Acquisition
GSA wins award for small-business contracting
The Small Business Administration honored GSA for its success in awarding contracts to small firms in various categories.
Acquisition
Good directions for strategic sourcing
Steve Kelman assesses recommendations in a recent GAO report on strategic sourcing.
Acquisition
Agencies take action as GAO knocks strategic sourcing effort
After an audit found that agencies have made very little use of strategic sourcing, DOD and other agencies point to some reforms, pledge to make more.
Acquisition
Industry resists government's push for low prices
The cheapest deal isn't always the best buy, industry advocates argue.
Acquisition
12 hot companies to watch
In an era of federal streamlining and cost-cutting, these companies are thriving by helping agencies get the most out of their data and dollars.
Acquisition
The Top 50 Systems Integrators
Systems integrators are the big guns in the contracting world. Here are the top 50, as measured by contract earnings.
Acquisition
Using startups brings rewards -- and risks
Steve Kelman sorts out the pros and cons of hiring startup firms for government contracts.
Acquisition
The Top 50-woman-owned companies
The top 50 government contractors owned by women did billions of dollars of business with the government in 2011.
Acquisition
The top 50 8(a) firms
The 8(a) program helps many disadvanatged businesses sell their products and services to agencies. Here are the 50 companies that did the most business through the program in fiscal 2011.
Acquisition
The top 50 Schedule 70 contractors
The General Service Administration's Schedule 70 contracts offer agencies an easy route to acquire IT-related products and services, and many vendors and contractors do a brisk business using it. Here are the top 50.
Acquisition
Incentives: Cheering on the bargain shoppers
Employees like being recognized for their good work, but these days there are more negative incentives than positives.
Acquisition
Comment: Small businesses at risk of subcontractor abuse
Some government officials and large companies can be dangerous for small firms, warns Jaime Gracia.
Acquisition
Sequstration could cut off some suppliers for agencies
Agencies rely on small firms for their operations, but many of those companies don't have the cushion to survive harsh cutbacks from sequestration.
Acquisition
5 keys to rekindling government innovation
It wasn't just a noble vision that got America to the moon, it was also the federal government’s legal, regulatory, management and legislative framework. Paul Brubaker offers some ideas to recapture the innovative climate of the 1960s.
Acquisition
DOD interpreting labor rate cap too strictly, group claims
A law requires Defense agencies to try to keep labor and overhead rates charged by contractors to 2010 levels, but a contractor advocate says the department has more leeway than it realizes.
Acquisition
OFPP head encourages 'hard line' against unscrupulous contractors
Agencies are investing more in suspension and debarment programs and have taken action more often in recent years on questionable contractors, Joe Jordan says.
Acquisition
OFPP lets DOD deal with pricing complexities first
Officials have to make a judgment call on whether to take the lower price now and potentially pay more later on when problems arise from minimal quality work.
Acquisition
Kay Kapoor leaves Accenture
Accenture installs an interim head for its federal sector business unit as its leader steps down.
Acquisition
Administration amps up strategic sourcing push
Concerned that agencies are slow to adopt strategic sourcing approaches, administration officials are turning up the heat -- and hinting that a mandate may be coming.
Acquisition