Location: The Heritage Foundation's Van Andel Center

Federal, state and local agencies, universities, non-profit organizations, prison industries, and other government sponsored and supported entities engage in commercially available activities that result in unfair government competition with private enterprise.  This adversely affects the U.S. economy by duplicating activities available from commercial providers, increasing the government payroll, and diverting public monies from inherently governmental activities the American public expects of its government. 

More than 850,000 positions out of a non-postal, non-military uniformed Federal workforce of 1.8 million are in “commercial” activities.  Every White House Conference on Small Business has identified unfair government competition as a top concern of America’s small businesses. Nevertheless, the Obama Administration is proposing to add some 250,000 new federal employees and “insourcing” numerous activities currently performed by private sector contractors.  

This event will explore the history and impact of unfair government with private enterprise, the policy implications, and potential solutions.