Among GAO's greatest hits this past week is a basic report on how poorly government contracting can be done. That's not quite the title or the intent, but it's certainly the theme. The report and a second report with testimony show how poorly the Government Services Agency (GSA) - and its Excluded Parties List System is working at its most basic function - excluding parties who have defrauded the goverment in the past financially or by providing defective products or by breaking laws. The reasons for the failure to do this basic job are many, and examples from the reports are included below.