Thompson and Warner Introduce Bill to Allow
Homeland Security
Agencies to Purchase Tools they Need to Fight Terrorism
Agencies
will now be able to purchase the high-tech tools they need
more quickly and efficiently
Thursday,
December 6, 2001
Washington,
DC - Senate Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Fred
Thompson (R-TN) and Armed Services Ranking Member John Warner
(R-VA) today introduced legislation at the request of the
President, the Federal Emergency Procurement Flexibility Act,
that will grant the Executive Branch expanded authority to
purchase goods and services under expedited procedures in its
fight against terrorism.
"In
ordinary times, because of recent procurement policy reforms,
we believe that a federal agency can buy most anything it
needs quickly and efficiently under current law if it has good
management practices in place and smart, well-trained
contracting officers," said Senator Thompson.
"However," he continued, "these are not
ordinary times."
The
bill is intended to give federal agencies the flexibility they
need to purchase the most high-tech and sophisticated products
and services to support antiterrorism efforts and to defend
against biological, chemical, nuclear, radiological or
technological attacks. It builds on emergency contracting
authority already in place for the Department of Defense and
other agencies and goes further by providing additional
contracting flexibilities.
"It
is our responsibility to ensure that Federal agencies with a
role in homeland security can purchase – quickly and
efficiently – the most high-tech and sophisticated products
and services to support antiterrorism efforts and to defend
against biological, chemical, nuclear, radiological or
technological attacks," said Senator Thompson.
The
bill:
•
Streamlines procurement procedures for contingency
operations or peacekeeping and humanitarian operations;
•
Permits agencies to use more "commercial-style"
contracting contracting procedures for technologies or
products which are cutting-edge;
•
Allows agencies to use approaches other than contracts to
buy research and development for new technologies to fight
against terrorism; and
•
Requires agencies to do ongoing market research to identify
new companies with new capabilities, including small
businesses, to help agencies in the fight against terrorism. |