GAO issues OMB, HHS supply chain recommendations

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued recommendations to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding supply chain issues mitigation.

While HHS is leading an effort to address medical supply chain issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the GAO maintains that the agency has not clarified its plans.

The CARES Act includes a provision for GAO to monitor funds provided for the COVID-19 pandemic, the GAO noted, adding it’s report examined federal agencies’ use of actions to address COVID-19 and the federal approach for using the Defense Production Act (DPA) and similar actions for medical supplies, among other issues.

The GAO’s work scope involved analyzing agency announcements, federal procurement data, contracts, project data, and planning documents from March 18 through Sept. 30, 2020, and interviews with HHS, Department of Defense, and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials.

The GAO recommends the OMB direct the Office of Federal Procurement Policy to develop appropriate agency reporting guidance to provide greater transparency on the use of DPA Title I authorities for COVID purposes – and the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response identify how DPA and similar actions will be used to increase domestic production of medical supplies going forward.