§1705 Advocates for Competition

Summary

Each federal agency must have an advocate for competition. The agency head must pick one officer or employee for the whole agency and one for each buying office who was in an authorized position on July 18, 1984 (but not the senior procurement executive). The agency must not give these people duties that get in the way of their job. The agency must also give them staff help, like engineering, contracts, finance, supply, and small-business experts. The advocate must push for open and fair competition when the agency buys goods and services. They must review buying practices, tell the senior procurement executive about steps taken and anything that unnecessarily limits competition, and send an annual report about activities, new steps needed, and remaining barriers. They must recommend yearly competition goals and accountability plans (which can include awards), describe training and research efforts, and challenge things like overly tight need statements, too-specific specs, or needlessly heavy contract terms. Key roles: advocate for competition — employee who promotes competition; procuring activity — the office that buys things; senior procurement executive — the agency’s top buying official.