written by Richard L. Dunn “Costs too much, takes too long” – what is the problem? As pointed out in Part 1, the Federal government does not actually need contracting statutes to enter into and perform contracts. … Continued
The growing volume of misinformation about Other Transactions (OTs) is fed by reporters and commentators who do a poor job; so-called experts of various ilks who pontificate on a subject about which they know only a limited amount; outright … Continued
Spend enough time in federal acquisition and contracting circles you will hear ‘experts’ and apologists of the traditional system bemoan the lack of competition in awarding government contracts. The prevalence of ID/IQ contracts and other transaction consortia structured like multiple … Continued
Lists of the various agencies with Other Transactions (OT) authority have been included in various articles and guides. The number of agencies that have some form of OT authority is much greater than indicated in published lists. Statutory … Continued
Not many years ago the term “paradigm shift” was often found in everyday speech. It was widely and wildly misused. Based on my experience, I would say most people that used the phrase had no idea where it came from … Continued
If this article had a subtitle it might be something like “How did OTs get off track when they were on course to be the core of an alternative to the ponderous traditional acquisition system that makes fielding new capabilities … Continued
The problem: Because defense systems cost too much and take too long to field, DOD tends not to refresh or replace its systems on a timely basis. Instead legacy systems remain operational for decades; sometimes many decades. This in … Continued
First, don’t get me wrong. Other Transaction (OT) consortia as commonly practiced today are a welcome advance over business as usual. They serve a number of purposes from moving money quickly on to contract, to attracting non-traditional performers, and, … Continued
The power of OT’s is being rediscovered. Other Transactions potential to transform the acquisition system is being demonstrated. Yet, it is not uncommon to run into folks that think OT’s are used only to form consortia or aimed only at … Continued
The optimum way to execute Other Transactions is with a team of knowledgeable professionals. Before even starting on execution, an organization new to OT contracting should get together a larger group, including not only the core execution team but other … Continued