OFPP 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
AcqStat sessions give broader view of challenges
OFPP is holding these meetings with large agencies to understand how they are meeting the Obama administration's acquisition goals. The sessions are similar to the TechStat sessions, but they're not at the program level. OFPP also is finalizing rules around multiple award contracts and schedule bidding.
Scorecard adds heat to insourcing debate
A coalition of businesses, associations and citizen groups rate members of Congress on how they voted on bills that promote or hurt private sector companies and forces industry to compete with the government. But some experts say the business coalition is taking a too narrow view of what the government does.
OFPP looks for better green purchasing data
A new survey on how well agencies contract for sustainable products and services is under development. GSA and OFPP also are taking other steps to promote green purchasing including training courses and changes to acquisition regulations.
GSA's office supply contract causes concern
The General Services Administration freezes Schedule 75 to new vendors shortly after awarding a new strategic sourcing contract for office supplies. Small businesses say the combination of the two could have a detrimental effect on their ability to sell to the government. GSA expects to save $52 million a year across government from the BPA's lower prices.
OFPP details increased oversight of interagency contracts
A new report to Congress says OFPP will release new policies this fall to improve the management and use of multiple award contracts. One of the policies will require business cases for all multi- and inter-agency contracts. OFPP found that agencies spent more than $52 billion on these contracts in 2009.
NIH issues $20 billion CIO-SP3 RFP
The GWAC is focused on providing health IT services along with other general technology functions. Vendors must have specific health IT capabilities to bid on the contract. NIH said a small business RFP of the contract will be issued soon.
OFPP sees millions in taming cell phone contracts
Most agencies do not have an accurate inventory of how many devices they are paying for or how much those devices are being used. Officials estimate the government could save as much as $200 million a year by improving the management and optimization of contracts for wireless devices. The administration plans to revive the wireless communications strategic sourcing initiative.
Keeping track of federal cellphones
Few agencies know how many cell phones they are paying for. Federal News Radio's Jason Miller tells what's being done about it.
OMB to post contractor information
The federal database of contractor integrity information is about to go public. Rob Burton, the former deputy administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy.
EPA experiences the upside of contracting reforms
OMB issues a fact sheet detailing successes across the government. Agencies are using fewer risky contracts and achieving more competition. One expert, however, wonders if the insourcing initiative is part of the reason for the changes.
Are contracting reforms working?
WFED's Jason Miller reports.
Countdown: $100B in Pentagon savings, Petraeus confirmed
The most important Federal news stories of the week as selected by Larry Allen of the Coalition for Government Procurement, and Federal News Radio's Tom Temin.
OFPP tries new approach to reign in MACs
Administrator Gordon says strategic sourcing is one way to ensure the government gets the lowest price and to consolidate existing contracts. Gordon also wants agencies to submit business cases for new multi-agency contracts, but doesn't commit to asking agencies to justify all types of multiple award contracts.
OFPP's proposals could change federal contracting
WFED's Jason Miller reports.
OFPP previews the future of in and outsourcing
The Office of Federal Procurement Policy is recommending all agencies use only the definition of inherently governmental as defined in the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act, and create a test to determine whether other jobs should be done only by federal employees. OFPP's Dan Gordon has details.
'Inherently Governmental' still too fuzzy say contractors
The Professional Services Council is concerned that agencies could misinterpreted the policy letter as a mandate to insource. PSC's Alan Chvotkin explains why.
A candid discussion with a procurement policy honcho
Daniel Gordon, Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy, joins host Larry Allen this week.
Encore Presentation
GAO's John Needham on smooth insourcing
Director of Acquisition and Sourcing Management shares ideas to implement OMB insourcing guidelines.
Contract Overload: GAO finds continued problems with MACs
Audit agency calls for business cases to justify new multiple award contracts, and a database listing all existing contracts. Sen. McCaskill plans to hold a second hearing on interagency contracting in June.
Contract Overload, part 3: OFPP ready to set tone for the future of MACs.
Congressional staff members call the current MAC environment "chaos." The administration will decide in a matter of weeks whether NIH should continue to run its CIO-SP3 governmentwide contract. OFPP administrator Gordon says several broad policy decisions must be made to address the challenges around multiple award contracts.
