Contracting

• USAID suspends awards to Virginia-based contractor

  The main U.S. foreign assistance agency on Monday suspended awards to a non-governmental organization that has received more than $1 billion for its work in Afghanistan and Iraq the past nine years.

  Management

  January 26, 2015
• Cooperative purchasing agreements: How can they benefit you?

  Consultant Harold Good and immixGrop co-founder and Senior Vice President Steve Charles give us their take on cooperative purchasing agreements. January 26, 2015

  Amtower Off-Center

  January 26, 2015
• Dr. Winslow Sargeant, Chief Counsel for Advocacy, Small Business Administration

  He's been the voice for the farmer when EPA regulations call for spilled milk to be treated like an oil spill. Advocacy is about relieving unnecessary burden for small businesses without losing sight of the goal of the regulation. Dr. Winslow Sargeant is chief counsel for advocacy at the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy. Today is his last day on the job. Before leaving, he joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin to review his time at the agency,

  Federal Drive

  January 23, 2015
• VA seeks Army Corps of Engineers’ help after construction failures

  VA will seek at least $1.1 billion from Congress to rescue a Denver hospital project that was supposed to cost $600 million. The final price tag won't be known for several more months. VA also asked the Army Corps to conduct a complete examination of its major construction programs across the country.

  Congress

  January 23, 2015
• Contracting officers not given tools, support to take risks, be innovative

  A new survey by the Professional Services Council and Grant Thornton reveals the shifting demographics of the acquisition workforce gives the administration an opportunity to change the culture of how the government buys goods and services. From training, to hiring, to creating a path for better collaboration, the acquisition workforce could undergo a major transformation with the right support and focus, experts say.

  Management

  January 23, 2015
• Roger Waldron, President, Coalition for Government Procurement

  The General Services Administration's 18F wants input from vendors on how they could use Schedule 70 for agile development. But the model for agile development in government is already available for 18F, and anyone else that wants to use it. Roger Waldron is President of the Coalition for Government Procurement. On In Depth with Francis Rose, he said GSA's own schedules program is the answer.

  All News

  January 22, 2015
• Bob Stevens, Vice President, Lookout Mobile Security

  The number one destination for data stolen off wireless networks isn't China or Russia. It's actually the United States, according to research from Lookout Mobile Security. But they say that makes sense because of how mobile threats travel across a network. Bob Stevens is a vice president of Lookout Mobile Security and leader of their federal division. On In Depth with Francis Rose, he detailed the latest mobile security trends that can keep your agency ahead of the curve.

  All News

  January 22, 2015
• Why the Sony hack marks a new age of cybersecurity

  The hackers that went after Sony wanted the company to know it was under attack and they wanted to do it harm, says Rob Roy of HP Enterprise Security Products. In a new commentary, Roy says the attack was a watershed moment in cybersecurity, marking a change in attackers' motives.

  Technology

  January 22, 2015
• GSA begins issuing SmartPay Chip & PIN cards to agencies

  The General Services Administration expects to hand out over 1 million new SmartPay cards this year. The new cards include an embedded microprocessor chip that will enable data to be encrypted differently each time the cards are used.

  Technology

  January 21, 2015
• David Shea, Director, Office of Charge Card Management, GSA

  For years federal employees have used credit cards for agency-approved purchases. The current General Services Administration SmartPay 2 master contracts don't expire until 2018. But the agency is wondering if there might be a better way for employees to pay for stuff. David Shea is the director of the Office of Charge Card Management at the Federal Acquisition Service. He joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive to discuss the alternatives GSA is considering.

  Federal Drive

  January 21, 2015
• New House Armed Services Committee chair vows DoD reform agenda, starting with acquisition

  Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), incoming chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, says defense acquisition reform is an essential element of his agenda. But the approach will be slow and steady.

  Congress

  January 21, 2015
• The Asia-Pacific Defense Outlook for 2015

  Dr. Jack Midgely, director with Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting in Tokyo, discusses defense priorities and security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region. January 20, 2015

  Off the Shelf

  January 20, 2015
• Small companies to take on bigger contracts under SBA proposed rule

  A new rule proposed by the Small Business Administration could help small companies team up to go after larger government contracts, says John Shoraka, associate administrator of government contracting and business at SBA.

  Acquisition

  January 20, 2015
• John Shoraka, Small Business Administration

  The Small Business Administration is proposing a new rule that it says will help small companies get government contracts. Among the changes is that two or more small firms could bid as a joint venture, while not losing their small-business status. To discuss that and more, John Shoraka, SBA's Associate Administrator of Government Contracting and Business Development, joined Emily Kopp on the Federal Drive.

  Federal Drive

  January 20, 2015