Acquisition

OMB details spending database instructions

Agencies must transfer the first batch of data to the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act system by Nov. 30.

Acquisition

Buzz of the Week: Ramifications of GSA schedule woes

GSA's problems with the schedule program could discourage new and innovative technology companies from entering the market -- and feds will never know what they lost.

Acquisition

Canon, EMC drop out of GSA schedules

They join Sun Microsystems in failing to reach an agreement with the General Services Administration.

Acquisition

Letter: Agency auditors don't understand programs

A contracting officer says he often has to bring them up to speed, writes one reader.

Acquisition

Letter: Kudos to GSA for pushing back against DOD IG

Comments from the IG that serve to punish sensible decisions that don't align with his own are broadly reflective of how IGs have taken over the lead role in setting procurement policy.

Acquisition

Continuing resolution causes poor contracting, Denett says

“You don’t get effective contracting if you get the money at the last minute,” the administrator of OFPP said.

Acquisition

SBA plans to keep pressure on agencies

The agency believes it has the leverage it needs to push agencies to meet their small-business contracting goals.

Acquisition

Rule would make using SmartBuy mandatory

If approved, the rule would require contracting officers to seek out software or software services through a SmartBuy agreement, provided that it represents the best value.

Acquisition

The Lectern: POGO hits a new low

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Acquisition

Aronie: The danger of discounts

Contractors should think before discounting their schedule prices on blanket purchase agreements

Acquisition

FCW Forum: Too many contractors?

Over-reliance on contractors threatens to erode institutional knowledge, readers say.

Acquisition

Letter: Don't make gender a contracting issue

Giving women business owners special breaks is reverse discrimination, a reader says.

Acquisition

Legislation: Give service-disabled business owners priority

The House passed a bill that would also help women business owners secure government contracts.

Acquisition

New protests stall FedBizOpps

Losing vendors repeat the claim that GSA continues to be wrong in evaluating bids.

Acquisition

Congress looks for price fix

Lawmakers want to curb use of time-and-materials contracts by Defense Department.

Acquisition

Web extra: Waxman on competition in federal contracting

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, talked about the state of competition in federal contracting in an e-mail interview with Federal Computer Week reporter Matthew Weigelt.FCW: Describe the state of competition in contracting today. Are you concerned?Waxman: I am very concerned about the state of competition in contracting today. Full and open competition has declined sharply under the Bush administration. Between 2000 and 2006, the dollar value of…

Acquisition

As population grows, Texas city readies tech infrastructure

Bee Cave plans to install a Gigabit Ethernet network, a document management system and a backup plan built around a virtual tape library.

Acquisition

Speedy interagency contracts face possible new restrictions

Proposed acquisition rules could make interagency contracts less attractive