Acquisition

Spread this around: Fresh ideas from the front lines of contracting

Steve Kelman and a group of contracting official present a number of ideas that could be used elsewhere in the government.

Acquisition

DOD's contractor database could lead to the wrong results

The Defense Department's past-performance database sometimes is not a reliable guide to which contractors are best prepared to handle a job, a wartime commission has found.

Acquisition

Share-in-savings contracting coming back?

Blogger Steve Kelman says the current budget environment gives agencies all the more reason to consider share-in-savings procurements.

Acquisition

Federal 100: Andrew B. Maner

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Acquisition

Federal 100: George J. Pedersen

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Acquisition

Officials change tone on insourcing

Officials say they never intended for massive insourcing, and the administration has not let it happen.

Acquisition

New rules change procurement process

New procurement rules put limitations on cost-reimbursement, multiple-award and 8(a) contracts.

Acquisition

Too much training still leaves interns inexperienced

Managers are dealing with highly certified employees who still need supervision and intervention from more experienced contracting officers, officials say.

Acquisition

Procurement oversight: A case of friendly fire?

A well-meaning lawmaker might be reading too much into government-industry interactions, writes blogger John Klossner.

Acquisition

Government should adopt instant feedback features

Columnist Steve Kelman suggests that the government should implement technology to allow quick and easy feedback.

Acquisition

SBA changes anti-suspension, debarment culture, IG says

Some SBA officials believe enforcement foils their agency's mission.

Acquisition

OFPP's Gordon shy about opening meeting results

Experts want more information from the meetings assessing agencies' oversight to protect the government from abusive contractors.

Acquisition

GSA names new acquisition chief

New GSA official, working in an earlier position, helped draft the president's memo on reducing the government's footprint on the environment.

Acquisition

How outsourcing keeps America on top

Contractors are critical to our nation's history of successfully competing through innovation, writes SRA International President Stanton Sloane.

Acquisition

How close is too close for contracting officers and contractors?

FCW readers are puzzled by Sen. Claire McCaskill's recent comments about the dangers of contracting officers and vendors becoming pals.

Acquisition

Portman gets contracting subcommittee spot

Ohio Sen. Rob Portman replaces Massachusetts Republican Sen. Scott Brown as ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's Contracting Oversight Subcommittee.

Acquisition

GSA official tackles slow policy review process

Acquisition officials are looking closely at three areas of the procurement process that must be fixed to make a faster, smooth-running system.

Acquisition

Obama wants money to help agency contracting shops

The acquisition workforce is a key part of the Obama administration's efforts to put control back into the hands of federal employees.

Acquisition

Budget constraints could help IT

While there is more cost-cutting ahead for federal budgets and contracting, federal IT services are likely to be an oasis, says a new report.

Acquisition

Could mission specialization solve DOD's woes?

In an era of tight budgets and ongoing conflict, specialization is an intriguing idea, but experts question whether it would save money.