Author Description

The fed. gov¿t., incl. the DoD, is relying on contractors to carry out many of its missions. Governmentwide spending on contractor services has more than doubled in the last 10 years. DoD has used contractors extensively to support troops deployed abroad; there are about 196,000 contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan. While contractors can play an important role in helping agencies accomplish their missions, there have been problems regarding the appropriate role and mgmt. of contractors, particularly at DoD. This testimony highlights the challenges DoD has had in managing its increased reliance on contractors who support deployed troops and who provide logistics support for weapons. Includes recommendations.