Acquisition
Can we radically improve service contract management?
Steve Kelman proposes an experiment to test ideas for improving service contracts.
Acquisition
Bring accountability to contract protests
Government and industry need to take a new approach to procurement before bid protests spiral out of control, writes Jaime Gracia.
Acquisition
HUBZone program faces economic uncertainties
Without priority status, HUBZone companies might lose ground to more popular set-aside programs.
Acquisition
House committee to review SBA's management
The House Small Business Committee's chairman is looking for duplicative offices and programs that don't aid small businesses or protect the government.
Acquisition
DOD struggles to count contractors, GAO reports
The Defense Department relies heavily on contractors, even to support core missions, a GAO report says. Officials worry about relying too much on contractors.
Acquisition
Obama: Give small businesses regulatory break
Obama directed agency officials to consider the economic effects of federal regulations on small businesses.
Acquisition
Defense acquisition: Lost in the fog of war?
Changing combat needs and constrained budgets are complicating DOD's acquisition decisions.
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.
Acquisition
IRS announces TIPSS-4 winners
TIPSS-4 contractors will provide support services to help the IRS maintain and update its large portfolio of legacy tax systems.
Acquisition
NIH agency tests waters with hybrid procurement
NIEHS is planning an enterprise IT services deal in which the contractor could provide support through a variety of procurement approaches.
Acquisition
Army e-mail plan ignores AKO success
Consultant Robert Guerra says he doesn’t understand why the Army plans to spend more than $100 million on a new e-mail system when AKO does so much more.
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.
Acquisition
The reinvention of insourcing
Experts say the program faces an uncertain future in 2011.
Acquisition
9 hot companies to watch in 2011
Challenges are nothing new for government contractors, but 2011 promises to keep even established players on their toes.
Acquisition
Better requirements -- at the task-order level
Agencies will do a better job of getting what they need to meet their requirements if they define those requirements in task orders, rather than trying to map out everything in the initial RFP, suggests Steve Kelman.
Acquisition
Buying fast, buying better
Acuqisition professionals should strive for accuracy, but not at the expense of speed, writes Steve Kelman.
Acquisition
GSA acquisition team gets down to business
Some leaders aren't hailed with cheers and thunderous applause. Instead, they make people realize it’s time to get to work.
Acquisition
Acquisition workforce gets half-hearted support, survey shows
A new survey shows a widening chasm between the trajectory of policy and what acquisition workers see as benefits.
Acquisition
Air Force creates new acquisition office
Small business is set to remain a top priority as the Air Force works to improve its contracting, purchasing and requirements processes.
Acquisition