by Arthur Gibson

Created on: November 04, 2008

What are some ways to hold government military contractors accountable for their actions? Holding government/military contractors accountable on delivery dates, price, and quality has the potential to save US taxpayers literally thousands and possibly millions of dollars each year. Most people realize that Research and Development represents a significant cost in any technological advance and those expenses have to be recovered in order for a company to maintain its profitability. Each year the federal government lets hundreds of contracts on behalf of the military and other government agencies. Just as companies need to maintain their profitability, the government needs to be able to depend on contractors to deliver the materials on time, meeting specifications, and for the agreed upon cost. Yet under the present system it sometimes seems that contractors are better off missing deadlines in order to obtain additional taxpayer monies. How can this system be changed?

First, insist upon strictly enforced penalties for companies that fail to meet their delivery dates. I think monetary penalties and fines should start once a company has missed the agreed upon delivery date by 60 days. It's not unreasonable for the government to expect a company to deliver a finished product on time. Yes, it's possible that there could be delays in receiving the product due to problems with shipping companies outside the contractor's control. Who can forget the trouble caused numerous companies across the US just a few years ago when UPS workers went on strike? An event of that nature should not be held against a contractor. But, if a contractor misses a delivery date due to problems on the production line or in obtaining the raw material to make the product; that is the contractor's problem. And taxpayers should not be expected to pay for the delays with cost overruns or additional charges. By charging a contractor a penalty for late delivery and having those charges escalate the longer the delay will force companies to better assess their capabilities to deliver on a contract.

Second, penalize companies for delivering shoddy merchandize or goods that don't meet specified standards. How many lives have been lost in our history because a contractor cut corners when making military goods. In every war that American men and women have fought lives have been lost needlessly because equipment didn't arrive as promised from the contractor, or greedy companies and individuals delivered

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