Acquisition Policy News 
Top News
- OMB reworking financial systems to focus on outcomes, not inputs
- Lew taps government retiree pension fund to avoid default
- OMB taps VanRoekel to lead management team
- PHOTOS: Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal Finalists
- Hagel: Accountability breakdown was leading factor in sexual assaults
- Former IRS commissioner faces questions about Tea Party
- SBA starting new lending program for veterans
- New Apple devices cleared to join DoD IT networks
- Army prioritizes access to data in fight over intelligence IT system
- DoD upends slow approval process for mobile devices
- Senior execs' bonuses under fire at agencies
- Gould moves the needle on many of VA's toughest challenges
- Tuesday federal headlines - May 21, 2013
FAR Council wants to standardize privacy training for vendors
A proposed rule would ask contractors to track the training received by employees who work on federal systems.
Why agencies don't suspend contractors
Bill Woods, director of acquisition and sourcing management issues at GAO, joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Amy Morris to discuss a recent GAO report about the use of suspensions and debarments by federal agencies.
Gormley leaves Washington Management Group
Bill Gormley, president and chief executive officer of Washington Management Group, is leaving his job, Federal News Radio has learned.
Pentagon Solutions: Fixing contingency contracting, improving acquisition workforce
GAO's John Hutton and Belva Martin highlight conclusions from two recent reports.
OFPP takes on second challenge of taming MACs
The Office of Federal Procurement Policy and GSA are working on a directory of Federal Supply Schedule blanket purchase agreements. The database would help fix one of the "biggest blind spots" in federal acquisition today, said Dan Gordon, OFPP administrator. OFPP's memo to require business cases for multiple-award contracts received praise for its direct and specific requirements.
Multiple award schedule contracts
Host Roger Waldron will talk about the MAS program with Caroly Alston, general counsel for the Washington Management Group.
October 4, 2011
OFPP sets new rules for creating multiple-award contracts
Agencies must develop a business case and post it on an internal government site for others to comment on. OFPP also wants senior acquisition officials to sign off on justifications before moving out with a final solicitation. The new guidance comes as GAO and others have found the proliferation of multiple award contracts is costing agencies and vendors millions of dollars.
White House wants to open channels for small businesses
A new Web portal will bring information on all federal agency services for small firms into one place. At the 29th Annual Minority Enterprise Development Week conference, White House officials highlighted how they are holding agencies accountable for meeting governmentwide small business goals.
What are government's biggest cybersecurity challenges?
Host Roger Waldron will talk cybersecurity with John Hillen, president and chief executive officer of Sotera Defense Solutions.
September 27, 2011(Encore presentation October 25, 2011)
Office of Naval Research takes new approach on OCI
Mark Bennington, the executive director for acquisition management at the Navy research unit joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Amy Morris to discuss his department's approach to the thorny issues involved in OCIs.
Fostering better communication between government and industry
Former "e-gov Czar" Mark Forman joins host Mark Amtower on today's program.
September 26, 2011
Acquisition reform and more
Allen Federal president Larry Allen joins host Mark Amtower to talk a wide range of government procurement issues.
September 19, 2011(Encore presentation October 24, 2011)
OFPP boosts requirements for contracting reps
A new memo details three classifications for the new contracting officer's representative position, which replaces the contracting officer's technical representatives as of Jan. 1. The goal is to improve acquisition oversight, especially of high risk contracts.
OMB: Agencies to speed pay to small contractors
The Office of Management and Budget has issued new guidance to agencies that would accelerate payments to small-business contractors. OMB Director Jacob Lew directed Executive Branch agencies to cut the payment processing time from 30 days to 15 days.
Senators promote structural changes to DHS
Members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee marked up the DHS Authorization bill, complete with 68 amendments. Among the changes approved is requiring the agency to have auditable financial records by 2016.
Pentagon Solutions: Army's Katherine Hammack
Katherine Hammack is the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy & Environment.
Lockheed submits designs for Navy computing system
Defense contractor Lockheed Martin has submitted its proposal to modernize the Navy's shipboard computing system. The Navy will decide early next year if it will go with Lockheed's designs or proposals from competitor Northrop Grumman.
Where is procurement headed?
Host Roger Waldron will talk about the procurement landscape with Al Burman, president of Jefferson Solutions and chairman of the Procurement Board Roundtable.
September 13, 2011
Budget cutbacks signaling a return to commercial purchases?
For a long time your agency has been limiting its horizons for saving money. Some good, old-fashioned money management philosophies could go a long way toward helping your agency cut costs.
DHS St. E's to be victim of budget axe
Secretary Janet Napolitano said the agency has more important priorities than building the new consolidated headquarters — at least for now. The House cut all funding for the program, while the Senate included enough to complete the Coast Guard's new building.
