OMB raises salary cap for contractor executives because it has to
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| April 23, 2012 |
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The ongoing fight over how much to reimburse contractors for their executive compensation took a new turn on Monday after the White House published a Federal Register notice raising the statutory limit on reimbursable contractor pay to $763,029.
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USDA Warns of Fraudulent Letters
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| March 21, 2012 |
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WASHINGTON, March 16, 2012--USDA officials learned late Friday afternoon, March 16th, 2012, that fraudulent letters are being sent by FAX to individuals and businesses in at least four states.
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Senators want automatic suspension of contractors
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| March 19, 2012 |
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Four Democratic senators are advocating an unrelenting crackdown on defense contractors through automatic suspensions for allegations of bad behavior related to an overseas contingency operation.
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GSA moves forward with new professional services vehicle
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| February 21, 2012 |
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The General Services Administration is moving ahead with a new contract vehicle for buying professional services.
Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) Commissioner Steve Kempf approved the internal business case for the Integrations program earlier this month, according to GSA’s Integrations Blogger’s Blog on the agency’s "Interact" website.
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SBA redefinition of small business draws mixed reactions
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| February 15, 2012 |
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As the Small Business Administration redefines exactly how big a small business can be, it faces mixed reactions from lawmakers and small business groups.
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3 tips to maximize past performance
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| February 10, 2012 |
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Almost every proposal you write has a requirement for information on past performance. The government uses this information to evaluate how well your company has performed on similar programs and expects your past performance to be a predictor of how well you will perform on the program you’re currently bidding.
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SBA opens doors to more firms by increasing size limits
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| February 10, 2012 |
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Federal agencies soon will have a larger pool to draw from for their small-business procurement programs.
The Small Business Administration increased the size standard for technology companies as well as for 33 other industries under a final rule published Feb. 10 in the Federal Register.
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Obama taps new Defense acquisition chief
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| January 25, 2012 |
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President Obama on Tuesday sent to the Senate the nomination of Frank Kendall III as undersecretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics. If confirmed, Kendall would replace Ashton B. Carter, who became deputy Defense secretary in October 2011.
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Contractors will remain in limbo during debates over automatic Defense cuts
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| January 18, 2012 |
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"Fasten your seat belts," a panelist told Defense Department contractors ahead of likely sparring between lawmakers and the White House over the details of automatic budget cuts slated to hit the Pentagon in January 2013.
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Contractors brace for coming defense cuts
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| January 6, 2012 |
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As the Pentagon readies a fiscal 2013 budget expected to map out $487 billion in cuts over the next 10 years, many contractors already are bracing for a new climate of austerity, but they are heartened by the Obama administration's pledge to preserve America's industrial base.
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Defense technology to grow despite Pentagon budget cuts
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| January 5, 2012 |
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As the Defense Department slashes its budget by at least $487 billion in 10 years, technology investment is one of the few areas that will continue to grow, according to a new military strategy that President Obama and Pentagon officials released Thursday.
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Priorities for 21st Century Defense
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| January 4, 2012 |
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President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced a new defense strategy that includes more of a focus on China, North Korean, and Iran – and less attention on the kind of ground wars fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Feds Approve Plan to Revamp Small Biz Funding
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| December 20, 2011 |
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Congress has ended its three-year disagreement and reauthorized two small business programs designed to boost research and development. The Small Business Innovation Research program and the Small Business Technology Transfer program gave a combined $2.2 billion to small companies in 2011.
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Senate-passed Defense bill would cap contractor pay
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| December 2, 2011 |
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The 2012 Defense authorization bill, which the Senate passed Thursday night in a 93-7 vote, includes an amendment to cap the amount that defense contractors can be reimbursed for any employee's salary at $400,000.
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Senators propose new cap on contractor pay
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| November 18, 2011 |
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As the Senate nears consideration of the Defense authorization bill, three senators have added a new wrinkle to the ongoing debate over the level of contractor executive compensation that should be reimbursed with taxpayer dollars.
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Repeal of Contractor 3% Withholding Rule Sent to Obama to Sign
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| November 16, 2011 |
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The U.S. House of Representatives passed and sent to President Barack Obama legislation to repeal a requirement that federal, state and local governments begin withholding 3 percent of payments to contractors in 2013.
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Senate OKs bill to repeal 3 percent withholding tax for government contractors
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| November 10, 2011 |
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The Senate voted 95-0 to approve a bill that would repeal a 3 percent withholding tax on government contractors. The bill also included an amendment that provides tax credits for employers that hire unemployed veterans.
