Federal procurement laws exist for a reason. Whether it’s protecting national interests or helping American businesses succeed, the lawmakers and public servants who crafted these statutes had the greater public good in mind.

The same holds true for the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act (JWOD or commonly known today as the AbilityOne Program), signed into law 80 years ago. The program provides the federal government with products and services it needs, while giving people who are blind or have significant disabilities the opportunity to become taxpaying citizens and reduce their reliance on government assistance.

The JWOD Act is just one of the procurement laws and regulations federal buyers must consider before stocking their storerooms. Buyers want to do the right thing, but the burden of compliance seems heavy.

Enter the goal of the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Section 846 e-commerce portal initiative being led by the General Services Administration (GSA) in coordination with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): Make purchasing more convenient and compliance easier.

Keep reading this article at: https://federalnewsradio.com/commentary/2018/05/when-it-comes-to-acquisition-have-it-both-ways-compliance-and-convenience/