Acquisition
Letter: Cost-plus contracts have minimal effect on federal budget
A reader writes that Sen. John McCain makes mountains out of molehills regarding cost-plus contracting, earmarks.
Acquisition
From ELC: Legislation updates FAR's ethics rules
Contractors must report ethics violations, but to whom remains unclear.
Acquisition
Small-biz data may be unreliable
The government missed its small-business contracting goal for fiscal 2007 by less than 1 percent, but the Small Business Administration said the numbers were based on error-filled data.
Acquisition
Petrillo: Did McCain mean it on cost-plus?
McCain must know that a ban on cost-plus contracts is impractical and won’t solve the overrun problem.
Acquisition
Burton: Cost-plus: The debate never ends
Cost-plus contracts have utility, and the government should use them when appropriate.
Acquisition
Letter: Fly-off competitions and fairness
A reader describes the advantages and disadvantages of fly-off competitions.
Acquisition
Varnado: GSA must prove its contracts' value
The new acting FAS commissioner wants to show agencies that using GSA is still a good deal.
Acquisition
DOD’s tips on past performance
Despite its spotty record on collecting past-performance information, the Defense Department gives its acquisition workforce some important insights in that area.
Acquisition
Performance: Past is prologue
A company’s track record can count for a lot in future contracts — if federal agencies know what it is.
Acquisition
Panel proposes new approach to pricing products
Experts are seeking to end the price-reduction clause and create a new way of ensuring fair prices.
Acquisition
Interior, GSA plan on geospatial BPA
Official aim to save money, ease operations through the Geospatial Line of Business.
Acquisition
GSA sees agencies buying more via online shops
As agencies go to the Web, officials aim to use that information for price-checks.
Acquisition
Letter: McCain should know better
A reader writes that fixed-price contracts are lead to zero technological progress.
Acquisition
Letter: Cost-plus contracting is not the problem
A reader writes that the government's incomplete requirements at the beginning of contract bidding is a problem.
Acquisition
Letter: A fixed price is not the best solution
A reader writes that Sen. John McCain's proposal to end cost-plus contracting is not the best solution for controlling government spending.
Acquisition
Letter: McCain proposal a red herring
A reader writes that Sen. McCain's proposal to end cost-plus contracting would increase costs.
Acquisition
Panel to recommend rolling back pricing clause
MAS panel said other forms of pricing checks make the price reduction clause obsolete.
Acquisition
Letter: In contracts, it's about defining goals
One reader offers a solution that doesn't mean using cost-plus contracts but looks at contract management.
Acquisition