Acquisition
SARA panel draft report critical of small-business acquisition strategies
The panel considered five general areas of small-business concern but chose to focus on only two and avoided an analysis of small-business subcontracting issues.
Acquisition
SARA panel: Parameters needed to guide contract growth
OMB should provide agencies with guidelines for creating and reauthorizing contracts, the panel recommends.
People
SARA panel: Boost competition through commercial best practices
It recommends moving away from time-and-materials contracts to performance-based acquisitions, setting up a new GSA schedule for professional services and redefining stand-alone commercial services, among other things.
People
Panel sees need for acquisition workforce clarity
The SARA panel found that the complexity of federal acquisition and the demands on the workforce have increased substantially in recent years.
People
SARA panel draft report: Key recommendations
Here is a summary of the main findings and recommendations of the Acquisition Advisory Panel, as published in its final draft report.
Acquisition
Contracting changes how businesses do business
Performance-based contracting demands that companies amend how they have bid on contracts in the past, one expert says.
Acquisition
SARA panel takes stand against T&M contracts
Panelists also rebuff industry groups that wanted the panel to recommend repealing a provision of SARA that requires competition on some time-and-material contracts.
Modernization
GSA revenues fall, FAS misses several 2006 goals
The agency's governmentwide acquisition contract task orders totaled $2.4 billion in fiscal 2006, down $1 billion from a year ago.
Acquisition
Survey finds support for commercial procurement practices
Government Futures reports that federal procurement is at the crossroads of progress and stagnation.
Cybersecurity
Industry wants unified set of security standards
The impetus for the group's formation was members’ belief that the government should have a consistent set of security standards that it expects contractors to comply with.
Acquisition
SEWP stays with NASA; Doan upset by decision
The Office of Federal Procurement Policy announced that NASA would remain the executive agent for the Scientific and Engineering Workstation Procurement, despite the objections of GSA.
Acquisition
GSA taps 40-plus firms for VETS deal
The five-year contract, set aside for serviced-disabled, veteran-owned business, has a $5 billion ceiling.
Acquisition
OFPP's Denett: Competition works
The OFPP administrator says GWACs are not proliferating but simply filling market needs.
Cybersecurity
Procurement was a contentious issue in 2006
People also took sides on e-government, information security and outsourcing policies.
People
GSA and DOD forge a new relationship
A memorandum of agreement spells out procurement responsibilities on both sides.
Acquisition
Six months into the Lurita Doan era
GSA’s new administrator lives up to her lightning rod reputation.
People
GSA schedule sales increase in 2006
But an analysis from Input shows the GSA schedules’ IT services sales declined 6.5 percent compared with last year.
People
Sade leaves Commerce for GSA
The overseer of Commerce's small-business COMMITS contract will lead acquisition management at GSA.
People
Agreement may smooth GSA, DOD relationship
A new memorandum of agreement clarifies ambiguous aspects of acquisition policy regarding interagency contracting and rules applying to acquisitions conducted on DOD’s behalf.
Modernization