Redundant contracts drive up expenses for both government and industry, raising costs related to bidding, proposal development, contract oversight, and overall management.
As the federal acquisition community advances the Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Overhaul (RFO) and consolidates procurement operations, the persistent issue of contract duplication remains unresolved. This redundancy significantly inflates costs for both government agencies and contractors—covering bid and proposal efforts, contract administration, and ongoing management. Often described as a “hidden tax” on the procurement system, duplicated contracts burden both customer agencies and service providers. They diminish operational efficiency, lead to inflated pricing, and limit access to the federal marketplace. These barriers affect all types of businesses—new entrants, established contractors, small firms, and large corporations alike.
The Army’s Marketplace for Acquisition of Professional Services (MAPS) serves as a clear example of this duplication problem. As detailed in our February 21 blog post, MAPS mirrors several existing governmentwide contracting vehicles—including the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS), Polaris, OASIS+, and Alliant. Meanwhile, NASA is preparing to award its SEWP VI contract vehicle, which also encompasses professional services. Despite nearly two years of planning, the MAPS procurement is still months—or even years—away from announcing contract awards. And even once awards are announced, the process isn’t over: the bid protest window must close, any filed protests must be resolved (potentially involving revised proposals or reevaluations), and only after all disputes are settled can actual competitions for specific Army requirements begin.
Time translates directly into cost. For large companies, participation in MAPS is already costing hundreds of thousands of dollars each in bid and proposal expenses. For businesses of both sizes, total bid and proposal costs are reaching into the millions. Importantly, these figures don’t account for the additional administrative overhead and infrastructure needed to manage task orders under the new contracts. For small businesses operating with tighter budgets, these financial burdens are especially severe. From the government’s standpoint, designing, competing, and managing new contract vehicles diverts valuable time and resources away from fulfilling core mission objectives through existing, proven contracts. Ultimately, it comes down to productivity and efficiency.
Right now, the Army has immediate access to established vehicles like the FSS, Polaris, Alliant, and OASIS+—all capable of meeting the same needs targeted by MAPS. Leveraging these existing options would save both time and money while still providing access to a diverse, competitive pool of contractors, including both small and large businesses. This approach aligns directly with President’s Executive Order 14240, “Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement,” which calls for reducing redundancy and streamlining acquisitions. The administration is rightly focused on maximizing existing procurement capabilities and shared services to cut costs, boost efficiency, and deliver better value—faster—to the American public.
In line with these priorities, The Coalition for Common Sense in Government Procurement (Coalition) continues to advocate for the strategic use of existing contract vehicles whenever feasible. Doing so reduces administrative complexity, shortens acquisition timelines, and fosters greater competition. To support this mission, we are launching a new Contract Duplication Survey in conjunction with our May 13–14 Spring Training Conference, titled *The Revolutionary Federal Market Continued*. The survey aims to collect up-to-date input from members on the financial and operational impacts of participating in multiple, overlapping contract vehicles—including bid and proposal investments, contract management expenses, and resource allocation challenges.
We strongly encourage all members to take part and share their firsthand experiences. Survey findings will be compiled and shared with stakeholders across the federal procurement community. Our goal is to inform smarter decision-making and advance our shared objective: eliminating unnecessary duplication, enhancing efficiency, and ensuring the federal acquisition system delivers optimal value for agencies and taxpayers alike.
Roger Waldron is president of The Coalition for Common Sense in Government Procurement.
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