Acquisition

GAO ruling draws line on small-biz set-asides

The ruling eases the burden on certain types of small firms awarded work under contracts in which they were given "preference."

People

OMB survey asks who's gone green

The Office of Management and Budget wants to know more about agencies and their green purchasing and recycling habits.

Cybersecurity

NARA weighs standardizing access rules for foreign vendors seeking secret data

A NARA office wants to establish a standardized process through which some highly sensitive data could be released under special agreement to foreign-owned or controlled contractors.

Cybersecurity

Immigration and Customs looking at performance-based software development

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is considering using performance-based contracts for software development to modernize its IT systems.

People

HHS updates acquisition regs with new rules for transparency, green purchasing

The Health and Human Services Department is doing its first major update to its acquisition regulation since 2006.

People

OMB on hunt for programs with payment problems

Executive Order aims to reduce improper payments by making financial management a priority.

Acquisition

Gordon confirmed as OFPP chief

Gordon will be one of the key players in Obama’s plan to reform government contracting.

Acquisition

DOD to scrutinize contractors' support services

DOD will revise how its managers review contractors’ services that support work that is set aside for only government employees to perform.

Acquisition

Bill would jail crooks who wrongly get set-aside contracts

The House bill would also require establishing a database of businesses owned by service-disabled veterans and develop criteria to enter the program.

Acquisition

Fake firms rip off SBA set-aside program for $100M

Agencies that award contracts to service-disabled veterans don’t check on whether a company is eligible for the special set-aside and millions are lost, GAO official says.

Digital Government

DHS to take a closer look at IT spending

DHS prepares for less funding with reviews of major buys, including IT acquisitions, official says.

People

Ethics rule could slow DOD's revolving employment door

Defense Department employees who have worked on large procurements must get a written opinion from an ethics officer before signing on with a defense contractor.

Acquisition

Gordon gets Senate panel's nod for OFPP

Senate Governmental Affairs Committee chairman seems confident about Daniel Gordon getting the Senate’s approval to the the administator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy.

Digital Government

Work stops again on TSA infrastructure contract

Barely a week after restarting work on its $500 million infrastructure contract, TSA issues a stop-work order to CSC.

People

Companies tasked with checking employees' conflicts of interest

Contractors would have to keep tabs on their employees who are working in agencies' acquisition offices.

People

New rule targets award fees

A new rule could discourage contractors from competing for award-fee contracts by raising their level of risk, experts say.

Acquisition

Contractor database hit from both sides

Did the federal acquisition councils go too far or not far enough in designing a new database for contractors’ past performance and legal compliance? That depends on whom you ask.

Acquisition

Acquisition workforce has OFPP nominee's attention

Federal spending has increased by 163 percent since fiscal 2000, while the number of contracting officers hasn’t kept pace.

Acquisition

Gordon reiterates Obama's push for transparency

The clock is ticking while the Senate considers Daniel Gordon, President Barack Obama's nominee to be administrator for the Office of Federal Procurement Policy. While Obama took several months to choose Gordon and the confirmation process is still ongoing, the administration has been dealing with a range of acquisition challenges and reform efforts.

Acquisition

A new way to assess contractors

The Obama administration is giving agencies a new, standardized way to assess contractors’ work on award-fee or cost-reimbursement contracts.