> The consulting firm’s sway at ICE grew to the point that McKinsey’s staff even ghostwrote a government contracting document that defined the consulting team’s own responsibilities and justified the firm’s retention, a contract extension worth $2.2 million. “Can they do that?” an ICE official wrote to a contracting officer in May 2017.
Nope. This is illegal under the FAR. If they're doing it, they should be barred from Federal contracting.
For what it's worth, I think this author gives the GSA a bad wrap based on the analysis of one individual. GSA has to do a LOT of work to award and manage a large number of contract vehicles that allow everyone in government to purchase goods and services at negotiated rates (which also saves them hundreds of thousands on hiring their own contract staff). The fact that the funding fee incentivizes GSA to help people spend more money is not necessarily a perverse incentive - it gives them the incentive to ensure their contract vehicles are effective vs. a normal procurement.
Nope. This is illegal under the FAR. If they're doing it, they should be barred from Federal contracting.
For what it's worth, I think this author gives the GSA a bad wrap based on the analysis of one individual. GSA has to do a LOT of work to award and manage a large number of contract vehicles that allow everyone in government to purchase goods and services at negotiated rates (which also saves them hundreds of thousands on hiring their own contract staff). The fact that the funding fee incentivizes GSA to help people spend more money is not necessarily a perverse incentive - it gives them the incentive to ensure their contract vehicles are effective vs. a normal procurement.