Blogs

More than 1,000 recipients of Recovery Act funds failed to report how they were spent in the last quarter of 2009 and the Obama administration aims to ensure that there are consequences for their non-compliance.  "Agencies now are authorized to begin terminating the awards of noncomplying recipients and reclaiming unspent funds, according to the memo. Contractors also risk suspension, debarment and other punitive actions."

A proposed Labor Department rule that requires a successful bidder to hire incumbent employees is too restrictive and logistically impossible to implement say contractor advocates.  Stan Soloway of the Professional Services Council observed that the proposed rule strips away any flexibility contained in the 2009 Executive Order requiring the rule.   Comments on the proposal are being accepted until May 18th here:  http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=0900006480ac17ed

The Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) will synthesize available information regarding contractor past performance and make it available across governmental agencies.  This database was required by the 2009 Defense Authorization Act and the General Services Administration will begin managing the database April 22nd. 

Read the article here:
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=44863&dcn=e_gvet

DynCorp, which is currently under contract with the State Department to train police and in Iraq and Afghanistan was excluded from the bidding process for a similar contract with the Army in Afghanistan.  They had protested with the GAO the Army's attempt to "piggyback a pair of task orders onto an existing Defense counternarcotics technology contract. DynCorp was not among the five contractors that would have been eligible to bid for the work, a list which included Lockheed Martin Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp.

Dan Gordon, the new head of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, plans to float the latest definition of "inherently governmental work" in a draft policy letter by the end of March.  Dan Gordon also plans to challenge the reasons for redundant contracts, expand efforts at strategic sourcing, and address deficiencies in the procurement workforce.  Read or listen to more in this report from Federal Radio 1500:

http://federalnewsradio.com/?sid=1910703&nid=35

"The Obama administration is planning to use the government's enormous buying power to prod private companies to improve wages and benefits for millions of workers, according to White House officials and several interest groups briefed on the plan."  Business leaders are skeptical and see a big-labor bias...

Read more here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/26/business/26procure.html?th&emc=th

A congressional panel charged with examining defense acquisitions reform heard from academics and former federal employees that the current negative environment around government contracting makes it difficult to attract experienced, skilled professionals to the field.  They were cautioned that the quality of the federal acquisitions workforce is the key to effective contracting and oversight.

Read the full story here:

The administration is considering a plan that would give preference to bidders on federal contracts that practice employment policies "inspired by organized labor."  Examples include paying a "living wage" and providing health benefits.  Concerns have been raised about the impact on small business and potential increases in the cost of procurement.  Read more here:

The President's FY11 budget (released on Feb 1st) emphasizes the Defense Department's move to readiness for irregular, guerrilla warfare which will increase spending on helicopters, drone aircraft and Special Ops units -- trying to prepare the military to prevail in areas like Afghanistan.  The State Department's budget reflects the shift in Iraq from a military to civilian presence.  The Department of Homeland Security allocation comes close to "pulling the plug" on the border fence and shifts resources to modernizing Air Traffic Control from groun