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OMB procurement chief leaving administration
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| November 2, 2011 |
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Dan Gordon, the head of the Obama administration's Office of Federal Procurement Policy for the past two years, is leaving his post, the Office of Management and Budget announced Wednesday.
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Procurement chief defends Obama's commitment to small business
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| October 24, 2011 |
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A proposed rule to curb agencies' little used capacity to offer higher payments to needier contractors "will have no impact on the government's ability or commitment to drive contracting opportunities for small disadvantaged businesses," Dan Gordon, administrator of the White House Office of Federal Procurement Policy, said Friday.
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VA gears up to buy world's largest WiFi-based location system
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| October 20, 2011 |
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The Veterans Affairs Department has edged closer in the past month to launching a procurement for what industry sources view as the largest WiFi-based real time location system in the world. It would track assets, patients and staff in VA hospitals.
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6 reasons your proposals fail
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| October 17, 2011 |
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(Commentary): I received a call from a mid-sized “large” business that had submitted a proposal for IT services and had just learned their proposal did not make competitive range. They were irate and wanted to protest, alleging that the government had not fairly evaluated their proposal.
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Carter pledges to prevent 'devastating' defense cuts, if confirmed
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| September 14, 2011 |
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At his confirmation hearing Sept. 13, Ashton Carter, President Barack Obama’s nominee as deputy secretary of defense, was grilled by Senate Armed Services Committee members on his plans for cutting Defense Department spending by more than $300 billion over the next 10 years.
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OMB announces final guidance on inherently governmental functions
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| September 9, 2011 |
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Long-anticipated final guidance on "inherently governmental functions" is set for publication on Monday and should clarify confusion over blurred lines in agencies' understanding of which types of work should be outsourced, top officials at the Office of Management and Budget told reporters on Friday.
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Campaign to Cut Waste
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| August 31, 2011 |
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President Obama and Vice President Biden launch the Campaign to Cut Waste, which will hunt down and eliminate misspent tax dollars in every agency and department across the Federal Government.
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Construction begins on the USS Milwaukee
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| August 22, 2011 |
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A Lockheed Martin team has begun construction on the nation's fifth Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) at Marinette Marine Corp. The team plans to deliver LCS 5, the future USS Milwaukee, to the U.S. Navy in 2014. The industry team recently received approval for full production of LCS 5 after finishing a successful review with the U.S. Navy that demonstrated the team's ability to begin construction based on production readiness criteria including design completion, staffing and material readiness.
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OMB details agency obligations under Government Performance Act
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| August 19, 2011 |
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Chief operating officers must "redouble their efforts to cut waste" as they lead their agency's efforts to set priority goals required by the 2010 update of the Government Performance and Results Act, according to an Office and Management and Budget memo.
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Ashton Carter named as new deputy secretary of Defense
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| August 2, 2011 |
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The Obama administration named Ashton Carter as the next deputy secretary of Defense, giving an official who has already presided over hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of military-related spending cuts the power to help shape the coming era of Pentagon austerity.
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USACE Releases FY2011 Civil Works Work Plan
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| July 19, 2011 |
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) released its work plan for the Army Civil Works program through the end of FY2011. According to a Corps press release, the plan “details how USACE will execute the $5.065 billion Civil Works appropriation it received on April 15 when President Barrack Obama signed Public Law 112-10, the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011.”
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Pentagon acquisition chief seeks to reassure industry on budget cuts
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| July 19, 2011 |
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Major weapons builders must adjust to shrinking defense budgets but need not take major hits in profitability, Defense Department acquisition chief Ashton B. Carter told an industry gathering Monday.
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Cut contracting costs by 15 percent, agencies are told
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| July 7, 2011 |
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Federal agencies are being directed to achieve a 15 percent reduction in costs for managing contracts over the next year under a new component of the Obama administration's Campaign to Cut Government Waste, Office of Management and Budget officials announced Thursday. The goal is to save $6 billion government wide by the end of fiscal 2012.
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Economic benefits of regulations outweigh costs, OMB says
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| June 27, 2011 |
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Cost-benefit analysis of major federal regulations over the past decade shows advantages outweighed expenses in most instances, according to the Office of Management and Budget's 14th annual report to Congress on regulatory costs.
