Summary

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Defense Personnel Support Center's (DPSC) practices for buying fresh produce, focusing on: (1) whether DPSC reduced its purchases of New Jersey produce and whether any reduction was cost-effective; and (2) whether DPSC allowed compromised bidding and maintained sufficient quality standards in its produce procurements.

GAO found that: (1) DPSC New Jersey produce purchases decreased from $630,000 in 1986 to $340,000 in 1989, but the decrease was not due to discriminatory buying practices; (2) weather conditions affected the availability of some items; (3) DPSC maintained competitive bidding procedures and quality standards; and (4) military facilities frequently requested produce grown in other regions.