Contracting News 
Top News
- DoD to pursue commercial alternative to VA's VistA
- FedRAMP achieves another cloud security milestone
- OMB reworking financial systems to focus on outcomes, not inputs
- PHOTOS: Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal Finalists
- Causey: Today, everybody's a Sooner
- Star witness to stay mum for House hearing on IRS
- OMB director taps VanRoekel to lead management team
- Lew taps government retiree pension fund
- 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
GSA targets small businesses for new IT contracts
The agency said it will release a draft request for proposals no later than Sept. 18 for the integrated professional services IT multiple award contract.
Sequestration: What it means for the federal market
Beth Farrell and Jim Schweiter from McKenna Long and Aldridge LLP will discuss the impact of sequestration.
August 14, 2012(Encore presentation September 4, 2012)
Senators ask DoD to consider debarment for P&WC
Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) sent a letter to the Defense Secretary Panetta and Secretary of State Clinton asking them to consider further actions against contractor Pratt & Whitney Canada. P&WC pleaded guilty in June to illegally exporting military software to China.
Veterans group calls for legislative fix to VA contracting rule
Vietnam Veterans of America alleges the Veterans Affairs Department's service-disabled veteran-owned business set aside program is keeping legitimately qualified companies from competing for VA contracts. The group advocates loosening a rule that requires service-disabled veterans maintain unconditional control of all business decisions.
GSA issues IBM a letter of concern for problems with procurement system
The General Services Administration's new System for Award Management (SAM) is not running smoothly one week after it launched. GSA told IBM to fix the system or face possible penalties.
Analysis: Defense contractors already reducing workforce
The Project on Government Oversight reviewed the size of five of the largest defense contractors and found three of the five were reducing their workforces even as the Defense Department's procurement budget ballooned between 2006 and 2011.
Army releases $7B solicitation for renewable energy on bases
Army says 130 companies have expressed interest in building renewable facilities on military installations so far. Winners will be picked by the end of the year.
Johnson planning bill to change VA small business contracting process
Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) believes a VA contracting program that requires service-disabled vets control 100 percent of their company's decision-making to qualify is too onerous. And he wants to ease the requirements.
NASA picks 3 private firms to develop space taxis
NASA picked three aerospace companies Friday to build small rocketships to take astronauts to the International Space Station, as part of the third phase of NASA's efforts to get private space companies to take over for the space shuttle.
Navy increases NMCI contract ceiling by $2.2B
The total cost for the continuity of service contract could increase to more than $5 billion. The Navy's deadline for bids for the follow-on contract to NMCI are due Aug. 8.
Federal Drive interviews - Aug. 2
BGov's Kevin Brancato explains how tight budgets are reversing a trend from best-value to best- price in government contracting. And the GAO looks at the effectiveness of food recalls.
VA not doing enough to verify service-disabled veteran owned firms
GAO highlights a need for tighter controls to fix the contracting program.
After cuts, defense contractors report record operating margins
With a tighter defense budget and the threat of sequestration, defense contractors say they may have to lay off thousands of workers and look for business overseas.
Small contractors could be hit hardest under planned Defense spending cuts
Small and medium-sized contractors and suppliers receive 75 percent of appropriated dollars for defense or military programs. But these small businesses, who lack the lobbying power of top- tier defense contractors, may suffer more from sequestration than big companies.
VA, GSA each pushes major IT acquisitions to next steps
The Veterans Affairs Department will award a $5 billion IT hardware contract in the next two months. GSA will release a request for information for cybersecurity tools in the coming days. Both are examples of a healthy and busy fourth quarter for acquisition.
EXCLUSIVE: DHS directorate withdraws controversial vendor checklist
The National Protection and Programs Directorate said it would not put a contractor communication guidance in place that would have required agency leaders to answer 15 questions before meeting with companies. Industry experts said the draft guidance would have had a chilling effect on agency-contractor communication.
Fed-backed company develops tool to scan smart phones for security gaps
Multiple award contracts
Bloomberg Government Federal Business Analyst Brian Friel talks about why multiple award contracts have become so popular and where the government market is headed.
July 24, 2012
All things Web 2.0
Jaime Gracia, Guy Timberlake, and Evan Weisel, join host Mark Amtower to disucss everything you need to know about social media.
July 23, 2012(Encore presentation August 13, 2012)
Senators tell DoJ to fix its suspension, debarment databases
Sens. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) want regular updates from Justice officials on the steps they are taking to better input and share information on vendors who have committed crimes. The DoJ IG found the agency's internal controls and training were lacking.