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Small Business Procurement Data Shows Significant Progress toward Federal Contracting Goal
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| June 24, 2011 |
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The federal government awarded nearly $100 billion in federal contracts to small businesses in Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, showing an increase in federal prime contract dollars to small businesses for the second straight year after four years of decline.
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US Department of Labor extends comment period on proposed rule
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| June 23, 2011 |
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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has announced a 14-day extension of the comment period for its proposed rule to revise regulations implementing Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974. Notice of the extension has been published in the June 22 Federal Register and can be viewed at http://s.dol.gov/GE.
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Regional manufacturers say networking, process excellence, integral to being military supplier
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| June 22, 2011 |
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Taking part in the U.S. Defense Department industry supply chains in Northeast Wisconsin isn’t as simple as being a high-quality, on-time supplier. Suppliers say that’s part of the equation, for sure. But first, there are specific procedures to master. Then there’s understanding that prime contractors value partners adept at fine-tuning their performance
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Former Fed chairman backs new plan for overhauling government
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| June 21, 2011 |
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The latest comprehensive plan for reorganizing the federal government -- timed for release in the midst of a deficit crisis and low public regard for Washington's competence -- is an academic product that has won the blessing of former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.
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Pentagon unveils sweeping Energy strategy
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| June 14, 2011 |
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The Pentagon on Tuesday unveiled its first Operational Energy Strategy," a plan to fundamentally transform the way fuel is used in the theater of war.
Clean-energy advocates have heaped praise on the plan, saying it could also drive major energy innovations in the commercial sector.
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Agencies told to go green on 95 percent of purchasing
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| June 1, 2011 |
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The Obama administration's campaign to have agencies "lead by example" in sustainable purchasing became stricter this week when the Federal Acquisition Regulations Council released an interim rule on green procurement.
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Efforts to bring jobs in-house may be losing momentum
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| May 31, 2011 |
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Opponents of the Obama administration's efforts to bring more contract work in-house were heartened by last week's House passage of the fiscal 2012 Defense authorization bill, which contains provisions to ease a two-year-old moratorium on Pentagon outsourcing.
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SBA Proposes Increase in Size Standards To Help Reflect Changes in Marketplace
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| May 13, 2011 |
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A proposed rule published today for comment in The Federal Register by the U.S. Small Business Administration would adjust the size definition of small businesses in the transportation and warehousing sector to reflect changes in marketplace conditions in those sectors.
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Military contracts march into state
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| May 13, 2011 |
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From boots to burgers, Wisconsin companies are getting a bigger share of Department of Defense spending.
Wisconsin has risen from 48th three years ago to 16th per capita in bringing home Pentagon dollars, according to 2010 data compiled by the Wisconsin Procurement Institute in Milwaukee.
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Union wants to lower cap on executive pay in federal contracts
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| May 12, 2011 |
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The largest federal employee union Thursday called on lawmakers to support a proposal to limit the reimbursement for contractor salaries to $200,000.
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IRS delays contractor tax withholding
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| May 9, 2011 |
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The Internal Revenue Service is pushing off an unpopular requirement that the government withhold a percentage of its payments to most contractors for tax purposes.
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Obama orders streamlining of federal websites
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| April 28, 2011 |
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President Obama issued an executive order on Wednesday tasking federal agencies with creating new technology-based plans to improve their customer service within six months.
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DoD Moves Toward 'Should-Cost' Programs
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| April 28, 2011 |
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The Pentagon will implement a new cost estimating strategy on 14 major acquisition programs in an attempt to make the weapons' projected price tags more realistic and save money, according to a U.S. Defense Department memo.
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Government implements new performance management law
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| April 20, 2011 |
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Within the next two weeks, federal agencies must select a senior political official to serve as chief operating officer, according to Office of Management and Budget guidance on implementing a new law that dramatically overhauls government performance management
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Committee recommends federal contractor ethics code
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| April 19, 2011 |
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The regulations governing federal contracts should include clear, model language prohibiting contract employees from disclosing certain sensitive information and barring them from using their positions to get a leg up on competitors, a panel of government officials and private sector advisers recommended on Monday.
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Navy secretary announces special review team for contracts
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| April 12, 2011 |
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Alarmed by a bribery and kickback scandal involving a Navy contract, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said on Monday he has created a special review team to find ways to prevent future frauds.
