From Past to Present: Performance Reports Now Available

Private-sector contractors doing business with the Department of Defense can now access their past performance report cards through the department's Past Performance Automated Information System, the Defense Logistics Agency announced Jan. 11.

The Web-based system, at http://dodppais.navy.mil, was opened to contractors Dec. 1. Government agencies have been using it since July 2000.

The system is a repository for contractor past performance report cards collected across the Defense Department. It contains more than 9,000 reports covering over $310 billion in contracts.

In recent years, government agencies have placed increasing importance on contractors' previous performance in awarding new jobs. The system gives defense agencies and contractors a central mechanism to research this information.

"The use of past performance has been one of the most important reforms to our acquisition system," said Stan Soloway, former deputy under secretary of defense for acquisition reform and now president of the Professional Services Council, Arlington, Va. "The growth of PPAIS ... is a critical step forward to seeing this important reform achieve its potential."

Sally Stanger, past performance administrator for San Diego systems integrator Science Applications International Corp., said bringing all Defense Department report cards together was a significant improvement.

"Now we don't have to chase around from agency to agency to find the status of a given report or client," she said.