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Sect. 809 panel: DOD should eliminate most set-asides

Recommends DOD practices align with private sector

      The congressionally-chartered Section 809 commission is recommending dramatic changes to the Defense Dept.’s small business procurements.

      The Advisory Panel on Streamlining and Codifying Acquisition Regulations, in its final volume of recommendations, proposed that DOD abolish small business set-asides for readily-available commercial item procurements valued over the Simplified Acquisition Threshold up to $15 million.

      Small business set-asides would stay in place for commercial acquisitions valued under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold.

      The commissioners said DOD is falling behind in acquiring technology due to legacy buying practices, and to remedy the situation DOD should simplify its buying practices and align them more closely with general business practices in what it called a Dynamic Marketplace Framework.

      This requires “revolutionary” changes, including cutting back sharply on small business set-asides,...more....