Digital Government

OFPP advances insourcing agenda

The Obama administration takes its turn at defining 'inherently governmental,' with hopes of preventing contractors from having undue influence on government operations.

People

Acquisition training: The classroom vs. the real world

FCW readers agree with a recent blog post that questioned the quality of acquisition training available to federal employees.

Acquisition

DOD gets authority to limit contract competition

Defense Department officials today adopted a rule that grants DOD authority to limit competition for contracts when buying to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Digital Government

Cultural changes at DOD a major factor in defense acquisition reform

Industry officials see the need for change in DOD ideas of weapons systems, contracting practices.

Acquisition

Obama warns contractors: Report ARRA money or else

The president says contractors failing to report information must be held accountable by all agencies to the fullest extent of the law.

Cybersecurity

GSA must secure online construction data, audit finds

GSA's Public Building Service needs to lock down sensitive building project data when posting it in a shared online intranet, IG says.

Acquisition

GSA gets good marks for ordering guide

GSA created guidance for, and offers training on, ordering from blanket purchase agreements.

Digital Government

NIH contract in GSA's crosshairs brings in $2.1 billion a year

If the General Services Administration is successful in convincing the Office of Federal Procurement Policy that NIH should lose its governmentwide contract authority, the agency could pick up $1 billion in new business.

Acquisition

Advocacy group sues government over contract data

A small-business group is concerned the loss of historical contracting data could prevent future investigations.

Acquisition

GSA could be trying to kill rival agency contract

GSA urged procurement officials to deny the NIH its GWAC authority, raising an old question.

Digital Government

GSA small-business advocate retires

Mary Parks has been a strong leader in directing GSA to support small businesses in new avenues.

Acquisition

Is GSA gunning for other GWACs?

Blogger Steve Kelman argues that the federal government is better off having GSA compete with other agencies for acquisition business.

Acquisition

Administration hopes for ripple effect from outsourcing policy

The administration wants a workforce that can carry out the government's operations and reduce the reliance on contractors.

Acquisition

OFPP proposes tests for deciding when to outsource work

OFPP publishes proposed policy to help agencies decide when work should be outsourced to contractors.

People

Is the acquisition workforce too small -- or too big?

In response to a recent article, a reader suggested that the Obama administration is trying to solve the wrong problem in government acquisition.

Acquisition

Senators again attempt program parity

Contracting officers would get to choose the small-business program that best suits an agency’s need, instead of giving HUBZone program priority.

People

DOD acquisition process 'fails the mission,' congressional panel says

The Defense Acquisition Reform panel concludes that DOD's mishandling of acquisitions and procurement fails to fulfill current military's mission needs and contributes to massive cost overruns.

People

GSA tries wiki approach to develop RFPs

The General Services Administration wants public commment on requests for proposals, but blogger Steve Kelman wonders whether the public take the agency up on it.

Digital Government

Reporter's notebook from FOSE: Q&A with GSA's administrator

After her keynote address at the FOSE 2010, Martha Johnson, administrator of the General Services Administration, sat down with reporters. Here is a transcript of what she said about green IT, tapping the collective intelligence, collaboration and the state of telework.

Acquisition

New GSA leader sees collective intelligence as a frontier

The General Services Administration can tap the wisdom of the crowds, but it still lacks needed policies to do it well, administrator Martha Johnson says.