Acquisition
Senators, experts to watch for DOD contract reforms
A defense procurement expert asked senators to question defense officials' support for major acquisition reforms in contingency operations.
Acquisition
Suspension, debarment getting agencies' attention, official says
More agencies are establishing formal suspension and debarment programs and dedicating more staff to handle referrals and manage cases.
Acquisition
SBA could make small-biz credit easier to get
SBA proposes changes that would help agencies meet subcontracting goals when interagency contracts are in style.
Acquisition
Old tricks for abusing purchase cards apparently still in use, audit finds
Internal Revenue Service employees appear to be circumventing the micro-purchasing rules using some old techniques that still work -- until auditors catch on.
Acquisition
Tom Suder: Better ideas for BetterBuy
Suder's proposal for improving government procurement became the foundation for the General Services Administration's BetterBuy Project.
Acquisition
Air Force procurement contests take wing
The Air Force discovers the value of contests as a route to innovation.
Acquisition
Does EyakTek scandal mean trouble for Alaskan firms?
The indictment of an official at EyakTek puts an uncomfortable spotlight on the Alaska Native Corporation program, but is there really a connection?
Acquisition
3 keys to good suspension and debarment programs
The government can't risk being seen as lax on rooting out fraudulent contractors, a GAO official says.
Acquisition
OMB optimistic on effort to change contracting mentality
Agencies are ready to collaborate on multi-agency contracts, OMB leaders believe.
Acquisition
OFPP may struggle to get agencies under fewer roofs
OFPP guidance may push agencies to curb their own interagency contract proposals or possibly cause them to launch stand-alone contracts without economies of scale, some say.
Acquisition
OFPP trims fat from interagency contracting overlap
OFPP says agencies should stop, look and listen before going ahead with an interagency contract.
Acquisition
GSA matches customer DNA to IT commodity program
Agencies are going to GSA to buy their commercial off-the-shelf products rather than developing custom-made solutions, so GSA is developing its own solution.
Acquisition
DOD tripped up by low staffing, poor planning
Officials will end relatively few contracts by their closeout date because 90 percent are already overdue.
Acquisition
Procurement shops to become more automated
The regulatory-laden federal procurement process is tough to turn in any new direction, but younger employees and tighter budgets might move it slightly.
Acquisition
What does the $16 muffin really mean?
Attention to allegedly overpriced conference muffins gives a false image of the reasons for the deficit, writes Steve Kelman.
Acquisition
Did SSA lose track of employees when it overspent on software?
Federal auditors ask what blunders the Social Security Administration made that led to overspending on software licenses.
Acquisition
Kundra's IT cartel theory: Arguments for and against
Former Federal CIO Vivek Kundra deserves credit for giving people the opportunity to voice their frustrations, whether you agree with him or not.
Acquisition
Lawmaker wants to scrap small-business classification system
Sen. Claire McCaskill wants to end a long-used system that is "complex,""clumsy" and "nuts."
Acquisition