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Government shutdown: What ceases, what continues
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| April 6, 2011 |
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Administration officials told National Journal on Wednesday that the following government services could possibly cease in the event of a government shutdown:
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VA seeks partners for open source electronic health records system
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| April 1, 2011 |
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The Veterans Affairs Department has released a draft request for proposals to develop the next generation of its next-generation electronic health record system based on open source software
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SBA considering mandating set-asides on multiple award contracts
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| March 30, 2011 |
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NEW YORK CITY--The federal government finally could reach its goal of awarding 23 percent of all contract dollars to small businesses by allowing, and possibly mandating, agencies to set aside orders against the General Services Administration's Multiple Awards Schedule and other indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity contracts, according to a senior Small Business Administration official.
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White House officially begins government reorganization
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| March 11, 2011 |
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President Obama took the next step in his highly anticipated government reorganization plan on Friday, signing a memorandum directing Jeffrey Zients, deputy director of management at the Office of Management and Budget, to develop a plan to overhaul federal trade and export agencies within the next three months.
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Get ready to survive contracting delays
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| March 7, 2011 |
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Procurement delays have become an inevitable part of the business development life cycle. Coping with delays can be easier if you know how to manage through these difficult periods.
When the government delays a major RFP, the costs can be significant for all bidders. Short delays can turn into weeks and months, and keeping the capture team together can cost an additional $1 million each month the procurement is delayed.
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GSA strives to be 'green proving ground' for net-zero energy use
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| March 7, 2011 |
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With all new government buildings required to be net-zero -- or to produce as much energy as they consume -- by 2030, the General Services Administration has begun converting some existing facilities to attain net-zero usage in an effort to learn what works and what does not. It aims to emerge as a "green proving ground" for other agencies and the private sector, a senior GSA official told Nextgov.
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Lockheed, BAE, L-3 among 8 named to $183M Navy IDIQ
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| March 3, 2011 |
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Eight companies, including Lockheed Martin Corp., BAE Systems Inc., and L-3 Services, have been named to an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity, performance-based contract that includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the individual contracts to an estimated $183 million.
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Agencies must report plans for reducing paperwork burden on small businesses
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| February 28, 2011 |
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The Office of Management and Budget last week ordered federal agencies to reduce the paperwork burden and reporting requirements for small businesses.
The White House estimates the public spent 9.8 billion hours responding to federal reporting requirements in 2009, 85 million hours more than in 2008 and 2.9 billion hours more than in 1995, when Congress passed the Paperwork Reduction Act, which sought to reduce the burden on the public.
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Contractors would share the pain of a government shutdown
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| February 23, 2011 |
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When the government shut down for 27 days in 1995 and 1996, federal employees felt the impact most directly. But if the government ceased its operations next month because Congress failed to pass a spending bill to keep it running past March 4, hundreds of thousands of government contractors who provide a host of essential services that were not on the table 15 years ago would share the burden.
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Senator: Senior execs must identify poor-performing programs
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| February 16, 2011 |
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In order for federal management reform efforts to succeed, career senior executives must identify both poor-performing and successful programs, a leading senator on government performance issues said Wednesday.
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SBA makes first major revision to 8(a) program in a decade
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| February 11, 2011 |
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The Small Business Administration has finalized the most comprehensive changes to its 8(a) small and disadvantaged business contacting program in more than a decade, with a sharp focus on reforming and improving the transparency of Alaska native corporations
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Contracting spending dips for the first time in 13 years
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| February 3, 2011 |
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For the first time in 13 years, the government has cut its annual spending on federal contracting, Obama administration officials announced on Thursday.
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Senators aim to stave off 3 percent tax withholding for contractors
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| February 1, 2011 |
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Senators from both sides of the aisle are attempting to preempt a controversial requirement that the government withhold 3 percent of its total payments to most contractors for tax purposes.
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Reorganization effort to start with trade, export agencies
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| January 31, 2011 |
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The White House's government reorganization initiative will begin with an examination of federal agencies and offices that deal with trade and exports, Obama administration officials announced on Sunday. But observers of federal management suggest the president's plan could face stiff resistance from entrenched public and private sector communities hoping to retain their level of influence in the nation's capital.
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HUBZone program faces economic uncertainties
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| January 25, 2011 |
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Small companies in economically depressed regions have lost their priority status when it comes to set-aside contracts.
Acquisition officials are no longer required to check for companies in Historically Underutilized Business Zones before awarding a contract. Instead, they can choose to set aside a contract for any type of small business, such as those in the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program.
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Contractor performance database goes public in April
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| January 21, 2011 |
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A new government database that tracks contractor misconduct and performance, previously available only to federal officials, is expected to be made public by April 15, Government Executive has learned.
