Administrative Investigation Improper Selection of a Contractor Austin Automation Center Austin, Texas

We substantiated that officials in VA’s Office of Information and Technology and its Austin Automation Center did not properly plan for or compete a Task Order for services to assess VA’s options for acquiring and managing its future information technology support contracts. The contracting officer, with the knowledge of the AAC Head of Contracting Activity, failed to comply with requirements mandating competition, and a staff attorney who reviewed the Task Order did not adequately research acquisition regulations before providing legal advice on this matter. The Assistant General Counsel for Professional Staff Group V did not concur with our recommendation for appropriate administrative action. However, we disagree and are issuing this report with that recommendation unresolved.