Acquisition

Protest slows NASA open source project

NASA's plans to move to a content management system with open source architecture would govern 140 websites and 1,600 assets and applications.

Acquisition

GSA: Expand fee program

The Industrial Funding Fee could support programs beyond the Multiple Award Schedules, GSA officials say.

Acquisition

FedRAMP issues first certification

The General Services Administration met its self-imposed year-end deadline to begin approving cloud providers.

Acquisition

Army greenlights controversial intelligence system

The Army's Distributed Common Ground System came under scrutiny after leaked memos deemed it 'not suitable' and 'not survivable.'

Acquisition

Congress calls for clarity on decisions to insource

Defense authorization bill includes new requirements for OMB and agencies to determine whether work should be performed in-housed or contracted to small businesses.

Acquisition

Rule would speed payments for small contractors

An Obama administration proposal would make an accelerated payments provision part of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

Acquisition

8 acquisition provisions in the defense bill

Congress is attempting some procurement reform in the National Defense Authorization Act. We look at the most important measures.

Acquisition

Agencies adjust contracting approach for coming fiscal clampdown

As contractors brace for the impact of budget cuts, agencies also must recalibrate their expectations.

Acquisition

Concerns over acquisition prove to be long-lived

Agency leaders identify the same concerns today as years ago, suggesting that proposed solutions so far have not worked.

Acquisition

Agencies skirted requirement to justify sole-source awards, GAO finds

The fiscal 2010 National Defense Authorization Act requires agencies to submit written justification for awarding sole-source contracts worth more than $20 million to 8(a) firms, but the rule necessary to implement the law was slow in coming.

Acquisition

GSA awards IT commodities purchase agreement

BPA goes to 43 small businesses, provides tablet PCs, mobile products and other IT equipment.

Acquisition

Army vows to get aggressive in pursuit of purchasing discounts

Auditors have found that Army officials are neglecting a requirement to seek discounts and price reductions in contracts.

Acquisition

Contracting's seismic shift?

Within the bureaucratic language of a recent OMB memo lies a provision that could dramatically alter federal procurement.

Acquisition

Should the small-biz contracting goal be raised?

Agencies can't hit the target that exists now, making a proposed increase of questionable value at best, according to some small-business advocates.

Acquisition

OMB renews mandatory-use fears

The new strategic sourcing memo urges another look at enforcing mandatory use of strategic sourcing, bringing new criticism from industry.

Acquisition

OMB touts contract reductions, amplifies strategic sourcing push

Agencies have decreased their reliance on contractors, OMB says. Meanwhile, a new memo creates greater accountability for strategic sourcing.

Acquisition

Mobile, cloud poised for growth in 2013

IDC's market forecast identifies technologies that are gaining ground in government, and assesses the spending potential for the year.

Acquisition

Is it time to revisit Clinger-Cohen?

Rep. Darrell Issa, with support from a prominent Democrat, continues to push legislation to update the 1996 law that tackled government IT acquisition and management and created the CIO position.

Acquisition

VA's Tibbits: Vendors need to show the value of their offerings

Without use cases to show how a technology can reduce costs or otherwise benefit an agency, the sales pitches are not helpful, VA official says.

Acquisition

House Small Business chairman skeptical of GSA's new schedules model

Demand Based Model "demonstrates a lack of understanding of how small businesses operate," Rep. Graves suggests.