Acquisition
House panel proposes more defense contracting reforms
The IMPROVE Acquisition Act would improve competition, financial management and workforce issues and save $135 billion over the next five years. backers say.
Acquisition
SBA now will give grades, not colors
SBA has revised its annual Small Business Procurement Scorecard format to help clarify grades.
Acquisition
Clarity is key to avoiding icy government-industry relationship
Daniel Gordon, administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, is trying to clarify the guidelines for government contractors. For industry executives, getting his attention is as important as hearing what he has to say.
Acquisition
New media means smarter contracting for GSA
Developments in the field of collective intelligence could juice the General Services Administration's acquisition business, according to new GSA Administrator Martha Johnson.
Acquisition
NIH prepares to fight for contract authority
NIH plans to meet with OFPP about its GWAC authority, but NIH's acquisition director expresses confidence that it will keep its governmentwide contract.
Acquisition
DOD gets authority to limit contract competition
Defense Department officials today adopted a rule that grants DOD authority to limit competition for contracts when buying to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Acquisition
HHS awards $267M for health IT regional centers
The Health and Human Services Department funds centers designed to help doctors and rural hospitals use health IT.
Acquisition
Obama warns contractors: Report ARRA money or else
The president says contractors failing to report information must be held accountable by all agencies to the fullest extent of the law.
Acquisition
GSA gets good marks for ordering guide
GSA created guidance for, and offers training on, ordering from blanket purchase agreements.
Acquisition
Advocacy group sues government over contract data
A small-business group is concerned the loss of historical contracting data could prevent future investigations.
Acquisition
GSA could be trying to kill rival agency contract
GSA urged procurement officials to deny the NIH its GWAC authority, raising an old question.
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.
Acquisition
Administration hopes for ripple effect from outsourcing policy
The administration wants a workforce that can carry out the government's operations and reduce the reliance on contractors.
Acquisition
OFPP proposes tests for deciding when to outsource work
OFPP publishes proposed policy to help agencies decide when work should be outsourced to contractors.
Acquisition
Senators again attempt program parity
Contracting officers would get to choose the small-business program that best suits an agency’s need, instead of giving HUBZone program priority.
Acquisition
New GSA leader sees collective intelligence as a frontier
The General Services Administration can tap the wisdom of the crowds, but it still lacks needed policies to do it well, administrator Martha Johnson says.
Acquisition
GSA solicits wisdom of the crowd for acquisition improvements
General Services Administration officials are testing collaboration and using social media to improve the federal acquisition process.
Acquisition