Chemical Protective Suits
No Basis to Question Procuring Agency's Acquisition Strategy Gao ID: NSIAD-90-162 May 1, 1990Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Defense Logistics Agency's (DLA) procurement of chemical protective suits, focusing on its: (1) exclusion of an incumbent contractor from participation; and (2) calculation of its suit requirements.
GAO found that DLA: (1) reasonably selected an acquisition strategy that restricted all current contractors from competition, in order to expand its production base by at least two new producers; (2) was not required to conduct full and open competition when it was necessary to maintain the mobilization base; (3) had experienced difficulties in meeting its suit requirements; and (4) DLA delayed the procurement in order to reassess its requirements.