Acquisition

The Lectern: Control freakery

None

Acquisition

62 companies get spots on Alliant Small Business

The GWAC is worth about $15 billion over 10 years and offers management and technical support services.

Acquisition

Hot or not: Acquisition was a hot spot

Agencies built a foundation for improving workforce skills and contracting practices

Acquisition

Kelman: Too many contractors?

The government’s egalitarian pay structure helps explain some outsourcing decisions

Acquisition

Federal spending database defies doubters

The Office of Management and Budget unveils a system to track contracts, loans and grants governmentwide.

Acquisition

USAID to look for IT support

Early next year, the agency will issue an RFP for end-to-end information and communications technology support for two of its components.

Acquisition

OFPP: Half of contracts must be performance-based in '08

The Office of Federal Procurement Policy increased the goal from 45 percent "to continue to motivate agencies," according to a memo from Administrator Paul Denett.

Acquisition

Letter: Know what you're buying beforehand

NASA buys through original equipment manufacturers and then suggests a source, such as a distributor or GSA, to the procurement team.

Acquisition

Letter: OFPP must punish restrictive procurements

In "brand-name or equal" requirements, the ultimate guilty party is the end user or client originating the request for a purchase.

Acquisition

Letter: Don't axe draft RFPs

The quality of proposals rises and protests decline when draft requests for proposals are issues.

Acquisition

The Lectern: How much competition is enough?

None

Acquisition

Letter: Special contracting treatment hurts Alaska Native firms

Allowing noncompetitive awards to certain classes of contractors should be limited to the same requirements as other 8(a) companies.

Acquisition

Letter: Brand name justifications must hold water

All requests for proposals that specify brand name products should be carefully vetted.

Acquisition

OFPP: Watch use of brand names in proposals

Agencies are failing to specify why a brand is necessary, which can limit competition, according to a memo from Paul Denett.

Acquisition

Progress on spending database creeps along

Robert Shea, OMB's lead on the project, said the online system will be ready by Jan. 1, 2008, despite not moving as fast as he would like.

Acquisition

FAR Council endorses SmartBuy

Proposed regulation would give SmartBuy more visibility among contracting officials

Acquisition

Letter: Sen. Clinton just wants to make good appearance

She's showing interest in a questionable award to an Alaska Native firm just to look like a "spend-conscious senator."

Acquisition

Petrillo: A memo to Waxman

Ideas for Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) on how to improve the procurement process

Acquisition

Kelman: Smart negotiating

A new book presents research-based insights on how you can become a better negotiator

Acquisition

SSA awards contract for network equipment services

Prism Pointe Technologies will provide service for 46,000 pieces of hardware in more than 1,500 SSA offices nationwide.