Front Burner
GSA Looking to Publicly Post Contractor Metrics
The General Services Administration (GSA) is seeking feedback on a potential rulemaking regarding publicly posting certain contractor performance metrics on its eCommerce and digital platforms, reports MeriTalk. The goal is to “improve contractor performance, increase competition at the order level, increase transparency, and increase customer satisfaction.”
DoD, SBA to Pour Over $2.8 Billion into Small Businesses
Federal News Network reports that the Department of Defense (DoD), in partnership with the Small Business Administration (SBA), has issued $2.8 billion to 13 technology firms through the Small Business Investment Company Critical Technology initiative for projects “deemed vital to national security.”
Industry Seeks More Clarity on Final CMMC Rule
Washington Technology reports that industry still has questions about the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program after the publication of the CMMC final rule like the definition of controlled unclassified information (CUI) and how DoD will apply CMMC to non-defense governmentwide contracts.
AI National Security Memo Aims to Avoid U.S. ‘Squandering’ its Lead
Last Thursday, the White House published a national security memo on artificial intelligence (AI) that establishes a roadmap for streamlining the acquisition of AI and defines new governance practices for Federal agencies, reports Fedscoop.
Presidential Transition Task Force Lays Out 39 Cyber Policy Recs
According to MeriTalk, a group of 40 public and private sector experts released the Presidential Transition Task Force Report which outlines 39 cyber policy recommendations for the next Administration.
Facing Tight Budgets, Agencies Turn to Workforce Restrictions to Rein in Cost
Due to last year’s budget deal restricting discretionary spending, several agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), have introduced plans to reduce staffing and create additional hiring restrictions, reports Government Executive.
Congressional Update
Lawmaking Lows? Congress Heads into Lame Duck with Slow Pace
Roll Call reports that as the upcoming “lame-duck” session approaches, the 118th Congress has enacted 106 bills to date, a significant decline from the 214 laws passed by the previous Congress at this point. However significant activity is expected after the election, including negotiations on annual spending bills and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
A Senate Bill Targeting Teleworkers’ Locality Pay Now Has its Companion in the House
Government Executive reports that a lawmaker introduced a House companion to the Federal Employee Return to Work Act, a bill that would prevent Federal employees who telework at least one day per week from receiving locality pay.
Bill to Modernize Federal Cloud Procurement gets Backing of Leading Trade Group
On October 23, a technology trade group sent a letter of support to lawmakers for the Federal Improvement in Technology (FIT) Procurement Act, reports Fedscoop. The FIT Procurement Act would increase the simplified acquisition threshold from $200,000 to $500,000 and raise the micro-purchase threshold from $10,000 to $25,000.
Regulatory Tracker
The Coalition’s Regulatory Tracker
As a service to our members, the Coalition is also offering a Regulatory Tracker that lists open FAR and DFARS cases relevant to the Federal procurement community, including synopses and status descriptions. For questions or comments regarding the Tracker, please e-mail Joseph Snyderwine at JSnyderwine@thecgp.org.
Click here to download and view the Tracker.