Weaknesses in Procurement Practices To Obtain Outside Professional Talent Services

GAO studied United States International Communication Agency (USICA) procedures for obtaining professional talent services from outside USICA for specialized needs.

GAO found that, while existing procedures at USICA were generally adequate, regulations were not always followed; thus, awards were not made on a competitive basis. In fiscal year 1981, USICA acquired outside talent valued at about $5 million for services such as writing, filming, translation, exhibit design and fabrication, copyrights, research, and announcing. GAO found that purchase orders and contracts for these services were frequently awarded on a sole-source basis and that, in some instances, contracts were renewed annually without competition. Such noncompetitive awards were ostensibly justified by the urgent requirements of some programing and management offices; however, GAO noted that urgency was sometimes created by delaying decisions. GAO also found that Voice of America (VOA) retirees were often used as long-term purchase order vendors in lieu of employing staff. These long-standing VOA practices pointed up the need for planning for the orderly replacement of personnel through improved recruiting and training procedures. GAO also learned that nepotism was practiced in two instances in clear violation of VOA regulations.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Harry R. Finley Team: General Accounting Office: International Division Phone: (202) 512-5187