Rob Burton

GAO and the Interagency Suspension and Debarment Committee released annual reports highlighting continued decreases in bid protests, by 16%, and in the number of companies suspended or debarred.

The General Services Administration wants to help vendors improve the quality of their future bid submissions through its new initiative, called INFORM.

OFPP has been without a permanent administrator for almost two years and with no nominee in sight, experts question whether having a Senate confirmed one matters any more.

Jonathan Aronie, a partner with Shepperd Mullin, said agency suspension and debarment officials are asking vendors more questions when non-acquisition issues arise.

A vendor received no help from the district court after it dismissed the case of whether GAO must comply with the Administrative Procedures Act.

The Office of Management and Budget issued two more memos, focusing on personal data breach response requirements and industry and vendor communications.

The Program Management Improvement Accountability Act is on the President’s desk now and it would, in the first place, recognize program management for the importance it has in agency mission delivery. Rob Burton, partner at the law firm Crowell and Moring and a former deputy administrator the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, joins Federal Drive with Tom Temin to offer his insight.

Industry can no longer protest civilian agency task and delivery orders worth more than $10 million to the GAO after the Senate didn’t pass a bill that would’ve extended the authority permanently.

The Interagency Suspension and Debarment Committee’s annual report showed fewer suspensions and debarments, and an increased use of “show cause” letters to solve potential problems.