Acquisition
Senators hope to help small companies
The Senate wants to toughen penalties for large companies masquerading as small businesses.
Acquisition
Senator fumes at contracting lessons unlearned
Sen. Claire McCaskill said the billions of dollars wasted in Iraq and Afghanistan is a repeat of contracting problems in past contingency operations.
Acquisition
OMB, GSA to reteach feds' printing behavior
Before agencies warm up their printers, officials also want them to understand the effects of printing.
Acquisition
Is Congress loyal to federal employees?
Budget cuts will test senators' desire to balance feds and contractors appropriately, White House official says.
Acquisition
Change sought to government payments for contractor executive salaries
The formula to calculate executive pay reimbursements could lead to "excessive" amounts, administration says.
Acquisition
DOD orders contractors to publicize fraud hotline
DOD IG wants contractors to be sure employees know whom to call to report fraud.
Acquisition
Lawmakers push OMB to update executive pay cap
Three members of Congress complained that OFPP is late in setting the cap for 2011, pointing out that since 2004 updates came only as late as May.
Acquisition
DOD taking critical functions back from contractors, nominee says
Defense officials need to keep expert employees as they face issues in the coming years that will force them to rethink their operations, Carter says.
Acquisition
Obama wants small businesses paid in 15 days
The faster payments will give small businesses more confidence in cash flow, officials say.
Acquisition
Share-in-savings for energy-saving contracts -- how headquarters contracting shops can help
A specifc share-in-savings contract avoids termination liabilities.
Acquisition
Bill would set up library for contingency contracting
The measure would create an IG position with audit and oversight authorities and a "Center for Contingency Contracting."
Acquisition
Outsourcing: The 'critical function' controversy
The former deputy administrator of procurement policy office says the new term will swing open the gate for more insourcing in the federal government.
Acquisition
Obama: Faster payments to small contractors
The president urged Congress to pass his debt reduction proposal.
Acquisition
Bill would void, stop contracts with U.S. enemies
Wartime Contracting Commission report considers problem of payoffs in enemy lands.
Acquisition
Buying commercial items is back -- or is it?
Some ideas for saving costs would be good ideas even when budgets aren't tight, writes Steve Kelman. Buying commercial items is one of them.
Acquisition
VA national contracting oversight system inadequate, IG says
The Veterans Affairs Department's inspector general recently audited national contracts and found problems.
Acquisition
Why is GAO's glass so often half empty?
GAO reports often take a pessimistic tone about what could be seen as good news. Steve Kelman wonders why.
Acquisition
DOD urged to speed up small-biz contracting
With just a few weeks left in fiscal 2011, Leon Panetta warned that DOD is falling short of its departmentwide small business contracting goal.
Acquisition
5 keys to improving federal procurement
Fixing the fundamentals is more important than introducing innovation, one reader argues.
Acquisition