Acquisition
New rule puts $15 minimum wage for federal contractors in place next year
Employees working on federal contracts will have a $15 minimum wage starting on Jan. 30, 2022, per a new rule issued by the Labor Department on Monday.
Modernization
DOD names cloud contenders in JEDI replacement
The Defense Department has invited Google and Oracle to compete for its massive warfighter cloud program alongside Amazon and Microsoft.
Acquisition
Analysis: Are better debriefings driving down protests?
Beginning 2018, the Defense Department started conducting what are called "enhanced" debriefings that allow for more dialogue with companies after they've lost a contract. That means unsuccessful bidders get more information on where their bid fell short without filing a protest.
Acquisition
IT controls still a pain point, DOD audit finds
The Defense Department failed to get a clean opinion in its fourth annual financial audit, highlighting ongoing struggles to accurately account for IT systems.
Digital Government
GSA announces $150M in Federal Citizen Services Fund projects
The Technology Transformation Services is using $150 million in the American Rescue Plan to fund 14 citizen-facing digital service projects.
Modernization
Google wants a place on the next big DOD cloud contract
The tech giant says it has met key technical and security thresholds and is interested in a spot on the upcoming Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability contract, the multi-cloud successor to JEDI.
Acquisition
Speed bumps for VA's new scheduling system
A watchdog report identified gaps in training and oversight for the new scheduling system being implemented at VA medical facilities.
Acquisition
Who's going to volunteer for the new CMMC?
The Defense Department is looking for contractors to test out its revamped cybersecurity standard to protect unclassified but sensitive data.
People
Union complains of 'double standard' for fed and contractor vaccine mandates
The American Federation of Government employees is asking policymakers to put federal employees and contractors on the same clock when it comes to COVID-19 vaccination requirements.
Acquisition
Funding challenges hamper cyber EO compliance, CIOs say
A group of agency CIOs shared their biggest obstacles in meeting a series of aggressive deadlines and modernization goals of the Biden administration's sweeping cybersecurity executive order.
Acquisition
Labor Department rolls back Trump-era religious exemption for contractors
DOL announced it would undo a rule that was criticized by civil rights activists as easing the ability of some federal contractors to discriminate when making hiring decisions.
Modernization
DOD awards $32.6 million in spectrum OTAs
The awards were made via an other transaction agreement through the National Spectrum Consortium. DOD has increasingly used OTAs to rapidly buy and fund prototype development as well as fielding new technologies.
Acquisition
Why DOD is so bad at buying software
The Defense Department wants to acquire emerging technology faster and more efficiently. But will its latest attempts to streamline its processes be enough?
Acquisition
DIU director: Look beyond reform to keep the technological edge
Mike Brown, the director of the Defense Innovation Unit, said the acquisition reform is needed for the requirements, budgeting processes.
Acquisition
White House extends vaccine deadline for contractors
Federal contractors have until Jan. 4, 2022 to comply with White House vaccination requirements.
Acquisition
Morale plunges at site of VA's new electronic health record
A survey conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs found plummeting morale at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center arising from the adoption of a new electronic health record system.
Acquisition
Details on discipline emerge as contractor vaccination deadline looms
Federal contracting firms will decide for themselves on how to manage employees who decline COVID-19 vaccinations but agencies can restrict unvaccinated workers from federal facilities.
Acquisition
White House: 'There's not a cliff here' when it comes to vaccine deadlines
For federal employees and contractors who don't hit vaccination deadlines, processes for remediation will kick in before more serious enforcement measure are taken, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeffrey Zients said.
Acquisition
Thrift Savings Plan to launch mobile app next year
The move is part of a $3.3 billion contract to consolidate multiple service contracts at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board.
Acquisition