Trump administration kicks off federal acquisition overhaul with new website

The Trump administration has launched an effort to overhaul the Federal Acquisition Regulation with a focus on delivering a quicker, more efficient and less burdensome procurement process for federal agencies. 

To provide details on the progress of the so-called “Revolutionary FAR Overhaul,” the General Services Administration — one of the federal government’s lead procurement agencies and a member of the FAR Council — launched a new website Tuesday for the initiative. 

Federal acquisition stakeholders can expect to find a streamlined version of the FAR, buying guides — the first of which will be focused on software-as-a-service — and opportunities to share their feedback about acquisition policy on the new website, according to a release from GSA. 

The Trump administration’s overhaul of the FAR was spurred by an executive order in April that called on the Office of Federal Procurement Policy in the Office of Management and Budget to lead the effort with FAR Council members GSA, NASA and the Defense Department. Within 180 days of that order, the group is expected to “amend the FAR to ensure that it contains only provisions that are required by statute or that are otherwise necessary to support simplicity and usability, strengthen the efficacy of the procurement system, or protect economic or national security interests.”

“This is about permanent change in how the government partners with the private sector to accelerate innovation and promote competition,” GSA acting Administrator Stephen Ehikian said in the release. “We’re cutting the outdated red tape and focusing on value for American taxpayers.”

The launch of the website to provide information about the FAR overhaul “aligns with the Trump Administration’s goal of transparency in the deregulation process,” OMB Senior Advisor Kevin Rhodes said in a statement. “Stakeholders across industry and government alike will see how we are reducing bureaucracy to accelerate procurement, reduce costs, and increase competition.”

GSA says the resources that will be included on the new website are being developed with feedback from the federal acquisition workforce and will include “interactive tools that deliver real-time guidance and insights.” 

“Feedback will help shape formal rule changes and ensure the final system works in practice — not just on paper,” the release said.