleaguered Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MOX) has increased in cost to $7.7 billion dollars, making this unnecessary facility 381 percent over it's original budget.
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AnalysisHere’s Hagel’s Short To-Do List on Reforming the Pentagon
Hagel has identified the Department of Defense as an inefficient, top-heavy, bureaucratized organization seemingly as devoted to social service programs as it is to warfighting.
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Analysis
Hagel: A Secretary of Defense Reforms?
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel seems prepared to do something about the Pentagon’s bloated budget.
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Analysis
Fluor Pays $1.1M to Settle Hanford False Claims Case
Department of Energy contractor Fluor paid $1.1 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit accusing the company of violating the False Claims Act by improperly using federal funds for lobbying.
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AnalysisShould We Be Concerned about GAO’s F-35 Work?
On March 29, GAO defended itself, as it should have, at the Foreign Policy website against my criticisms of its latest F-35 report. This week I responded, also at Foreign Policy. In sum, GAO's retort to my article makes me even more concerned about the state of affairs at GAO ...
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Analysis
Energy IG Pushes to Consolidate Nuclear Labs, Again
Department of Energy Inspector General once again recommends establishing a commission to assess and consolidate nuclear labs around the country.