People
Let the VA's Acquisition Academy serve other agencies!
Blogger Steve Kelman believes the VA's acquisition program offers an innovative approach not available in other training programs.
People
Transparency in contracting remains opaque
Transparency is all the rage in government circles these days. But there might be a limit to its usefulness to the public and ability to facilitate greater accountability in key government services, such as federal contracting.
Acquisition
VA's Frye sees flexibility in the Federal Acquisition Regulation
Although many people in the acquisition community view the Federal Acquisition Regulation as a confining regulatory book, VA Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition and Logistics Jan Frye takes a different approach.
Acquisition
Groups want clarity for insourcing jobs
An IT industry group said the Office of Federal Procurement Policy must clearly distinguish between the functions that only a federal employee should perform and the IT solutions the private sector offers to support agencies.
People
Bill would require small-business training for contracting officers
A Senate measure would require a training and certification program to teach the acquisition workforce about small business set-aside programs.
Acquisition
VA said to fall behind on verifying veteran-owned businesses
Through April, the VA had verified only 14 percent of companies in Vetbiz.gov, a database of companies able to get set-aside contracts.
Acquisition
House approves legislation to limit insourcing quotas
Bill would limit insourcing quotas and set hiring preferences.
Acquisition
Army plans review of what and how it buys
Army officials have tasked an independent panel with an in-depth review of how it buys goods and services and who makes the purchases.
Acquisition
Governmentwide contracting: In praise of duplication and overlap
Blogger Steve Kelman writes that the problem of having different prices for the same item across various contracts is better than having just one bad price everywhere.
Acquisition
Total number of interagency/enterprisewide contracts is anyone's guess
Federal agencies spend about $60 billion a year on interagency and enterprisewide contracts, but there is limited evidence that they are being effectively used and managed, according to the Government Accountability Office.
People
Meet OMB's new point person on the acquisition workforce
Joanie Newhart, a veteran in the government procurement arena, will lead the Office of Management and Budget’s efforts on building up the acquisition workforce.
Acquisition
Senate votes to expand access Federal Supply Schedules
The Senate has passed the Federal Supply Schedules Usage Act, which would make permanent programs that allow states and local governments buy goods and services from the General Services Administration’s Multiple Award Schedules program’s contracts.
People
Acquisition 2.0: GSA uncovers the pitfalls and promise of crowdsourcing
Acquisition officials at the General Services Administration have found that it’s not just ethics officers who have concerns about taking the government/industry dialogue onto the Web.
People
Legislation would freeze agencies' hiring
As the Obama administration seeks to boost the federal workforce to balance the number of its employees with those in the private-sector, a group of House Republicans has proposed freezing agencies' ability to hire.
Acquisition
Closer management can rein in agency contractor ranks, OFPP chief says
Agencies can balance their relationships with contractors with additional resources going to management, according to Office of Federal Procurement Policy Administrator Daniel Gordon.
Digital Government
Networx gets nasty on Capitol Hill
What are members of Congress threatening to do to agencies that fail to meet the Networx deadlines?
People
Senate aims to tighten reins on government IT spending
The Information Technology Investment Oversight Enhancement and Waste Prevention Act would create more scrutiny of IT projects during the planning and implementation phases.
Digital Government
DOD sets rule for overriding arbitration ban
DOD issues interim rule so it can override the ban on employee arbitration agreements in cases of national security.
Digital Government
Government urged to stop meddling in hiring practices
An industry group and others are complaining about a proposal to make contractors use employees from incumbent contractors who lose.
People