In one of the most dramatic steps to date in shining a light on the conduct of firms that do business with the government, the General Services Administration will open its Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System -- otherwise known as FAPIIS -- to public scrutiny within the next three months, GSA's Senior Procurement Executive Joseph Neurauter said in an interview on Thursday.
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Pilot program will help small businesses compete for large contracts
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| January 12, 2011 |
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The Small Business Administration plans to award up to $5 million in grant funding as part of a pilot program to assist undersized firms competing for large contracts, the agency announced on Tuesday.
The Small Business Teaming Pilot program, established under the 2010 Small Business Jobs Act, provides grants to well-established national companies or organizations capable of training and guiding small business contractors. The assistance, which can be in the form of a joint venture, or a prime and subcontractor relationship, is expected to focus on customer relations and outreach, team relations, performance measurement and quality assurance.
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GSA relaunches online shopping system
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| January 11, 2011 |
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The General Services Administration launched a new version of its online shopping system Monday based on feedback from federal customers.
The revamped GSA Advantage, which has more than 28 million products and a broad user base, improves service to federal employees and their agencies, said Liz DelNegro, chief information officer of GSA's Federal Acquisition Service.
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Veteran-owned small businesses now must prove their status
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| January 5, 2011 |
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Small or veteran-owned businesses now must provide the Veterans Affairs Department with documentation proving their status before being considered for priority set-aside contracts, VA announced on Monday.
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Subcontractor, subgrantee data now available to the public
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| December 7, 2010 |
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After years of policy delays, regulatory reviews and technology overhauls, the public now can finally view data on subcontractors and subgrantees on USASpending.gov. Previously, spending data were required only for prime contractors and grant recipients.
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Defense revises rule on contractor business systems
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| December 6, 2010 |
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The Defense Department has revised a controversial rule issued early this year on withholding payments from contractors that fail to maintain adequate controls against waste, fraud and abuse.
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U.S. publicizes names of federal subcontractors
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| December 2, 2010 |
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The U.S. government is giving the public new details about how it is spending taxpayer money on government business.
Starting Wednesday, the Obama administration began publicizing the names of subcontractors - the companies that get the majority of federal contracts - along with the dollar amounts they receive.
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Government moves to enforce stimulus reporting rules
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| December 1, 2010 |
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WASHINGTON — Federal agencies are attempting to take back $1.2 million in stimulus grants and contracts because the recipients haven't told the government what they're doing with the money.
The actions against seven recipients mark the first time the government has taken action to enforce the reporting requirements. Each has failed to file at least three quarterly reports.
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Contract disputes reach 15-year high
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| December 1, 2010 |
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For the fourth consecutive year, the number of bid protests filed with the Government Accountability Office has increased significantly, a trend some analysts attribute to recent growth in federal procurement spending and the rising value of individual contract awards.
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Air Force ramps up new strategic sourcing office
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| November 11, 2010 |
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The Air Force has established a new unit to leverage the purchasing power of its 70 U.S.-based installations and save up to $2.3 billion during the next five years
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Administration announces finalists in cost-cutting contest
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| November 8, 2010 |
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Obama administration officials on Monday announced the finalists in a contest asking federal employees to share their ideas for curbing unnecessary government spending.
The Securing Americans Value and Efficiency award, now in its second year, was created to help federal agencies perform better and save taxpayers money. The winner will earn a meeting with President Obama, and his or her proposal will be included in the fiscal 2012 budget.
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Preview: Opportunities for DoD IT contracts
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| November 5, 2010 |
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The Defense Department is headlong into a multi-year effort to cut costs. But will that also extend to information technology spending?
For the answer to that question, hundreds of IT vendor executives heard the latest forecast at the Input Fed Focus conference on Thursday.
Deniece Peterson, manager of Federal Industry Analysis at Input, told Federal News Radio's Tom Temin that she predicts IT spending to continue to grow at DoD -- just not as much as it has in the past.
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Defense agency raises bar for reviewing contractor cost proposals
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| November 4, 2010 |
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The Defense Contract Audit Agency has agreed to dramatically reduce its oversight of Pentagon procurements, according to an internal memorandum.
