People
What makes an IT acquisition work?
GAO uncovered nine common characteristics in a number of successful IT acquisitions from across the government.
Modernization
Do we need new contracts for cloud?
Why not all contracting itches should be scratched.
Acquisition
Obama signs withholding tax repeal
The passage ends a three-year effort by industry groups to get rid of a tax that was never actually enacted.
Acquisition
A new idea for encouraging vendors to help agencies save money
Steve Kelman proposes that agencies offer extra points to bidders who suggest money-saving ways to change draft solicitations.
Acquisition
GAO challenges administration on contract savings
The Office of Management and Budget's estimated savings on contracting may be overstated, GAO says.
People
OMB orders cut in management services contracts
OMB has a goal of reducing spending on management support service contracts by 15 percent by the end of fiscal 2012.
Acquisition
Putting clarity into contracting
How one agency addresses misunderstandings between agencies and contractors.
People
OFPP, SBA team up on procurement data
The two agencies are aligning reporting efforts in order to provide more accurate data.
Acquisition
Next OFPP chief's priorities: Building, buying, rebalancing
Government buying needs the expertise of acquisition workers, official says.
Acquisition
Withholding tax repeal heads to president
Tax repeal on contractors sails through Congress and on to the White House.
Acquisition
Gordon: Senate provision would force insourcing
The Senate has proposed taking away from contractors all the jobs that are closely associated with inherently governmental functions.
Modernization
Acquisition rules slowing down cloud procurements, federal IT execs say
Federal agency executives are facing some rough spots in managing the transition to cloud services environments, a panel of federal IT experts said today.
Acquisition
How much discretion in punishing contractors should agencies have?
Some lawmakers want to make suspension or debarment of misbehaving contractors mandatory, but the outgoing OFPP head disagrees with the strategy.
Acquisition
OMB: Agencies must crack down on contractors
Agencies have not used suspension and debarment authorities effectively, Lew says
People
Administration says improper payments have decreased
The government lowered its overall improper payment error rate to 4.7 percent, down from 5.42 percent in 2009.
Acquisition
What do supermarket cashiers, gas-station attendants and the dodo have in common?
At the National Contract Management Conference, Steve Kelman learns what procurement officials fear these days
Acquisition
Senate clamps down on contractors in sensitive jobs
An appropriations bill would require contracts to leave contractors out of work closely tied to inherently governmental functions.
Acquisition
Contracting out strikes out again among my students
A survey of Kelman’s public policy students shows declining supporting for contracting out government services.
Acquisition
Senate votes to kill 3 percent withholding tax
Lawmakers vote to repeal a tax that would keep back a percentage of payments made to contractors.
Acquisition