Acquisition

OMB: Cost-plus contracts increased, decreased

A new report says total dollars spent under cost-reimbursement contracts have gone up since 2000, but their share of overall spending fell.

Acquisition

Johnson to retire from GSA

The assistant commissioner for Integrated Technology Services at the Federal Acquisition Service will retire May 2.

Acquisition

Editor's desk

I suppose we should now add assisted acquisition services to Willie’s paradigm — in particular, those two centers in the federal government that offer a full line of contract management assistance to overworked and overextended procurement offices.

Acquisition

GAO: DOD knows little about its acquisition employees

Defense Department can't adequately assess what it has and needs without knowing more about its acquisition workforce, report says.

Acquisition

Stimulus funds bring acquisition showdown

Take a limited number of federal acquisition employees, add $787 billion in stimulus spending, then square the root with a requirement to spend the money as fast as you can. What have you got? Anyone familiar with the federal contracting process can tell you that's a no-brainer: It’s algebra for procurement meltdown.

Acquisition

GSA announces 59 Alliant contract winners

The General Services Administration more than doubles the number of winners compared to its initial attempt to get the contract off the ground.

Acquisition

GSA awards three BPAs to shore up support

The General Services Administration is preparing for much work from the $787 billion in stimulus spending by asking industry for backup.

Acquisition

Obama again touches on procurement reform

President Barack Obama spoke briefly at a news conference about the need for contracting reform and said details would come soon.

Acquisition

Acquisition centers try to cope with a flood of money

GSA, Interior offices are getting ready to help agencies manage stimulus-related spending.

Acquisition

Law halts regulations for woman-owned businesses

The fiscal 2009 spending law prohibits the Small Business Administration from using Bush administration regulations.

Acquisition

Readers react: Sizing up set-aside contracts

John Moliere jumps into the fray when several readers, commenting a recent story, suggest Obama do away with set-aside contracts.

Acquisition

GSA awards BPAs for support services

The General Services Administration is preparing for a massive flood of orders from agencies for help in spending money from the economic stimulus law.

Acquisition

FCW Insider: Obama contracting initiative hits a nerve

Readers are sharply divided on Obama's acquisition reform initiatives, with some readers grateful for the efforts but others still skeptical.

Acquisition

IG: IRS awards risky contracts

The Internal Revenue Service tends to award cost-reimbursement contracts although some of the work is for routine maintenance, a report says.

Acquisition

House committee establishes acquisition panel

The new defense acquisition panel will help guide reforms in the next two defense authorization bills, the House Armed Services Committee says.

Acquisition

Successful programs require independent management and oversight

Obama's emphasis on accountability should extend to agency/contractor relationships.

Acquisition

Readers react: The problems with the DOD acquisition workforce

Our recent story about the defense acquisition workforce struck a nerve with a lot of readers, who have pretty strong ideas about what needs to be fixed.

Acquisition

Obama: Big changes coming in federal contracting

President Obama wants more oversight of no-bid contracts and wants agencies to review their existing contracts to identify waste.

Acquisition

FCW Insider: U.K. gets serious about open source

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Acquisition

Administration wants to change contracting

Officials intend to review sole-source contracts and cost-type contracts, which offer awards for good performance, while clarifying the types of work only government employees can do.