Acquisition
Boosting the role of the CAO
The chief acquisition offier's role is a strategic function and not secondary to the roles of his or her C-level counterparts, writes Ron Falcone.
Acquisition
Simplifying contract terms for commercial items means walking a fine line
Contract language that is intended to simplify business for contractors requires careful analysis, writes Joseph Petrillo, a lawyer at Washington law firm Petrillo and Powell.
Acquisition
Army applies boot camp approach to acquisition workforce
The program aims to train new contracting professionals to take on work with minimal oversight, writes Harry Hallock, executive director of the Army’s TACOM Contracting Center in Warren, Mich.
People
Want program staff more involved in contracting? Make their jobs more interesting
Blogger Steve Kelman proposes a way to strengthen the role of the contracting officer's technical representative in the procurement process.
People
House to consider bill to put stimulus money details online
The House may consider a bill to require agencies to post more details about stimulus law money.
Cybersecurity
IG says Coast Guard needs better acquisition reform oversight
The Coast Guard may be overstating its progress on its acquisition reform effort because it does not have an effective method to evaluate milestones, a new report says.
Digital Government
Treasury plans auctions for $2B services contract
Treasury Department officials are proposing that reverse auctions be used in awarding task orders under its $2 billion Total Information Processing Support Services contract.
Acquisition
Three ways to revitalize the use of past-performance data
Blogger Steve Kelman suggests three simple steps to make past-performance data a more valuable criterion in source selections.
Modernization
GSA, acquisition councils seek advice on publishing federal contract actions
The General Services Administration and federal acquisition councils are seeking advice from the public and affected businesses on how to publish federal contract text online.
Digital Government
Navy plans preferred contractor program
The Navy plans to offer favorable terms and conditions to companies in a new program in exchange for exemplary work, according to the service.
Acquisition
OFPP's Frontline Forum is back
Blogger Steve Kelman is pleased to see that OFPP's Dan Gordon has revived the practice of meeting with contracting professionals from across the government.
People
GAO reveals recipe for DOD programs success
Here's the Government Accountability Office's recipe for creating successful programs: a mix of high-ranking officials' support and proactive managers poured over sound a business case.
People
Acquisition 2.0 can breathe new life into battered workforce
More online engagement with the private sector could help federal acquisition workers develop better solicitations in less time, according to one reader.
People
Acquisition hiring can be a hit-or-miss proposition
Without a standard checklist to refer to when hiring for your agency's acquisition workforce, blogger John Klossner writes that the ability to decipher nonverbal clues may be the next best thing.
Acquisition
Here's the pitch: An acquisition workforce reality show
As with all things in our culture, if we really want the world of acquisition training to be better known and understood, we need to create a reality show for it.
Digital Government
The way to better contracts
Writing performance-based contracts might take longer in the short run, but the long-term benefits are more than worth it, writes Steve Kelman.
People
GSA's environmental 'moon shot'
GSA Administrator Martha Johnson has goals for environmental improvements that she compares to the Apollo space program for ambitiousness.
Digital Government
GAO finds $325M awarded to ineligible firms under SBA program
The Government Accountability Office found numerous cases of fraud while investigating 14 firms that falsely received federal contracts under the pretext of being small and disadvantaged businesses.
Acquisition
Inherently governmental job proposal blurs a blurry world
The new phrases “closely associated with inherently governmental function” and “critical function,” are causing the most concern, panelists say.
People