People

A Web-based model for procurement contests

Blogger Steve Kelman believes drug company Eli Lilly has developed a sound approach to funding research and developments via online challenges.

People

D.C. locale can aid agencies' search for young talent

Federal agencies and departments need to do a better job of using the city of Washington as a recruiting tool to attract young professionals looking for employment, writes Steve Kelman.

Digital Government

Final impressions of China: Land of contradictions

Blogger Steve Kelman is fascinated by the contradictory images that people have of China.

Digital Government

Chinese impressions

Superstition, brand-consciousness dominate the nation

Digital Government

Visiting Expo 2010 Shanghai

Pavilions at the international expo reflect the cultures and values of their nations—or do they? Globetrotting blogger Steve Kelman files this report.

Digital Government

Meeting the prime minister of the Palestinian authority

Dr. Salaam Fayyad tells Steve Kelman's group about the Palestinian Authority's desire to build up governing capabilities in anticiaption of independence from Israel.

Digital Government

Blogging from Israel: Random impressions

Steve Kelman travels to Israel to meet with Israelis and Palestinians.

Acquisition

Good news: Progress on strategic sourcing

The General Services Administration’s new strategic sourcing agreements for office supplies makes good business sense, writes blogger Steve Kelman.

Digital Government

Federal employees shouldn't be slaves to rules

Federal managers should combat employees' perceptions that their job is simply to follow the rules, writes FCW columnist Steve Kelman.

Acquisition

Governmentwide contracting: In praise of duplication and overlap

Blogger Steve Kelman writes that the problem of having different prices for the same item across various contracts is better than having just one bad price everywhere.

People

New federal hires want meaningful work

Any instance these young people experience where they are not given work sends a terrible signal to them about expectations of federal employees, writes blogger Steve Kelman.

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.

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.

Digital Government

Is Internet freedom coming to China?

Blogger Steve Kelman takes gets a surprising response to his informal survey and American and Chinese students at the Kennedy School.

Digital Government

Tax day: The price we pay for civilization

Blogger Steve Kelman reflects on the importance of taxes -- and the value of good government management.

Digital Government

Keep your contracting staff in the loop

Program managers do themselves a favor when they include contracting experts early in the process, writes Steve Kelman.

People

OPM’s latest workplace experiments

OPM’s Results-Only Work Environment is a good example of how to bring management innovation into government, writes blogger Steve Kelman.

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.

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.

People

A practical way to spice things up for new contracting employees

Give high-school grads some of the routine work, so the specialists can engage their minds with bigger challenges.