Acquisition

Obama: Give small businesses regulatory break

Obama directed agency officials to consider the economic effects of federal regulations on small businesses.

Digital Government

Brown-Dixon goes from GSA to SBA

A small-business guru and director of small business takes talents to SBA

People

Hurdles on the path to IT management reform

The Obama administration's plans to reform IT management are likely to run into some daunting -- but familiar -- difficulties.

People

Obama signs defense authorization bill

Lawmakers removed controversial provisions to ensure passage.

Acquisition

Officials urge vendor-neutral IT purchases

Officials have reminded agency purchasers about value-neutral IT purchases after a federal judge ruled that the Interior Department decided to buy software from Microsoft while other capable companies were interested in the work.

Digital Government

Lew sworn in as OMB director

This is Jacob Lew's second tour as director of the Office of Management and Budget; he held the post in the latter part of the Clinton administration.

Modernization

Google wins: Interior forbidden to award noncompetitive contract to Microsoft

Interior Department officials began considering awarding a contract to Microsoft too early in the contracting process, judge writes.

Cybersecurity

GSA fails to follow through with IT security, IG says

Auditors found weaknesses in database and operating system software that wasn't patched or securely configured and lax password management for database administrator accounts.

Digital Government

DOD gives new guidance on conflicts of interest

A new rule tells contracting officers to minimize the risk of conflicts of interests in a variety of ways without limiting the pool of potential advisers.

Cybersecurity

After the spending bill: What now?

What will happen to the new insourcing policies, proposed federal pay freeze and agency IT budgets, now that the Senate omnibus funding bill has been withdrawn?

Digital Government

Issa, Cummings will lead House oversight committee

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has a wide jurisdiction to track how programs are running and propose ways to fix problems.

Digital Government

McKeon, Smith to lead House Armed Services Committee

The panel's leadership will change as Republicans take control of the House in the upcoming Congress.

Acquisition

Senate has insourcing provision in spending bill

A major spending bill in the Senate would require agency officials to show their attempts to first convert jobs from contractors to federal employees before having the public and private sectors compete for the work.

People

Senate passes bill giving boost to Federal Acquisition Institute

Upgrading the institute and making sure it has enough money will ultimately lead to more effective oversight of government contracting, the measure's backers say.

People

Is your website user-friendly? Ask GSA.

The reviews can help agencies meet the new plain writing requirements and comply with transparency rules.

People

Sold to the lowest bidder: Reverse auctions play cost-savings role for agencies

Interest grows in reverse auctions as agencies look for efficiency and cost savings.

People

IT management reform: Here's the plan

OMB unveiled a 25-step plan to keep government programs from running into trouble.

Acquisition

The reinvention of insourcing

Experts say the program faces an uncertain future in 2011.

People

OFPP head urges acquisition leaders to lose fear of rules

Dan Gordon wants officials to be innovative in their approach to purchasing and bring contractors closer into the procurement process to get better results.

People

Agencies: Don't fear talks with contractors

Dan Gordon, top procurement policy official, is taking a myth-busting campaign to allay the fear of government-industry discussions and reassure federal workers that it's OK to talk.