Acquisition
Acquisition overhaul is providing needed ‘discretion’ for tech adoption, procurement chief says
“If it's not in the FAR, and it doesn't tell you you can't do it, then you should consider it,” Office of Federal Procurement Policy Administrator Kevin Rhodes said.
Acquisition
GSA is eyeing OneGov savings beyond software and tech, official says
GSA Deputy Administrator Mike Lynch noted that many of the roughly two dozen firms participating in the OneGov initiative “offer multiple products to federal government,” meaning that the strategy can ultimately lead to a broader range of cost savings.
Acquisition
GSA’s draft AI procurement rule has improved but needs further reforms, contractors say
Contractors have until Aug. 3 to give GSA feedback on a proposed overhaul to large language model procurements.
Acquisition
DOD suspends CMMC Phase 2, launches 60-day ‘reform’ review
Citing prohibitive costs for small and mid-size contractors, the Defense Department will keep Phase I self-assessments in place while a new task force studies the cyber and supply chain security program's future.
Acquisition
OPM’s HR systems award clears protest window
None of Oracle’s competitors have filed objections to the $396 million Federal HR 2.0 contract.
Acquisition
GSA taking measured approach to SEWP takeover
Continuity is the General Services Administration's top priority as it embeds staff in NASA’s SEWP office to lay groundwork to transfer the $60 billion IT vehicle.
Acquisition
GSA’s centralization push is a return to its roots, not just a Trump priority
The General Services Administration's acting acquisition chief says the consolidation drive mirrors the founding mission laid out by the Hoover Commission 77 years ago.
Acquisition
Revolutionary FAR Overhaul moves to formal rulemaking with first batch of proposed rules
Four proposed rules covering 13 Federal Acquisition Regulation parts are to be published Tuesday. Small business rules and others are on the way.
Defense
DOD excels at prototyping. Getting to production is another story.
Acquisition reform may be the bridge, but the paths from prototype to funded program remains unclear.
Artificial Intelligence
HHS issues call for AI to support its ‘power users’
The Department of Health and Human Services is ready to test what advanced artificial intelligence capabilities can best serve its staff that rely on more specialized AI features.
Acquisition
DHS finalizes first Cumulus cloud contract with AWS
The Homeland Security Department is working on contracts with the other three major hyperscalers and a separate, multiple-award competition for support services.
Modernization
Oracle wins $396M federal HR systems overhaul contract
The Office of Personnel Management is using the contract to consolidate more than 100 systems into a single platform covering 2 million federal employees.
Exclusive
Acquisition
GSA is preparing an AI-specific acquisition reform rule
The updated rule is expected in the next couple weeks and will set a preference for fixed-price models, making the GSA a “more predictable business partner” to original equipment manufacturers.
Acquisition
OneGov’s discounted deals are ‘a first step’ to longer-term contracts, officials say
The General Services Administration has asked some companies to re-up their temporary price cuts while it continues to talk with them about becoming direct contractors on its Multiple Award Schedule.
Emerging Tech
Air Force taps Salesforce’s Army contract for personnel modernization work
The enterprise license agreement is part of a $5.6 billion vehicle and will bring agentic artificial intelligence to workforce and logistics management.
Exclusive
Artificial Intelligence
Trump admin floats policy language limiting contractor say on agency uses of technology
Ongoing drafts of policy documents feature language that would limit the private sector’s ability to dictate how their artificial intelligence models are used in government missions, according to sources familiar with their development.
Acquisition
Commerce goes direct to hyperscalers with $4.1B cloud pact
The department cites artificial intelligence, weather modeling and scale as reasons to narrow the competition.
Acquisition
OMB seeks details from agencies on their commercial buying, or lack thereof
A new White House budget office memo also outlines what agencies have to do if they want to go down the non-commercial contracting route and who has the approval power over it.
People
Gruenbaum heading for the exit from GSA
Laura Stanton will lead the General Services Administration’s acquisition shop on an interim basis.
Artificial Intelligence