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White House proposes common security requirements for cloud computing
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| November 2, 2010 |
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The Obama administration on Tuesday proposed a common set of security requirements for cloud computing that all federal agencies and contractors could share. The move is intended to expedite the transition to universal Web-based services by eliminating the need for agencies to assess and authorize every information technology product. During the next decade, the White House wants agencies to shift their IT operations to the cloud -- the collective term for software, servers and file storage that users access online on a subscription basis -- instead of managing and owning individual, in-house infrastructures.
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Obama advances nanotechnology for agencies, industry
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| November 1, 2010 |
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The White House on Monday detailed a $1.76 billion program for 2011 and beyond, with additional funding, to reinvent industry with minuscule semiconductors, tiny medical implants and other nanoscale materials. The implications of the National Nanotechnology Initiative draft strategic plan for information technology range from threat-detection sensors for the Defense Department to ultradense memory for intelligence satellites.
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Defense must ramp up recruitment of IT acquisition workforce, consultant says
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| October 15, 2010 |
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The Defense Department should create an incentive program to lure information technology acquisition professionals from industry and establish a defined career path for them, according to an internal briefing on necessary improvements to the Defense IT acquisition workforce.
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DARPA wants 'pre-crime' technology
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| October 14, 2010 |
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In the Tom Cruise film “Minority Report,” specially trained agents detect and arrest criminals before they commit their crimes.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is seeking algorithms that will allow it to do something similar, according to Wired’s "Danger Room" blog. But instead of finding criminals among the general population, DARPA wants to find troops at risk of endangering themselves or their compatriots.
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Contracting market set to shrink in fiscal 2011
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| October 8, 2010 |
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After a decade of booming contract spending, the federal acquisition market is expected to tighten considerably in fiscal 2011, with fewer opportunities for companies to win major awards, according to an industry research group. Technology deals are likely to be among the exceptions.
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SBA Releases Final Women-Owned Small Business Rule
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| October 4, 2010 |
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WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With the publication today of a final rule in the Federal Register, the U.S. Small Business Administration will begin implementation of its women-owned small business (WOSB) contracting program. The agency expects the program to be available for WOSBs in early 2011.
“Federal contracts provide critical opportunities for owners of small firms to take their business to the next level and create good-paying jobs”
.The rule is part of the Obama Administration’s overall commitment to expanding opportunities for small businesses to compete for federal contracts, in particular those owned by women, socially and economically disadvantaged persons and veterans. This rule identifies 83 industries in which WOSBs are under-represented or substantially under-represented in the federal contract marketplace. In addition to opening up more opportunities for WOSBs, the rule is also another tool to help achieve the statutory goal that 5 percent of federal contracting dollars go to women-owned small businesses.
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U.S. Military Orders Less Dependence on Fossil Fuels
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| October 4, 2010 |
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With insurgents increasingly attacking the American fuel supply convoys that lumber across the Khyber Pass into Afghanistan, the military is pushing aggressively to develop, test and deploy renewable energy to decrease its need to transport fossil fuels.
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Senate passes continuing resolution
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| September 29, 2010 |
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With an eye towards adjourning Wednesday night to get back on the campaign trail, the Senate Wednesday approved stop-gap legislation 69-30 that would fund the federal government through Dec. 3 at fiscal 2010 levels for most programs, with the House poised to take up the measure later Wednesday night.
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Senators unveil bill to shape up agency performance
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| September 28, 2010 |
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A bipartisan group of senators followed in House lawmakers' footsteps Tuesday, introducing legislation to dramatically reform the federal government's efforts to track and improve agency performance.
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Congress restores small business contracting parity
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| September 27, 2010 |
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The small business contracting parity debate is finally over.
On Monday, President Obama signed legislation that re-establishes equality among each of the small business subcategories that competes for government contracts.
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Analysis: New guidance creates contracting conundrum
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| September 24, 2010 |
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In the span of just two days last week, three government offices issued advice about improving the $550 billion per year federal procurement system long plagued by waste and inefficiency.
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New rules aim to rein in Defense spending
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| September 14, 2010 |
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In an attempt to reap substantial savings by making the acquisition process more efficient, Defense Department officials on Tuesday announced far-reaching changes to how the department will buy weapons and services.
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Agency sustainability plans show the challenges of going green
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| September 10, 2010 |
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While President Obama has charged federal agencies with leading the way in environmental stewardship, the blueprints they have submitted for accomplishing this illustrate how difficult that could be as feds first navigate a thicket of regulatory, technological and bureaucratic hurdles.
