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- Contractors with security clearances lack path to report problems
- Proposed commission would give teeth to cost-saving ideas but some lawmakers skeptical
- Feds outside the Beltway react to furloughs
- Contracting executives guilty of 8(a) program fraud
- EPA CIO Jackson returning to private sector
- Navy strikes enterprise licensing deal with Oracle
- 29-year-old NASA engineer going where no one has gone before
- USPS reaches energy reduction goal ahead of schedule
- NOAA meteorologist helps save lives one storm at a time
- ICE Director John Morton stepping down
- NASA picks 8 new astronauts, 4 of them women
- House passes sweeping $638 billion defense bill
- NIH tops list of best companies for baby boomers
- Latest postal reform proposal OKs 5-day delivery
- IRS official contradicts claims about reviews
- House presses VA for more details after cyber attacks
- DoD maintains BRAC fight, despite opposition
Suspension, debarment numbers don't tell full story
Despite mounting pressure from certain quarters of the government and Congress to more aggressively suspend and debar irresponsible contractors, some agencies only rarely, if ever, do so. Rob Burton, the former acting administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, said data on suspensions and debarments isn't always an apples-to-apples comparison.
Acquisition process not always seamless
As part of Federal News Radio's week-long multimedia special report, Inside the World's Biggest Buyer, Lee Dougherty a member of General Counsel, P.C.'s Government Contracts Practice discusses the suspension and debarment process.
Bid protesting system helps agencies police themselves
Steven Maser, a professor of public policy and administration at Willamette University, recently completed a study on the bid protest process. While he acknowledged that the number of bid protests were on the rise, he didn't necessarily think that was a bad thing for agencies and contractors.
Study ranks which contractors are doing things right
BGov Analyst Brian Friel spoke to The Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Emily Kopp about Bloomberg Government's top 200 government contractors list.
TSP executive director gives update on data breach
It's been nearly three weeks since the Thrift Savings Plan board announced a data breach of 123,000 Thrift Savings Plan, and since then, the board has been fielding questions from participants, Congress and the media. TSP's executive director answered some of the most frequently asked questions about the breach.
Army plans to begin four 'utility-scale' renewable energy projects this year
The four acquisition decisions the service will make in the coming months are the first fruits of a task force the Army created to pursue large-scale solar, geothermal, wind, biomass and waste-to-energy facilities on its bases.
Small biz group sues DoD over release of subcontracting reports
The American Small Business League says there's no legal basis for the department to deny its Freedom of Information Act request.
Northrup Grumman to buy M5 Network Security
The deal will help Northrup broaden its client portfolio amid dwindling defense sales and concerns about sequestration.
Agencies taking a more disciplined approach to managing vendors
GSA, Commerce and others are using supply chain management techniques to buy smarter and more efficiently. Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Steve Kempf said a recent survey of their contractors will help influence the next generation of schedules.
Q&A with Larry Allen
Larry Allen of Allen Federal joins host Mark Amtower to talk about changes in government procurement.
June 11, 2012(Encore presentation June 25, 2012)
GSA ridding schedules of deadwood
Agency introduces the new Demand Based Model that will focus resources on the products and services agencies need and want the most. GSA plans on closing two schedules and parts of 14 others to new offerors. GSA also will cut vendors who do little or no business on the schedule to help reduce administrative costs.
VanRoekel says IT reform plan 'shocked' system into change
OMB highlights successes of 25-point strategy on its 18-month anniversary. Federal CIO Steve VanRoekel said agencies saved $100 million from moving email to the cloud. There now are more than 1,000 qualified program managers in the new job series. The IT reform plan helps institute culture change from CIOs on down.
June 7, 2012(Encore presentation July 5, 2012)
Ranking top government contractors; threat of sequestration
This week on Bloomberg Government's Capital Impact show, results from a new BGov analysis that shows federal contract spending is slumping. Plus, how defense contractors may be able to protect some revenue from sequestration.
Contractors play central role in State-run mission in Iraq
Ever since 2003, contractors have played a major role in the contingency operations in Iraq. But with the transition to a State Department-led diplomatic mission there, some analysts believe contractors will play an even more central role. As part of the special series, Trial by Fire: Overseas Contracting in Transition, Federal News Radio examines how industry fared in the DoD-to-State handoff and whether State's enhanced role spells new opportunities for contractors.
Small business contracting: The keys to success
Guy Timberlake, chief visionary officer of the American Small Business Coalition joins host Mark Amtower to discuss what small business contractors can do to increase their business.
June 4, 2012
Army network upgrades set roadmap for smaller, agile force
CIO Lt. Gen. Susan Lawrence said better systems at posts, camps and stations will let soldiers train on the same equipment as they use in the field. The move to the cloud, data center consolidation and enterprise email are pushing the Army toward a data-centric approach.
May 31, 2012
Sizing up the cyber market, Defense M&A targets, and contractor contributions
Federal Technology Analyst Jason Wilson sizes up the defense cyber market. Defense Financial Analyst Sopen Shah looks at potential targets for mergers and acquisitions. Data Analyst Peter Brusoe looks at how federal contractors are donating money this campaign season.
DoD lectures Congress on budget 'rules of the game'
Defense Deputy Secretary Ashton Carter said for every dollar lawmakers add to the military's budget or for every program they continue that the Pentagon wants to cancel, it requires cuts elsewhere. He also called sequestration irrational and said DoD is not planning for it.
Q&A with U.S. CTO Todd Park
Todd Park, chief technology officer of the United States, will talk about Datapalooza, and solutions to federal healthcare IT problems.
May 29, 2012
SpaceX signs 1st customer for big new rocket
Space Exploration Technologies says it has signed its first commercial contract for a new rocket that will be more powerful than the one that launched the company's Dragon capsule to the International Space Station last week.
