regulatory reform

Policy and legal experts say informal guidance can be helpful to agency stakeholders and others but acknowledged instances where the documents have become stand-ins for the official rulemaking process.

In biweekly meetings, DoD contracting experts are chewing through every page of the Pentagon’s procurement rules. They expect to eliminate about half.

A new bill from Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) would make agencies’ task forces and de-regulatory efforts permanent.

DoD’s regulatory reform task force is meeting every two weeks to finalize recommendations to meet President Trump’s executive order.

Roger Waldron gives GSA plans for streamlining and reform of procurement processes a thumbs up on behalf of The Coalition for Government Procurement

The high paced level of activity this past week centered on the still-sketchy 2018 budget under preparation by the Trump administration. Balancing the big increase the president wants for the Defense Department are cuts averaging 10 percent for civilian agencies.

The Office of Management and Budget has gotten preliminary plans for regulatory reform from 30 executive branch agencies after President Obama’s January executive order calling for a review of unneeded or unjustified regulations. The White House also is encouraging independent federal agencies to submit their own plans, but OMB has gotten just a single page back so far.

Experts and lawmakers say the proof will be in the OIRA guidance to agencies in how impactful these reforms will be. Agencies must submit plans to OIRA in 120 days about how they will review existing regulations to ensure they are still relevant. Agencies will have to determine a cost-benefit analysis on existing rules.

In an effort ”to root out regulations that conflict, that are not worth the cost, or that are just plain dumb,” the President has signed an Executive Order requiring agencies to submit a plan to review existing regulations to ensure they are not burdensome. The mandate also details five steps agencies must take to improve their regulatory process. The White House wants better coordination among agencies when writing new rules.