Final answer:
To address concerns about favoritism in awarding government contracts, providers must use a competitive bidding process. This ensures fairness and value in procuring services, aligning with the merit system for objectivity and efficiency in government procurement.
Step-by-step explanation:
In response to concerns about favoritism and undue influence in awarding government contracts, providers of commodities and services must typically engage in a competitive bidding process. This process is designed to ensure that government contracts are awarded fairly and to the provider that can offer the best value to the taxpayer. The principle behind competitive bidding is that it opens the opportunities for various businesses to compete for a contract, which can result in better prices and services for the government.
For instance, during the Iraq War, large corporations such as Kellogg Brown & Root, a subsidiary of Halliburton at the time, utilized government contracts to perform services that were once carried out by military personnel. However, the prevalence of contractors eventually led to concerns over the reliance on private companies for critical functions in war zones. To alleviate worries of favoritism or corruption, a standardized competitive bidding process is essential.
Competitive bidding aligns with the merit system, ensuring that the most qualified applicants or service providers are selected based on objective criteria rather than party loyalty or other unrelated factors. It is a tool to bring efficiency and market dynamics into government procurement, contrasting with government agencies, which do not face competition in the conventional market sense.