A new survey finds that agencies are labeling contracts “performance-based” when they are not.

A review of 48 contracts by the staff of the federal Acquisition Advisory Panel found 30 of them did not meet the standards for performance-based contracting, Federal Times reported.

A working group of the panel has urged additional training on the technique for federal acquisition personnel. The group also recommended that the Office of Management and Budget scrap its goal of using performance-based contracting in 40% of procurements. It called for agency-by-agency goals.

The Advisory Panel was chartered by Congress to review all federal procurement laws and regulations. Its final report is due next month.

Steven Preston was sworn in July 10 as SBA administrator. The Senate confirmed his nomination by unanimous consent before its July 4 recess.

“I am grateful to President Bush for the opportunity to serve in a way that so directly affects the lives of so many Americans,” Preston said. “I am also humbled by the bipartisan support I have received in Congress and am committed to fostering a strong relationship with the many stakeholders of the SBA.”

Preston, a former executive vice president of franchising giant ServiceMaster, is a financial specialist with no background in federal procurement.

In its annual assault on President Bush’s competitive sourcing initiative, the House voted to block job competitions in several civilian agencies.

The amendment to the Science-State-Justice Commerce appropriation bill would prohibit the Office of Management and Budget from conducting job competitions under its revised Circular A-76.

The House passed similar restrictions in the last two years, but they were dropped from the final bills after conferences with the Senate.

This year’s amendment was sponsored by Rep. Rob Andrews (D-NJ). Andrews said he objects to provisions in the OMB circular that prohibit federal employees from appealing the results of a job competition.

“Fair competition in government contracting is a good thing,” Andrews said. “Unfortunately, that is not the case with the current, deeply flawed A-76 process.”

OMB figures show that federal employees have won more than 80% of the jobs that have been competed under the circular.

Sen. James Jeffords (I-VT) has blocked legislation that would complete the reorganization of the General Services Administration, Government Executive magazine reported.

Under senate rules, a single member can place a hold on legislation for any reason.

The House has passed the bill allowing GSA to combine its Federal Technology Fund and Federal Supply Fund into a single entity, but the Senate has not acted.

The magazine reported Jeffords is holding up the GSA bill in hopes of forcing action on his own bill that would encourage GSA to building environmentally-friendly “green” buildings.