The government has lots of hoops procurement officers have to jump through if they want to spend taxpayers’ money without competition.
Take this J&A – that would be Justification and Approval – a form that needs to be submitted when sole-source contracts are signed.
“Due to the unique operations of the stations surgical department there was no time to allow for full and open competition of this requirement,” the Department of Veterans Affairs at Leavenworth, Kan., reports.
Unique?
Hardly.
The VA spent $28,740 on penile implants for three different patients last month. Each one is cited as unique.
All three J&As also said such sole-source contract awards are permitted under law.
Perhaps.
“The items listed in the sole source justification has [sic] already been implanted into the patient,” each finally noted.
Never mind.