Acquisition Policy

• Joe Petrillo: What to do when a contractor aids the enemy

  What if you found that a major contractor to your agency was aiding those out to harm the United States? That's exactly what happened to Central Command in Afghanistan. It turns out, it's not so easy to get rid of the contractor. For lessons learned in this strange case, Federal Drive with Tom Temin turns to procurement attorney Joe Petrillo of the law firm Petrillo and Powell.

  Federal Drive

  November 12, 2015
• Clarification, cutting ‘red tape’ at heart of proposed changes to VA contracting program

  A group of lawmakers are backing legislation to make it easier for veterans to get approved for business contracts under the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA is also in the midst of taking public comment on proposed changes to its verification guidelines.

  Congress

  November 10, 2015
• Acquisition policy and the NDAA

  Jon Etherton, president of Etherton & Associates Inc., joins host Roger Waldron to discuss the state of commercial item acquisition, contract duplication and the FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act. November 10, 2015

  Off the Shelf

  November 09, 2015
• DoD’s Kendall wants more research spending from industry

  Defense companies have spent a low percentage of their own funds on research and development, creating what some say is an innovation problem.

  Defense

  November 09, 2015
• David Powner: A study guide for agencies to improve their FITARA scores

  The FITARA implementation scorecard released last week by the House Oversight and Government Reform committee that shows agencies failing efforts to improve IT acquisition and operations — turned government watchers into upset parent's — asking their children why they are getting D's and F's. David Powner, director of information technology management issues at the Government Accountability Office, filled in Federal Drive with Tom Temin on the gaps in learning and a study guide for agencies to improve their FITARA grade point average.

  Federal Drive

  November 09, 2015
• Jason Miller: A solution to the growing bid-protest problem

  The number of contract awards coming under protest by unsuccessful bidders has been on the upswing over the last few years. But what some are calling a simple idea could turn the needle in the other direction. In his weekly feature, Inside the Reporter’s Notebook, executive editor Jason Miller writes about why improving industry and agency communication could make procurements go more smoothly.

  Federal Drive

  November 09, 2015
• OFPP tells agencies to trust, but verify acquisition oversight systems

  OFPP Administrator Anne Rung released a memo telling agencies to accept others' earned value management system certifications.

  Acquisition Policy

  November 09, 2015
• A solution to the growing bid-protest problem

  Vendors and agencies need to improve communication starting with oral debriefings for all contract awards as part of an effort to stem the real and perceived increases of bid-protests, said Rob Burton, a former OFPP deputy administrator and now partner with Venable.

  Acquisition

  November 09, 2015
• Nicole Ogrysko: Not all doom and gloom in FITARA report cards

  About half of agencies earn an "F" for incremental and agile development on their first Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act report cards. Agencies are trying to think about acquisition differently. But the new scorecards from Congress show many have a long way to go. Dave Zvenyach is director of acquisition management at the General Services Administration's 18-F. GSA is one of four agencies that scored an "A" in the agile development category. On In Depth with Francis Rose, he tells Federal News Radio's Nicole Ogrysko how he's using more unconventional acquisition methods to buy innovative ideas and services quickly.

  All News

  November 06, 2015
• Only the beginning for agencies’ push toward agile

  Half of federal agencies earned a failing grade from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on their use of incremental development, as part of their implementation of FITARA. But agencies are still learning how to navigate an often confusing field of agile.

  Acquisition

  November 06, 2015
• DoD gives how-to guide for decreasing cyber risk in programs

  The Defense Department released the first cybersecurity guidebook to implement a governmentwide risk management framework.

  Acquisition Policy

  November 05, 2015
• GSA’s Harada heading to White House

  The associate administrator in the Office of Governmentwide Policy and acting chief of staff will become the new federal chief sustainability officer.

  People

  November 04, 2015
• Air Force finalizing acquisition process for open architecture

  The Air Force is working on a rapid acquisition model that will be more conducive to open architectures.

  Acquisition

  November 04, 2015
• The state of commercial item contracting

  Jason Workmaster, off counsel at Covington & Burling LLP, joins host Roger Waldron to discuss the state of commercial item contracting. November 3, 2015

  Off the Shelf

  November 03, 2015