Venable Government Contracts Group partner and former deputy administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Rob Burton was quoted in the November 23, 2009 online edition of Government Executive regarding the confirmation of Office of Management and Budget's Office of Federal Procurement Policy director Daniel Gordon.

According to Burton, Gordon is well-equipped to be administrator of OFPP.

"This is a job that's very specialized," Burton said. "You simply have to have a strong background in the laws and regulations that govern the acquisition system, and there are a lot of them. There are many positions in the administration where a strong management background will serve you well, but this is not just a management position. It has got to be someone with specialized experience."

Gordon must jump in head first to help agencies meet Obama's mandate to reduce procurement spending by seven percent during the next two fiscal years. That mandate likely will be Gordon's biggest challenge, other than the acquisition workforce, Burton said.

"It's going to be very difficult in light of the upward trend in procurement spending, and with the Recovery Act," Burton said. "In government terms, to implement that kind of reduction over the next two years, that really means immediately."