Acquisition
OMB optimistic on effort to change contracting mentality
Agencies are ready to collaborate on multi-agency contracts, OMB leaders believe.
Acquisition
OFPP may struggle to get agencies under fewer roofs
OFPP guidance may push agencies to curb their own interagency contract proposals or possibly cause them to launch stand-alone contracts without economies of scale, some say.
Acquisition
OFPP trims fat from interagency contracting overlap
OFPP says agencies should stop, look and listen before going ahead with an interagency contract.
Acquisition
GSA matches customer DNA to IT commodity program
Agencies are going to GSA to buy their commercial off-the-shelf products rather than developing custom-made solutions, so GSA is developing its own solution.
Acquisition
DOD tripped up by low staffing, poor planning
Officials will end relatively few contracts by their closeout date because 90 percent are already overdue.
Acquisition
Procurement shops to become more automated
The regulatory-laden federal procurement process is tough to turn in any new direction, but younger employees and tighter budgets might move it slightly.
Acquisition
What does the $16 muffin really mean?
Attention to allegedly overpriced conference muffins gives a false image of the reasons for the deficit, writes Steve Kelman.
Acquisition
Did SSA lose track of employees when it overspent on software?
Federal auditors ask what blunders the Social Security Administration made that led to overspending on software licenses.
Acquisition
Kundra's IT cartel theory: Arguments for and against
Former Federal CIO Vivek Kundra deserves credit for giving people the opportunity to voice their frustrations, whether you agree with him or not.
Acquisition
Lawmaker wants to scrap small-business classification system
Sen. Claire McCaskill wants to end a long-used system that is "complex,""clumsy" and "nuts."
Acquisition
Wasteful spending on the front lines
The Commission on Wartime Contracting has finished its work. Now what?
Acquisition
Senators hope to help small companies
The Senate wants to toughen penalties for large companies masquerading as small businesses.
Acquisition
Senator fumes at contracting lessons unlearned
Sen. Claire McCaskill said the billions of dollars wasted in Iraq and Afghanistan is a repeat of contracting problems in past contingency operations.
Acquisition
OMB, GSA to reteach feds' printing behavior
Before agencies warm up their printers, officials also want them to understand the effects of printing.
Acquisition
Is Congress loyal to federal employees?
Budget cuts will test senators' desire to balance feds and contractors appropriately, White House official says.
Acquisition
Change sought to government payments for contractor executive salaries
The formula to calculate executive pay reimbursements could lead to "excessive" amounts, administration says.
Acquisition
DOD orders contractors to publicize fraud hotline
DOD IG wants contractors to be sure employees know whom to call to report fraud.
Acquisition
Lawmakers push OMB to update executive pay cap
Three members of Congress complained that OFPP is late in setting the cap for 2011, pointing out that since 2004 updates came only as late as May.
Acquisition
DOD taking critical functions back from contractors, nominee says
Defense officials need to keep expert employees as they face issues in the coming years that will force them to rethink their operations, Carter says.
Acquisition