Acquisition News 
Top News
- IRS to pay $70M in bonuses, Grassley says
- Senators push Tangherlini for assurances GSA is improving
- As VA works to eliminate one backlog, one more might emerge
- BRAC-like commission proposed to hunt down government cost savings
- Sequestration claims another conference: DHS's GFirst cyber event
- Postal Service closing Capitol Hill post offices in 'symbolic' move
- Senators seek cost cuts for F-35 fighter jet
- Fed pens new furlough song
- Web guru Dorris brings new life to government websites
- EPA CIO Jackson returning to private sector
- Navy strikes enterprise licensing deal with Oracle
- Contractors with security clearances lack path to report problems
- NSA leak case gives vendors reason to reevaluate personnel
- 8 contract executives guilty of 8(a) contracting fraud
- Whistleblower suit leads to $12M false claims settlement by SAIC
- USPS reaches energy reduction goal ahead of schedule
Multiple award contracts, blanket purchase agreements and Verizon
David Dowd, a partner at Mayer Brown LLP, discusses three significant bid protests involving blanket purchase agreements.
Swing states, tax code and the fiscal cliff
On this week's Bloomberg Government Capital Impact show, analysts will examine the challenges facing the swing state of Virginia. Plus, what does Arizona Senator John McCain think about the U.S. tax code and other financial issues.
October 11, 2012
Agencies finally figuring out how HSPD-12 cards can improve security
More than eight years after the White House issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 requiring the issuance of secure identity cards, governmentwide and agency-specific initiatives provide hope the smart cards can be more than "glorified ID cards." NIST and GSA are developing an identity exchange in the cloud. DHS and IRS are putting their cards to use at a local level for both building and computer access.
HUBZone program in transition after losing 30 percent of firms
Federal agencies already have had a hard time meeting their goal to award 3 percent of contract dollars to small businesses located in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone). But the 2010 Census wiped out more than 30 percent of the HUBZone companies certified by the Small Business Administration — leaving agencies searching for new firms and decertified firms trying to figure out what's next.
Proposed BAE-EADS merger called off
A deal to create a European defense and aerospace giant to rival Boeing collapsed Wednesday when BAE Systems and EADS NV called off merger talks in the face of government objections.
EPA, USDA break through small business contracting barriers
The federal government as a whole has consistently missed its goal to award 23 percent of its contract dollars to small businesses. But the government also has examples of agencies bucking that trend. In part two of our special report, The Small Business Dilemma, Federal News Radio speaks with several agencies' about how they're succeeding in the small business contracting arena.
Congress, sequestration, and acquisition
Jon Etherton, president of Etherton and Associates Inc., will talk about the congressional process and how its affecting acquisition.
October 9, 2012
DoD carries weight of governmentwide small business goal
As the biggest spender in the federal government, the Defense Department has the greatest potential to award contracts to small businesses. But the nature and breadth of defense contracts can leave out small firms. In part one of Federal News Radio's special report, The Small Business Dilemma, we examine how the Pentagon is taking steps to make it easier for small firms to do business with the department.
Sequestration, debt limit, and more
Trey Hodgkins, senior vice president for Global Public Sector at TechAmerica, will discuss how sequestration and other issues will affect contracting and acquisition.
October 8, 2012
Analysis: Defense acquisition should consider Congress, lobbyists as stakeholders
The Defense Acquisition University Alumni Association hosted a special forum last week on the role of the congressional staff and lobbyists in the defense acquisition process. Bill Bahnmaier, the president of the association, told In Depth with Francis Rose the way the roles interrelate is often obscured because there's rarely a "direct link" between them.
CFO Council extends contract to build debt-collection dashboard
GSA also renews a contract to improve its human resources shared service provider effort. The Federal Acquisition Institute will hold an industry day in November to discuss two new solicitations.
Industry seeks tweaks to DoD Better Buying Power
Frank Kendall, the undersecretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, is promising a Better Buying Power 2.0, an revision to earlier reforms. That's good news to many in the defense industry, who hope the changes provide more nuanced guidance — as opposed to strict blanket policies — to agency contracting officers. Stan Soloway, president and CEO of the Professional Services Council, In Depth with Francis Rosethe time is ripe for an update.
Continuing resolution, Harriers, Israeli technology & prescription drug shortages
On this week's Bloomberg Government Capital Impact show, analysts will talk about what's next for sequestration, options for repairing the Harrier jet, technology that Israel could use to respond to the Iranian nuclear threat, and why certain medications may be in short supply.
October 4, 2012
Agencies ignoring billions in savings from strategic sourcing
Agencies are missing out on billions of dollars in savings by not using strategic-sourcing contracts, particularly when buying services, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office. The report finds the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs and Energy spent less than 5 percent of their combined acquisition budgets through strategic sourcing and saved less than $2 billion.
Acquisition executives figuring out how to deal with budget woes
A Federal News Radio exclusive survey of chief acquisition officers and senior procurement executives showed most are not preparing for budget cuts or sequestration. These acquisition executives also say they are protecting money for training acquisition workers. OFPP Administrator Joe Jordan said his office is helping agencies make better decisions about how and where to spend money.
Maximizing your use of Social Media
Social media consultant Elliot Volkman joins host Mark Amtower to talk about how you can use social medial to enhance your business.
October 1, 2012
Q & A with Dan Gordon
Dan Gordon, associate dean for Government Procurement at the George Washington University Law school will discuss a wide range of procurement issues.
October 2, 2012
New analysis points to 'equilibrium' in DoD contract spending
Over the past 20 years, spending on defense contracts far outstripped growth in the overall defense budget. But a new analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies points to an "equilibrium," or steadiness, between contract spending as a share of DoD dollars. David Berteau, the senior vice president and director of the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Security, joined In Depth with Francis to discuss the think tank's annual report on defense contracting trends.
GAO denies SAIC protest of Defense IT contract
A massive contract awarded to Lockheed Martin in June to manage the Defense Information Systems Agency's Global Information Grid remains in place after the Government Accountability Office denied a bid protest from fellow contractor SAIC. Despite SAIC's allegations, GAO found DISA had reasonably evaluated Lockheed's proposal as well as claims of an organization conflict of interest.
Lockheed, BAE say they won't issue layoff notices if sequestration takes effect
Lockheed Martin will not issue layoff notices — known as Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notices — if the automatic, across-the-board cuts known as sequestration take effect Jan. 2.
