Executive Order 14402: Promoting Efficiency, Accountability, and Performance in Federal Contracting

What does Executive Order 14402 do?

The text directs OFPP and GSA to issue implementation guidance and tools, and Agencies to review acquisition portfolios and poor performance.

Reading the operative provisions of Executive Order 14402

EO 14402 directs agencies to improve acquisition planning, contractor-performance accountability, commercial buying and responsibility in the federal contracting workforce. It assigns the Office of Federal Procurement Policy and GSA roles in reviewing practices and strengthening oversight. The Federal Register text sets management expectations; it does not automatically terminate a contract or select a new vendor.

Federal contracting involves planning, competition, award, performance monitoring and closeout. Stronger performance tracking can help agencies identify schedule or quality problems before they affect mission delivery. Contracting officers must still follow the Federal Acquisition Regulation, appropriations and competition requirements. A performance concern should be tied to contract terms and documented evidence, not a general assessment of a vendor’s reputation.

The order also treats the acquisition workforce as part of contract outcomes. Training, staffing and clear responsibility can affect how well agencies define requirements and oversee delivery. A new review process is not proof that costs fell or projects improved. To assess implementation, examine OFPP guidance, GSA tools, agency acquisition plans, performance records and award data, while distinguishing a proposed change from a final procurement decision.

Agencies should connect performance measures to the requirements written into each contract. A delivery scorecard can track schedule, quality, cost and corrective actions, but it cannot substitute for acceptance testing or inspection. If a contractor fails, officials must follow the contract’s notice and remedy provisions. Public reporting should protect procurement-sensitive information while making clear how agency accountability changed.

The order’s focus on “workforce responsibility” should be applied to the officials who define requirements and oversee contracts as well as to vendors. Clear roles and training can reduce avoidable amendments and late discoveries. Agencies should compare the time and cost of procurement with the mission outcome, not reward speed alone when quality or safety suffers.