1 Issues in Contracting: Article Abstract Christopher J. Kirby American Military University DEFM 311: Program and Acquisition Management II Professor Dale Wright September 26, 2021 2 Issues in Contracting: Article Abstract Bel, G., & Gradus, R. (2018). Privatization, contracting-out and inter-municipal cooperation: New developments in local public service delivery. Local Government Studies, 44(1), 11-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/03003930.2017.1403904 Government contracting and the privatization of service delivery on various levels impact various issues in the contracting environment. In previous years, serious issues have been realized in government and municipal contracting. There has been a need for contractors for service delivery to government and municipal bodies to reduce their exposure to liabilities related to the privatization of service delivery and the burden of these privatized approaches to service delivery on the environment. Many have considered that contracting-out and privatization of service delivery at the government and municipal level have informed new problems related to economics, service quality, and access of services for most people. The article presents that the burden of contracting out-is starting to impact on laws and policies at municipal and national levels. These burdens of contracting are weighty on the economic end, which introduces new and wide liabilities with the penal provision capacities of various actors. Ongoing business activities have also been greatly influenced by the privatization and contracting-out of public service and governmental service to the citizens (Bel & Gradus, 2018). In the end, municipals that contract out end up being more efficient than those who are selfproviding with services, introducing a divide in the development of lasting governing policies on these avenues of public service delivery. The scholars go ahead to review the possible outcomes of privatization of public services and use research to support their positions. Moreover, Bel & Gradus (2018) indicate that future research needs to solve numerous contracting issues related to contracting in government at different levels. In a situation where one form of contracting results in more hazardous results than the other, the scholars present that it is the role of the contractor to deal with the liabilities. The issues arise when the contractors are privatized but have no capacity to deal with the negative outcomes of their public service delivery, thus requiring government intervention through contracting out (Bel & Gradus, 2018). Therefore, further research needs to devise ways of bridging the gap between privatization and contracting out of public service delivery. The article further addresses the capacities of various privatized and contracting-out bodies, including Municipally-Owned Corporations (MOCs). They indicate that inter-municipal Cooperation (IMC) is more effective in solving public contracting issues than MOCs. The conclusion of IMCs being better options of public service delivery is premised on the position that IMCs are public contracting options protected from privatized autonomy that cannot be tracked and solved in the event of a problem. Overall, the researchers conclude that there needs to be a balance and understanding in the governance of IMCs and MOCs to solve the issues in municipal contracting of public service delivery. According to evidence presented by the scholars (Van Thiel, 2017), MOCs are more likely to fail as options of public service contracting than IMCs. However, proper governance and a combination of both privatized and contractedout public services given through IMCs and MOCs are possible, provided there is a balance between corporate status, ownership sharing, and extensive cooperation between different local governing bodies. 3 References Bel, G., & Gradus, R. (2018). Privatization, contracting-out and inter-municipal cooperation: New developments in local public service delivery. Local Government Studies, 44(1), 1121. https://doi.org/10.1080/03003930.2017.1403904 Voorn, B., M. L. Van Genugten, and S. Van Thiel. 2017. “The Efficiency and Effectiveness of Municipally Owned Corporations: A Systematic Review.” Local Government Studies 43 (5): 820–841. https://doi.org/10.1080/03003930.2017.1319360 1 Trends and challenges in contracting with women-owned small businesses Christopher J. Kirby American Military University DEFM 311: Program and Acquisition Management II Professor Dale Wright October 10, 2021 2 Trends and challenges in contracting with women-owned small businesses United States: General Accounting Office. (2001). Federal procurement: Trends and challenges in contracting with women-owned small businesses; report to congressional committees. Washington, DC. Retrieved from: https://libcat.snhu.edu/search~S0?/aUnited+States.+General+Accounting+Office./aunited +states+general+accounting+office/-3,-1,0,B/browse With a concern that women-owned small businesses (WOSB) getting contracts for 2.2% that is even below the 5% nationwide goal for around $200,000,000,000 in goods and services purchased by the federal government, the congress called for an appraisal of the advancement the federal government has taken to improve its contracting with WOSB and determine any actions that can enhance the routine of government in contracting WOSB. The article responds to the mandate by finding data concerning the advancements in government contracting with WOSB as from 1996, the impediments that the government contracting officials face when dealing with WOBs, proposals made by these officials to improve federal contracting with the federal government, and the alarms of these officials concerning WOSB contracting objectives recognized for discrete agencies. In addition to those mentioned above, the article provides recommendations that can enhance the procurement opportunities for WOSB. The article obtains viewpoints from representatives of four businesses owned by women nationally on matters to do with government contracting with WOSB. To determine the trends about federal contracting with WOSB, the article analyzes all information concerning Small Business Administration since 1996. To determine the information concerning hurdles to contracting with WOSBs and suggestions about improving contracts, the article considered the views of different government officials dealing with federal contracting policies. Though the information evaluated the data collected and information gathered from an organization concerned with previous findings, the article does not validate the complications highlighted by participants interviewed. Also, the authors do not evaluate the possible feasibility of the suggestion that was made. The Small Business Reauthorization Act of 2000 ratified in December the same year closely follows the analysis presented by the article. The main aim of the act was to authorize the limitations on the procurement package restricting competition for WOSBs. The program's effectiveness is after SBA finalizes a study determining industries whereby WOSBs seems to be understated and direction provided for implementing agencies about the program. Further research indicates that the WOSB program awards individual source contracts to those eligible provided they meet the following requirement; the contracting officer should not have a reasonable prospect where offers received by more than one WOSB, the award shall be made at a price that is reasonable and fair. The second requirement is that the expected total amount of the contract plus any options should not be more than $4,000,000. Finally, for participation in this program, WOSBs must be small businesses, have a majority of their ownership and control by more than one woman, and manage daily activities and long-term decisions. 3 References DiMauro L. (2017). Encyclopedia for small business. Cengage learning. Retrieved from: https://go-galecom.ezproxy.snhu.edu/ps/retrieve.do?resultListType=RELATED_DOCUMENT&userGr oupName=nhc_main&inPS=true&contentSegment=&prodId=GVRL&isETOC=true&do cId=GALE|CX6062700005 United States: General Accounting Office. (2001). Federal procurement: Trends and challenges in contracting with women-owned small businesses; report to congressional committees. Washington DC. Retrieved from: https://libcat.snhu.edu/search~S0?/aUnited+States.+General+Accounting+Office./aunited +states+general+accounting+office/-3,-1,0,B/browse
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