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Defense insourcing to continue at military services
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| September 7, 2010 |
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When Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced in August that the Pentagon was scaling back its insourcing initiative because it wasn't generating enough cost savings, many in the contracting universe let out a not-so-silent cheer. But the victory party might have been premature.
Military services have continued with previously announced plans to bring thousands of private sector positions back in-house. And those efforts are expected to pick up steam next year.
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FAR Councils raise simplified acquisition threshold
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| September 1, 2010 |
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The simplified acquisition and subcontracting thresholds are among several acquisition ceilings that will increase on Oct. 1.
The Federal Acquisition Councils issued a final rule today detailing several changes, including increasing the simplified acquisition threshold to $150,000 from $100,000.
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Nuclear security remains bulk of Energy budget
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| August 30, 2010 |
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From nuclear weapons to wind turbines, the Energy Department has a singular focus: security. Much of the department's investment centers on the research and development necessary to reduce the nation's dependence on petroleum, which is inherent in improving economic stability. But most of its budget, however, remains firmly committed to securing the nation's nuclear stockpile and vulnerable nuclear material around the world, as well as cleaning up the radioactive waste that is the legacy of Cold War nuclear programs.
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Federal Acquisition Regulation Councils raise simplified acquisition thresholds
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| August 30, 2010 |
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The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed on Amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR); and have issued a final rule (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-21025.htm ) detailing several changes.
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Small businesses net bigger share of contracts
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| August 27, 2010 |
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Small businesses earned a record amount of prime federal contract dollars in fiscal 2009, but the government once again fell short in meeting its statutory 23 percent goal for contracting with undersized firms, according to new data released on Friday
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Court rules against government, again, in small business parity
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| August 16, 2010 |
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For the second time this year, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims has ruled that companies operating in Historically Underutilized Business Zones must have top priority among small businesses when competing for government contracts.
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Pentagon abandons insourcing effort
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| August 10, 2010 |
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The Defense Department's experiment with bringing contractor functions back in-house appears to be over.
While announcing deep personnel cuts and the elimination of the Joint Forces Command, Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday said the Pentagon will no longer automatically replace departing contractors with full-time government personnel. Some exceptions, he said, could be made for critical areas such as the acquisition workforce.
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Gates announces major cuts at Defense
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| August 9, 2010 |
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Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday said the department would cut funding for contractors, freeze hiring for all but critical jobs, eliminate three major organizations and propose cutting at least 150 senior executive service positions and 50 general and flag officer positions during the next two years as part of a wide-ranging effort to reduce duplication and overhead in military organizations
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Contracting Abuses Could be Solved With New Bill
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| August 4, 2010 |
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On Wednesday, the House Committee on Small Business held a hearing entitled, “Oversight of the Small Business Administration and its Programs,” which focused on longstanding contracting abuses at the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Follow this link for more information: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100729006633&newsLang=en
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Lawmakers seek to update jobs program for blind and disabled
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| August 2, 2010 |
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A pair of lawmakers has introduced legislation to modernize a program that provides jobs for the blind and disabled.
The 2010 Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act would update the nearly 40-year-old AbilityOne program by giving it additional resources and oversight, and making regulatory changes. The bill is sponsored by Reps. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., and Brian Bilbray, R-Calif.
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AGENCIES PROVE TRANSPARENCY IS MORE THAN A BUZZ WORD
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| August 2, 2010 |
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THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REVIEWED 94 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT OFFICER'S REPORTS FROM 2009 AND FOUND MORE DOCUMENTS WERE AVAILABLE PUBLICLY THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. MELANIE PUSTAY, DOJ'S DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF INFORMATION POLICY, TELLS OUR OWN JASON MILLER ABOUT THE PROGRESS AGENCIES HAVE MADE SO FAR AND WHERE THEY ARE HEADING IN THE FUTURE
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Cutting-edge research projects change face of energy
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| August 2, 2010 |
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Dr. Majumdar tells the DorobekINSIDER Department of Energy projects that have been awarded money all center around the electrical power system. Listen to the full interview by following the link below.
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Defense races the clock on 2005 BRAC implementation
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| July 26, 2010 |
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The Defense Department has just 14 months left to meet the deadline for implementing the largest base realignment and closure plan in history. Contracting and construction delays have left no margin for further delays in the department's plans to relocate 123,000 personnel and execute hundreds of actions affecting more than 800 Defense locations by Sept. 15, 2011, according to a Government Accountability Office analysis.
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Process for Correctly Determining Size Standards
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| July 21, 2010 |
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Memorandum issued by by the Department of Defense detailing their process for determinging contractor size standard.
