Tom Temin
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Contracting officers are supposed to use small business set-aside contracts if they think at least two small businesses are likely to bid on a request. It is called the Rule of Two.
February 23, 2023 -
If you have been investing in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) for its entire 35 years, you have likely got a pretty good nest egg.
February 23, 2023 -
In today's Federal Newscast: A House bill is gaining steam to restore full Social Security benefits to certain feds. The focus intensifies on an estimated $65 billion in bogus unemployment insurance payments during the pandemic. And one congressman is probing a no-bid contract at DHS.
February 23, 2023 -
Federal contracts are reacting to a couple of rules coming from the Biden administration. One requires them to report so-called greenhouse-gas emissions. Another lets lower-tier subcontracting count toward prime small-business goals.
February 22, 2023 -
No matter what it does, the IRS always seems to be saddled with outdated information technology systems. At the moment, a third of its applications are legacy, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
February 22, 2023 -
The latest poll of Americans' satisfaction with service they get from the federal government is up. But with a score of 66 out of 100, the American Customer Satisfaction Index is still below pre-pandemic levels.
February 22, 2023 -
In today's Federal Newscast: The federal contracting industry provides big-time support for Ukraine. TSP's obsolete forms could pose a problem. And DoD warns against the dangers of poppy-seed bagels.
February 22, 2023 -
The small but potent Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has reached its stride, as it enters its eighth year in business. The DIU uses a technique known as "other transaction authority" to quickly get new technology prototypes built for military purposes.
February 21, 2023 -
A cybersecurity catastrophe appears to be brewing. Kaniah Konkoly-Thege points to several signs out there that don't bode well for critical data or critical infrastructure.
February 21, 2023 -
After a busy start to the 118th session, Congress is on recess this week. Members are contemplating a number of important issues, though. Besides the debt limit, they have got some crucial re-authorizations ahead.
February 21, 2023 -
In today's Federal Newscast: Did DoD officials take risks when authorizing commercial cloud services? OPM is offering Federal HR specialists a free web-training opportunity. And the Commerce Department has a new leader for advancing equity.
February 21, 2023 -
The Biden administration wants the federal fleet of cars and light trucks to be all electric. Most of the fleet is acquired and managed by a section of the General Services Administration.
February 17, 2023 -
Airport security screening is in large measure a function of detection of objects and materials. A recurring challenge comes from non-commercial explosives — dangerous substances cooked up by criminals for unknown reasons.
February 17, 2023 -
In today's Federal Newscast: The Justice and Commerce Departments join forces to target cyber crime. The backlog of retirement claims at OPM ballooned last month. The State Department gets serious about cybersecurity. And there's a new portal on USAJobs.gov for prospective interns.
February 17, 2023 -
A technology trade association is urging Congress to update the law that lets the [Federal Communications Commission (FCC)] auction off radio spectrum held by the government. In fact, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation basically said the government continues to hog much spectrum that could be more efficiently used by industry.
February 16, 2023