Topic:
Acquisition & Procurement
Latest Headlines
Latest Headlines
DoD needs to factor in special exceptions when setting competition goals, report says
The Defense Department should take into account special factors unique to it when setting its annual competition goals, says the Government Accountability Office in a March 28 report (.pdf). There are several factors that affect the DoD's competition rate, but those factors are not always considered when factoring in the annual competition goals.
DoD acquisition spending down $152 billion from 2011
The estimated cost of DoD's portfolio of major defense acquisition programs decreased by 10 programs and more than $152 billion from 2011 to 2012, the report said. Those decreases are largely the result of more programs exiting than entering the portfolio as well as reductions in procurement due to program cancelations and restructurings, the report said.
Lawmakers see conflict in OSDBU director's dual position
Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.) and House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Michael Coffman (R-Colo.) charged the VA with breaking the law when it appointed Tom Leney as director of VA Center for Veterans Enterprise and director of VA Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, according to the hearing. The Small Business Act requires the OSDBU director to carry out that job exclusively and not hold any other title or position, according to Hanna.
DOE relying too heavily on contractors, independent oversight needed for large projects, DOE aquisition director says
The Energy Department has relied too heavily on its architecture and engineering contractors and started projects before construction was properly planned, causing project costs to spiral out of control, DOE Director Acquisition and Project Management Paul Bosco said in a March 22 House Appropriations subcommittee hearing.
OFPP: Past performance reporting needs improvement
The Office of Federal Procurement Policy says in a March 6 memo (.pdf) that the past performance reporting of contractor performance is spotty in the 24 CFO Act agencies and calls for stepped up reporting that results in 100 percent compliance by the end of fiscal 2015.
MAS vendors don't always provide accurate information or qualified labor, says GSA OIG
The General Services Administration still permits vendors that provide inaccurate commercial sales data and supply unqualified labor to remain on schedules contract vehicles, says the agency's inspector general.
VA aims to ease process for veteran-owned contractor verification
Small businesses who apply to the Veterans Affairs Department for verification as veteran-owned will soon be able to correct minor issues instead of being denied, the department announced March 5. The department, which runs its own verification process for small businesses who want to participate in its Veterans First contracting program, said the new policy will go into effect May 1.
DHS reduces noncompetitive contracts, improves oversight
Noncompetitive contracts at the Homeland Security Department totaled about $389 million in fiscal 2012, down from $3.5 billion in fiscal 2008, the DHS office of inspector general says. In the meantime, DHS has improved its internal oversight of acquisitions, the OIG says.
Defense struggles to comply with 8(a) contract justification
The Defense Department failed to properly justify 75 percent of its 8(a) sole-source contracts worth more than $20 million from March 16, 2011 to March 31, 2012, says the Government Accountability Office.
OFPP says strategic sourcing would improve federal spending
The federal government could get a better value for purchased goods and services by increasing its use strategic sourcing and sharing related data, says Joe Jordan, administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy. Eventually, said Jordan, strategic sourcing could be used for $150 billion of the more than $500 billion the government annually spends on goods and services.
