In a new report to be released next Monday, the Center for American Progress details the horrendous state of the federal contracting process. The report examines what is presently known about the potential size and scope of wasteful and corrupt contracting within the federal government, provides the new Congress with useful guidance for developing a broader understanding of the problem, and outlines some steps that might be taken to restore greater transparency and accountability to the use of public funds in the procurement process.

In one of the more common-sense moves of the 110th Congress, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement unanimously approved a bill yesterday to prevent companies who owe federal taxes from being considered for government contracts. The bill (H.R. 1870) would target companies that owe at least $2,500 and have not paid the IRS or started a payment plan within 180 days of getting an assessment. During the mark-up, the bill's sponsor and subcommittee chairman Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY) offered an amendment that would help assuage concerns expressed by the Bush administration during hearings on the bill. The amendment would change the bill to incorporate the tax deliquency provisions into the regular contracting process. This change would still bar companies who owed taxes from receiving new contracts from the government, but would grant those companies due-process rights and opportunities to contest the government decision to bar them. Seems fair enough. The bill moves now to the full House Oversight and Government Reform committee, where it may encounter opposition ($) from ranking member Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), who apparently thinks it's alright for companies not to pay taxes.

The hits just keep on coming for Reading First, one of President Bush's signature education programs. We reported last month that the program had selected the same contractor that was implementing the program to evaluate its effectiveness. This was on the heels of reports last fall that the Reading First program was using favoritism to steer program funds to certain reading programs over others.

A spokesman at the IRS announced yesterday that Deputy Commissioner Kevin Brown will become acting IRS commissioner May 4. Current Commissioner Mark Everson has accepted a position heading up the American Red Cross (see here and here for more on Everson's departure). In much the way a senior in college decided to go to graduate school to put off a decision about what to do with their life, the IRS said Brown would only be the acting commissioner for 25 days. For him to continue beyond that time would require White House approval.