Acquisition

  • The FCC, GSA and the Smithsonian were among the best agencies to work for in the latest survey and officials point to a few specific reasons for their success. Agencies must make their employees feel like they are part of the answer to meeting their mission, agency officials say.

    September 07, 2010
  • Jason Miller and Mark Amtower count down the top three most important Federal news stories of the week.

    September 03, 2010
  • The General Services Administration is suspending new companies from offering office supplies through Schedule 75 for two years.

    September 03, 2010
  • When NASA scientists were stymied last year in trying to devise a formula for predicting solar flares, they took an unusual approach: They posted their problem online, and offered a prize to anyone who could solve it. One requirement: the person with the winning solution would have to fork over exclusive rights to the idea - in exchange for a $30,000 prize. 579 people considered the challenge, while only five submitted entries. The winner was a retired radio frequency engineer from New Hampshire who offered an algorithm that may be a first step in helping NASA predict when solar particles might endanger astronauts or spacecraft. Top officials within the General Services Administration and the Office of Management and Budget have called the contest the beginning of a huge movement. Now, the website challenge-dot-gov allows agencies to post challenges, create blogs and discussions, and reward winners with an array of incentives.

    September 03, 2010
  • The Air Force Services Agency wants to acquire Golf Enterprise Solution software. We learn how and why from Transformation Director Elinor Gonzales.

    September 03, 2010
  • Army moves on plan to build next combat vehicle, Air Force Tees Up Golf Course Software

    September 03, 2010
  • GSA has issued per diem rates for lodging for next year. Most hotels in major cities saw a decrease, including $15 for Washington, $71 in New York City and $45 in Chicago. GSA did not change the rates for meals and other incidentals.

    September 03, 2010
  • Woody Talcove, CEO of government business for LexisNexis, details the benefits of using public records to meet your agency\'s mission.

    September 02, 2010
  • Troops\' pay unaffected by Operation New Dawn

    September 02, 2010
  • OMB finds that most website and call center operations are separate and don\'t work well together. Some agencies are following the private sector\'s lead by offering multiple channels to serve citizens. CMS and GSA both use online tools to answer questions more quickly and reliably.

    September 02, 2010
  • By 2018, the FAA expects NextGen to reduce flight delays by 21 percent, provide $22 billion in benefits to the traveling public, and save 1.4 billion gallons of fuel. We get an update on the program from the FAA\'s Vicki Fox.

    September 01, 2010
  • GSA will unveil the Challenge.gov platform in the next few months where all agency competitions will be posted. Some agencies already are asking experts and employees for help. NASA will run 34 competitions before the end of December.

    September 01, 2010
  • The council will hold three meetings with Alaskan Native and Native American vendors to seek their ideas on how best to write new regulations for sole source contracts in the 8(a) business development program. Congress required new rules for when agencies can give these firms sole source contracts worth more than $20 million.

    August 31, 2010
  • One of the most experienced Pentagon acquisition experts has good news and bad news about Secretary Robert Gates\'s plan to reshape the Pentagon.

    August 31, 2010