Acquisition

Acquisition experts create new institute

The FAIR Institute intends to propose procurement proposals based on commercial and federal best practices.

People

OPM director sees major problems, bright spots

John Berry recognizes that little progress has been made since the 1980s in simplifying the hiring process and keeping federal pay equal to that in the private sector.

Acquisition

McCaskill: IGs need greater authority

Inspectors general told a Senate panel that they must have more authority to access databases and investigate contractors.

People

Obama officials to find $100M

As government spending increases, the president wants more cuts in departmental spending.

Acquisition

Trends in DOD bid protests

The number of protests against Defense Department contract awards jumped in fiscal 2008 but has remained level relative to DOD’s spending increases in the past several years, according to a report release April 14.

Acquisition

Bid protests keep pace with DOD spending

The number of protests against the Defense Department's contract awards increase along with DOD's spending, GAO says.

Acquisition

Forest Service contracts for stimulus support

The Forest Service awarded a purchase agreement to Government Contract Solutions for support services related to the agency's stimulus spending and oversight.

Acquisition

SBA: Once a HUBZone, always a HUBZone

Regulators have proposed requiring HUBZone businesses to keep their status throughout the competition for a set-aside contract.

Acquisition

IG: GSA fixed STARS oversight

The General Services Administration's inspector general says the agency is keeping a closer watch on large task orders awarded under its set-aside contract for small IT companies.

Acquisition

IG: DOD, NIH need to clean up GWAC deals

Contracting officials waste money by awarding task orders without adequate competition, DOD auditors found.

People

Martha Johnson may bring old era back to GSA

Current and former General Services Administration employees are excited about the new leadership Johnson would bring to the agency.

People

Alliant awarded

The decision to give the Alliant contract to essentially every company that bid isn’t sitting well with some company leaders.

Acquisition

GSA shifts its FAS leadership

The General Services Administration is rearranging key managers in its Federal Acquisition Service.

Acquisition

OMB: Cost-plus contracts increased, decreased

A new report says total dollars spent under cost-reimbursement contracts have gone up since 2000, but their share of overall spending fell.

Digital Government

GSA says it's confident in Alliant decision

GSA officials said they are on solid ground with their decision to award 59 places on the Alliant IT contract.

Acquisition

Johnson to retire from GSA

The assistant commissioner for Integrated Technology Services at the Federal Acquisition Service will retire May 2.

People

Official: Army contracting workforce needs more people

Estimates differ on how many additional personnel the Army needs in its acquisition workforce.

Acquisition

GAO: DOD knows little about its acquisition employees

Defense Department can't adequately assess what it has and needs without knowing more about its acquisition workforce, report says.

Acquisition

Stimulus funds bring acquisition showdown

Take a limited number of federal acquisition employees, add $787 billion in stimulus spending, then square the root with a requirement to spend the money as fast as you can. What have you got? Anyone familiar with the federal contracting process can tell you that's a no-brainer: It’s algebra for procurement meltdown.

Digital Government

GSA to announce Alliant awardees

General Services Administration officials are expected to name the companies that will have places on the $50 billion IT contract.