Summary: In response to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Agency for International Development's (AID) procurement practices and management controls for centrally managed contracts to determine whether AID complied with the laws and regulations applicable to those contracts.
GAO found that: (1) while AID generally complied with procurement regulations, in some cases it failed to adequately publicize procurements; (2) although AID established a database to monitor the amount of and reasons for contract amendments and noncompetitive awards, it did not analyze the data; and (3) because AID has not established written guidelines for its centrally managed procurements, it has inadequate control over contract awards. GAO also found that project officers did not: (1) enforce compliance with an agency requirement that contractors identify the project number on their invoices; and (2) ensure that contractors performed services before receiving payment. In addition, GAO found that the agency's annual report to Congress did not discuss the status of its planned initiatives to increase competition or the reasons for any significant changes in noncompetitive awards.
