NDAA
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The DoD is calling for 25 percent reductions for appropriations funding across the department. Defense already had proposed 20 percent cuts, while Congress is considering as much as a 30 percent reduction in funding.
September 08, 2015 -
Congress knows it wants to include some kind of acquisition reform in the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act. But it can't agree on what those reforms should look like. Beth McGrath is director of the federal strategy and operations practice at Deloitte and former deputy chief management officer at the Defense Department. She tells In Depth with Francis Rose why procurement policy reform is a start, but the main thing slowing down defense IT and weapons acquisition is process.
August 17, 2015 -
The hacking of the Office of Personnel Management's security clearance database is just the latest blow to the government's background-check system. Two years ago, a contractor with a security clearance shot a dozen colleagues at the Washington Navy Yard. Only later did the government learn he had a history of mental illness. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) has spent years advocating for reforms to the security-clearance process. He joined Emily Kopp on the Federal Drive to discuss his latest strategy — to pass an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would force agencies to better manage the system.
July 10, 2015 -
Congress is at a standstill on the appropriations bills agencies need to fund their budgets. But the holdup is not just because both chambers are in recess this week. And it's not just because of a disagreement over the numbers. David Hawkings, senior editor of Roll Call, writes the Hawkings Here blog. He tells In Depth with Francis Rose what's going on in the budget debate and the debate over the National Defense Authorization Act.
June 29, 2015 -
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With or without sequestration, the Pentagon has concluded there is not enough money to go around, and if it’s going to continue to perform its most vital national security tasks, some missions will have to be on the chopping block beginning in 2017.
June 24, 2015 -
The Senate packed a lot into its version of the 2016 Defense authorization bill before final passage Thursday afternoon, and in a notable break from recent history, the full package passed well before the start of the new fiscal year.
June 22, 2015 -
Yesterday, the Senate passed its version of the 2016 defense authorization bill. As the main sponsor is fond of pointing out, this year\'s version is a \"reform bill.\" It\'s also finished before the start of the new fiscal year - a big contrast to how the NDAA process has worked out over the last several years. Federal News Radio\'s DoD Reporter Jared Serbu is writing about the bill as part of this week\'s edition of inside the reporter\'s notebook.
June 19, 2015 -
The Senate is on its third week of debate on the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act. Vendors will be happy about a provision that reauthorizes DoD\'s Rapid Innovation Program or Defense Innovation Initiative. Alex Rossino is a principal research analyst for Deltek\'s federal industry analysis team. He\'s looking at the NDAA and tells In Depth with Francis Rose about the research and development opportunities that look promising in fiscal 2016.
June 18, 2015 -
Civilian personnel cuts are on the table as Congress debates the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act and defense appropriations bills. The Office of Personnel Management says seniority is the first factor agencies should consider when making reductions in force. Justin Johnson is a senior policy analyst for defense budgeting policy at the Heritage Foundation. He tells with Francis Rose that DoD shouldn\'t decide who to cut based on how much experience they have, but how well they\'re performing.
June 12, 2015 -
The Defense Authorization Act is the main piece of business for the Senate this week. The House will debate its version of the appropriations bill for defense spending. Those two bills have a big difference in their top-line numbers. David Hawkings, senior editor at Roll Call, writes the Hawkings Here blog. He tells In Depth with Francis Rose how much the Overseas Contingency Operation is at play.
June 08, 2015 -
The Small Business Administration is reopening the comment period for a rule proposed late last year. The SBA is trying to bring small business contracting rules in line with what was mandated by the 2013 Defense Authorization Act. But critics say the SBA's approach is unfair to small businesses. Many of them would qualify as large businesses, while several large businesses could qualify as small. Tim Sullivan is a partner at the law firm Thompson Coburn and a long-time procurement attorney. He joined Tom Temin on the Federal Drive with his take.
April 03, 2015 -
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.
January 20, 2015 -
President Barack Obama signed the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act deal Friday. The House and Senate Armed Services Committees arrived at a compromise over troop benefits in the fiscal year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act that will give soldiers a 1 percent pay raise, as well as a $3 increase in most prescription co-pays. House Armed Services Committee chairman Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) released a summary of the ups and downs of this fiscal year's $585 billion NDAA, expected to be finalized before Congress leaves for the holidays.
December 22, 2014 -
Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) says "bipartisanship is not extinct" in his farewell speech to Congress. Wastebook author Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) says oversight is a duty that many senators continue to ignore.
December 15, 2014