Ideas
Don’t wait: GovCon must prepare now for a potential shutdown
Congress remains deadlocked and Sept. 30 is a week away. That means contractors should dust off shutdown plans and take immediate action on invoices, contracts and cash flow.
People
Ehikian takes tech industry post at C3 AI following GSA departure
The General Services Administration's former No. 2 official is now CEO of C3 AI, an artificial intelligence firm pushing to make inroads in the federal market.
Acquisition
Quantum computers have an isolation problem and DARPA wants to solve it
An emerging contract vehicle will focus on developing the hardware and software needed to get different types of quantum computers to communicate and work together.
Acquisition
GSA launches pilot to streamline FedRAMP for AI products
The FedRAMP 20x initiative will automate some approvals for what the General Services Administration is calling "conversational AI" if certain security conditions are met.
Acquisition
Protest hits GSA’s $1-a-year agreements with OpenAI and Anthropic
Ask Sage claims the pacts circumvent federal acquisitions regulations, lack required security authorizations and mislead agencies about actual costs and capabilities.
Acquisition
GSA signs OneGov agreement with Box
Agencies can get discounts upwards of 75% on Box's Enterprise Plus and 65% on Enterprise Advanced under this latest pact between the General Services Administration and a commercial software provider.
Acquisition
OpenAI to give federal agencies ChatGPT access at $1 per year
The General Services Administration signs this new OneGov pact to help agencies adopt advanced artificial intelligence tools as part of the Trump administration’s push for AI leadership.
Artificial Intelligence
GSA adds global AI providers to the schedule
ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are now available to agencies through a single source for buying artificial intelligence capabilities.
Acquisition
New OMB memo lays out GSA's plan to consolidate contracts
New rules that are coming will require agencies to use existing government-wide vehicles and best-in-class contracts before creating new ones.
Acquisition
FAR overhaul targets risk-averse acquisition culture
Larry Allen, the General Services Administrator's chief acquisition officer, says regulatory changes must be paired with leadership support for innovation.
People
Former USAID official, three contractors plead guilty in $550M bribery scheme
Their decades-long conspiracy involved rigged contracts, NBA tickets, mortgage payments, securities fraud and cash.
Acquisition
Industry awaits significant disruption as GSA works on contract takeovers
Contractors are watching for impacts to competition, market access and innovation.
People
Gerry Connolly remembered for his passion and bipartisanship
The long-time representative from Northern Virginia has died at 75 following a battle with cancer. He is being remembered for his advocacy of federal workers and the contractor community as well as championing initiatives to improve how the government buys goods and services.
Acquisition
Inside GSA’s AI strategy: Using the tech while learning how to buy it
In deploying its own AI chatbot, the General Services Administration is also developing frameworks for government-wide acquisition at the same time.
Acquisition
DHS scraps $2.4B cyber contract amid reorganization
The Homeland Security Department terminates the award to Leidos after a year-long protest battle, but for reasons unrelated to the dispute.
Acquisition
OPM cancels sole-source Workday contract for HR system overhaul
The White House's workforce modernization push faces delays as the Office of Personnel Management likely will return to a more traditional procurement approach.
Acquisition
GSA expands review of ‘consulting’ contracts to 9 more companies
Like with a first group of 10, the General Services Administration is asking for detailed breakdowns of contracts these firms hold as the government pushes for cost savings and efficiencies.
Acquisition
OPM chooses Workday for no-bid contract to overhaul HR system
With White House deadlines and directives looming, the Office of Personnel Management goes with Workday to quickly implement a human capital platform with the intent to be a model for other agencies.
Acquisition
Pentagon seeks input on plan to streamline software authorizations
A new request for information follows a promise made by Katie Arrington to overhaul how the Defense Department runs its authority-to-operate process.
Acquisition