IG Outlines GSA Contracting Problems GSA’s inspector general found contracting abuses in all of the Federal Technology Service’s regional centers, but also saw signs of improvement after top management began focusing on the problems. The IG surveyed the 11 regional offices after irregularities were found in FTS’s Washington state center in 2003. Among the problems were misuse of contract vehicles, inadequate competition, and steering work to preferred contractors. The IG blamed poor management controls and an emphasis on increasing GSA’s revenues. “The existing procurement program controls were not working and were in need of a substantial overhaul,” Assistant Inspector General Eugene Waszily said. GSA officials said new measures instituted last summer under its “Get It Right” campaign should reduce future violations. New procedures include a checklist to make sure contracting officers don’t skip any steps, legal reviews of all contracts worth more than $5 million and a directive to use fixed-price contracts as much as possible.