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Contractors caught gaming the system avoid punishment
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| July 16, 2010 |
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Nearly eight months after a watchdog report found extensive fraud in a contracting program designed to help injured veterans launch a second career, the government has yet to suspend or debar any companies, according to witnesses at a hearing on Thursday.
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State will turn to contractors for support in Iraq
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| July 13, 2010 |
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The State Department will have to hire thousands of contractors to provide security and logistical support as the U.S. military begins to withdraw from Iraq in 2011, according to new findings by a congressional commission.
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LHI earns award from Department of Defense
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| July 9, 2010 |
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Logistics Health Inc. in La Crosse was named one of 15 recipients nationwide Thursday to earn the 2010 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, for support of employees who serve in National Guard and Armed Forces Reserve units.
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Are contracting reforms working
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| July 8, 2010 |
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Are contracting reforms taking hold across government?
The Office of Management and Budget says agencies are turning the corner in reducing the risks in contracting.
A new fact sheet from OMB shows agencies are competing more contracts and using fewer risky types of procurements, such as time and materials.
But one former OFPP official says at least some of the progress could be attributed to insourcing.
Federal News Radio's Jason Miller joins us with details on the progress agencies seem to be making
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Defense aims to use interagency contracts judiciously
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| June 30, 2010 |
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The Defense Department will encourage its contracting officers to use the General Services Administration's Multiple Awards Schedule if GSA can justify that the value of the services provided is commensurate with their price, the Pentagon's top career procurement policy official told an industry association on Wednesday.
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Small business owners air contracting frustrations
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| June 28, 2010 |
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Small business owners and advocates told members of the Obama administration on Monday that it must quickly break down barriers to contracting opportunities.
At a jam-packed public meeting in the Commerce Department auditorium, dozens of small business contractors expressed frustration with a system they claim is geared unfairly to large companies.
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Notice of Public Meeting to Offer Views on the Challenges Small Businesses Face
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| June 22, 2010 |
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On April 26, 2010, President Obama established an Interagency Task Force to develop proposals and recommendations for enhancing the use of small businesses in Federal contracting, including businesses owned by women, minorities, socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and service-disabled veterans of our Armed Forces
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Obama directs government to withhold pay from delinquent contractors
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| June 18, 2010 |
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President Obama signed a memorandum on Friday establishing a Do Not Pay list, a single online destination where agencies can check the status of recipients of federal funds before sending payment.
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The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council New Rules
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| June 17, 2010 |
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The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) published a number of interim and final rules in Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-42
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Pentagon procurement officer describes overhaul in contracting
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| June 1, 2010 |
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Edward M. Harrington deals with big bucks. More than $132 billion annually, in fact. As the Pentagon's deputy assistant secretary for procurement, he helps oversee how the Army spends every dollar, buying a range of items and services: from complex computer software to run electronics programs, to setting dining tents for soldiers in deserts, to buying armored tanks, ammunition and weapons from contractors.
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SBA Honors National Small Business Champions
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| May 25, 2010 |
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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Thirteen small business owners and leaders of small business support organizations were hailed today by the U.S. Small Business Administration for their outstanding support of entrepreneurs. The Champion
Awards were presented today in Washington, D.C., as part of the annual observance of National Small Business Week.
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Pentagon reports progress on anniversary of procurement reform law
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| May 20, 2010 |
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In the year since President Obama signed the Weapons System Acquisition Reform Act into law, the Defense Department has made significant strides in gaining control over the cost and development of its procurement programs, Pentagon officials testified on Wednesday.
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Federal acquisition councils anticipate mandate to increase transparency
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| May 13, 2010 |
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The Obama administration could be inching closer to requiring federal agencies to post online copies of their contract documents.
On Thursday, the civilian and defense acquisition councils, which craft changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulation, published an advance notice of proposed rule-making that could set the stage for arguably the most ambitious effort to date in procurement transparency.
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Governor Doyle Recognizes 2010 Federal Contractor Award Winners
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| May 1, 2010 |
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MADISON ‐ Governor Jim Doyle announced this week the winners of
the annual Governor's Federal Contractor Awards. These annual awards recognize state firms that have not only shown significant growth in their Federal sales, but are also recognized as outstanding suppliers to the Federal government. In 2009, Wisconsin climbed to 16th in the national rankings for federalcontract funds with $9.2 billion in federal sales.
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