Acquisition
Senators, SBA dispute accuracy of small-business credit
Senators question whether small-business contracting goals are an "empty achievement."
Acquisition
Senate approves measures against charge-card abuses
The bill is based largely on the GAO's recommendations to prevent recurring waste, fraud, and abuse of government credit charges.
Acquisition
DOD wants tougher rules on single-bid competitions
Defense Department officials seek to tighten rules for work that gets only one bid.
Acquisition
Senate committee seeks cuts to service contracts
The Obama administration and Congress have a number of plans to cut DOD's costs and increase contract oversight, but there's little connection between them all.
Acquisition
Vendors gripe at contracting conference
Steve Kelman found the opening sessions of the National Contract Management Association World Conference to be 'whining and self-serving'
Acquisition
Agencies play it safe with contract types
Agencies have decreased their use of risky time-and-materials contracts.
Acquisition
DOD officials crack down on incomplete award info
Defense Department officials plan to check the contract information defense agencies post to a public DOD website to ensure its completeness.
Acquisition
Insourcing vs. outsourcing: The never-ending story
The debate about the blended workforce has proven a favorite topic of FCW readers.
Acquisition
Congress stretches deadline for DOD task order protests; civilian jurisdiction unclear
A new Federal Register notice on a new acquisition rule regarding task-order protests has reignited the debate on jurisdiction over civilian protests.
Acquisition
VA hopes to transform IT systems with T4 contract
The Veterans Affairs Department laid out several goals for its ambitious $12 billion "T4" IT acquisitions contract.
Acquisition
Contractor performance reviews: One size fits all?
A new proposal would create one standard for how contracting officers review companies’ past performance on contracts as the reviews become more important to procurement decisions.
Acquisition
Government gets a B in 2010 small-business contracting
The government awarded $97.9 billion to small businesses in 2010, compared to $96.8 billion in 2009.
Acquisition
GSA expects to award STARS II in July
GSA officials pushed back the award date for a month to get better prices from bidding companies on the governmentwide, small-business IT contract.
Acquisition
Congressman wants to halt insourcing
Republican congressman, expressing concern for small businesses, urges a moratorium on returning formerly contracted work to the government.
Acquisition
Biz groups want Congress to protect outsourcing
A coalition of business groups is asking Congress to uphold outsourcing and limit insourcing in the upcoming fiscal 2012 spending bills.
Acquisition
Turnabout: GSA pulls back major contract
After apparently awarding a contract to small businesses, GSA rescinds it almost immediately and urges bidders to rethink their prices.
Acquisition
Senators try to block politics from procurement
A Senate committee has approved legislation that would bar any rule to force companies that bid on federal contracts to report who they supported with political contributions.
Acquisition
Continuity after Kundra
The departure of federal CIO Vivek Kundra puts continuity in the spotlight, writes Steve Kelman.
Acquisition
Obama to use government to increase investment in business
Agencies will talk about federal programs and incentives available to investors doing business with U.S. companies.
Acquisition