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Shifting some contracts to local vendors
AFGHAN VENDORS POST IMPRESSIVE GAINS IN CONTRACTING Release Date: 3/14/2006 KABUL , Afghanistan Afghan vendors won 84 percent of contracts awarded by the U.S. militarys regional contracting centers in February, up from 55 percent in October. Their gains in contract values were even more impressive, to 81 percent in January from 31 percent in October. Coalition officials attributed the gains to efforts emphasizing Afghan businesses, changes in contract solicitation language (to Afghan vendors consideration and advantage) and to efforts to educate Afghan vendors on how to compete for U.S. military contracts. Such contracts involve office furniture and supplies, construction materials and work, hauling, interpreting and other products and services. Between October and February, U.S. military contracting officers awarded contracts worth a total of $108 million to 715 Afghan vendors. The Coalition is establishing the conditions for enduring security and stability in Afghanistan . Promoting economic development is a part of that, said Lt. Col. Scott Kiser, director of Afghanistan contracting for the recently formed Joint Contracting Command for Iraq and Afghanistan. One change to contracting language involves encouraging bidding vendors to hire Afghan suppliers and distributors. In another change, the contracting command gives more consideration to vendors who hire Afghans or who promise to train Afghans than to vendors who do not. (Can they try this kind of process in granting contracts in Katrina-ravaged areas? Or is the risk of corruption too high here?) Officials from Regional Contracting Center - Kabul explained the changes during their first Vendors Day in December. Other contracting centers plan similar events in Kandahar , Khost and Parwan provinces in the near future. I think I like the idea being promoted here, despite the fraud and corruption risk, and wonder how it compares with what we are doing in Iraq. Posted by: Glenmore 2006-03-14 |
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