Jim Williams managed a few of those vehicles as commissioner of the General Services Administration's Federal Acquisition Service. He's now a senior vice president at Daon.

But the government may have hit a ceiling on the number of new contract vehicles, which Williams said may be a good thing.

"I feel for the acquisition workforce today," he said. "And if they're being asked to create an unnecessary vehicle, that's a waste of their time that they could better spending with requirements or mission people or better spent managing a contract."

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Inside the World's Biggest Buyer (Main page)

Part 1: Agency Acquisition

Part 2: Acquisition Workforce

Part 3: Acquisition Oversight

Part 4: Suspension and Debarment

Part 5: Industry Perspective