When they told me we (at Federal News Radio) were going to do a series, this week, on procurement, I panicked. I had flashbacks to the time I was 23-years old, and a big city police reporter. The newspaper (The Washington Post) was one block from the center of the downtown red light district.

One of my jobs was riding with the cops and writing up short stories about guys charged with procuring mostly women (but sometimes men or boys) for prostitution. Some of them were very well known politicians, businessmen and show biz types. So …

I felt a sense of relief when my editors explained that times have changed, I’ve aged a couple of decades and that the series we are launching today is about government procurement. Major stuff. Big subject.

Uncle Sam is the biggest, shopper, consumer, buyer in the world. Everything from aircraft and weapons systems to protective suits used by medical personnel dealing with Ebola. You name it our government (using your money) probably buys it. Tens of thousands of federal workers, and government contractors, are involved in procurement. Many of the decisions they make involves tens of millions of dollars. In some cases potentially tens of millions of lives, too!

Bottom line: procurement is important. Check out our series which kicks off today with a piece by Federal Drive anchor Tom Temin, which is an overview of the subject and series. Executive Editor Jason Miller takes a deep dive into the acquisition workforce, how it is funded and trained. DoD Reporter Jared Serbu’s piece explains the Defense Department’s massive and vital procurement process.

Throughout the week, we’ll be writing about various aspects of the procurement process. That will include talking to people like former Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.); Mike Fischetti, National Contract Management Association executive director; Dan Gordon, former Office of Federal Procurement Policy administrator; Jonathan Etherton, acquisition policy expert; Cathy Garman, former House Armed Services Committee staffer; Gen. Frank Anderson, former Defense Acquisition University president and Jim Williams, former Federal Acquisition Service commissioner.

Federal News Radio reporters Michael O’Connell and Shefali Kapadia created a timeline of the legislative history of government procurement and compiled a list of best practices program managers need to keep things on time and on budget.

Later this week, we’ll also be hosting a round table discussion with GSA and the Small Agency Council to explore what’s good and bad about the current state of procurement.

Even if you aren’t part of the procurement process, check out this series. Because one way or another, it’s your job, your money or more than likely, both!

NEARLY USELESS FACTOID:

By Michael O’Connell

Arthur Wynne invented the crossword puzzle. Wynne’s first puzzle was published on Sunday, Dec. 21, 1913, in the New York World newspaper.

Source: About.com

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