Commentary
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If you've got a problem or concern when dealing with a government agency on a contract, acquisition expert Tim Sullivan says it's best to start from the ground up to fix the issue. In his latest commentary, he says going over someone's head could hurt your company in the long run.
January 20, 2015 -
With the challenges that chief information officers face today, it is worth asking whether becoming a CIO is worth the work and jeopardy it seems to entail, says former FAA IT leader Bob Woods in a new commentary.
January 15, 2015 -
A contracting negotiation is supposed to be a win-win. But your chances of a good outcome increase the more you know about your opponent. That's according to Tim Sullivan, a Partner at the law firm Thomspon Coburn, and author of the new blog, "A Government Contractor's 10 Commandments." On the Federal Drive with Tom Temin, Sullivan tackled Commandment 2: Thou shalt study thy adversary. He says it's wise to arm yourself with knowledge before a negotiation.
January 13, 2015 -
Knowing the people involved on the other side of a contract negotiation can be an extremely valuable weapon, says contracting expert Tim Sullivan in a new commentary.
January 13, 2015 -
Digital technology has changed the way the private sector is doing business. Jeff Neal, senior vice president for ICF International, asks, "Is it too late for the government to catch up?"
January 07, 2015 -
To cope with the complexity of government procurement, contractors tend to develop habits and rules by which they cope. The best ones echo the Boy Scouts: Be prepared. Tim Sullivan is a partner at Thompson Coburn and has authored the new blog, "A Government Contractor's 10 Commandments." He joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss the first commandment: Thou shalt do thy homework.
January 06, 2015 -
Regardless of where a contractor is in the procurement cycle, he or she must prepare in advance for what is about to happen, says contracting expert Tim Sullivan. This commentary is part of a new 10-part series, 10 Commandments for Government Contractors.
January 06, 2015 -
Government-issued contracts usually include pages of boilerplate. Contractors ignore it at their peril. Buried in all that fine print might be clauses that can burn you. Contracting legal expert Tim Sullivan has authored the blog, "10 Myths of Government Contracting." He's been exploring these myths on the Federal Dive with Tom Temin. Today, Sullivan tackles the 10th and final myth: Solicitations are filled with standard provisions that don't require careful reading. Sullivan says, to the contrary. Make sure someone combs over all that boilerplate.
December 23, 2014 -
Contracting expert Tim Sullivan says there is no excuse for not being aware of every provision in a government contract.
December 23, 2014 -
Federal Drive host Tom Temin explores the notion of government services being equal to what people get from the private sector.
December 22, 2014 -
Government contracting can be a very useful tool for enhancing social and economic changes that Congress deems worthy. Contracting veteran Tim Sullivan has authored the blog, "10 Myths of Government Contracting." Sullivan has been exploring these myths on the Federal Drive with Tom Temin. Today Sullivan tackles the penultimate myth - number 9: Only the big guys succeed. That myth seems easy to debunk given the amount of small business contracting the federal government does ... but not everyone reads past the headline of the big awards.
December 16, 2014 -
Congress ranks small business right up there with motherhood and apple pie. Small businesses should take advantage of this fact, says contracting expert Tim Sullivan.
December 16, 2014 -
USAID's Ebola Grand Challenge opened the door for a new set of vendors to offer their products and services to the government. Contractor Doug Burr wonders if this could be a new way for agencies to procure products.
December 15, 2014 -
President Barack Obama addressed members of the Senior Executive Service today intending to raise their morale. In Depth host Francis Rose says the President's remarks may have done the opposite.
December 09, 2014 -
Failure to take two simple steps could spell big trouble for companies selling products and services to the government, says contracting expert Tim Sullivan in a new commentary.
December 09, 2014