The IBM Center for The Business of Government and George Mason University's Public Administration Program convened an Acquisition Reform Working Group comprised of government, private sector, and academic leaders well-versed in the field of public administration and acquisition reform.. This group of thought leaders met seven times during 2008 to address government contracting oversight issues. They laid out an agenda of practical steps leaders of the new administration could take to improve how agencies acquire and use goods and services via contracts. The group then generated issue papers outlining the challenges and recommended solutions. These issue papers are presented below.

The Acquisition Workforce: What Agency Chief Operating Officers Need to Do (PDF)

Post Award Contract Management: Who's Minding the Store? (PDF)

Interagency Acquisitions: What Is the Problem? (PDF)

Performance-Based Acquisition: What Is the Problem? (PDF)

The Multi-Sector Workforce: How Can We Manage It Better? (PDF)

The Role of Chief Acquisition Officers: What Should They Be Doing? (PDF)

The Role of Contractors in Government: Have We Gone to Far? (PDF)