Far and Beyond Blog
Introducing AInAcquisition: The Future is Now, Nov. 17
On November 17, The Coalition for Common Sense in Government Procurement (Coalition) will host its inaugural AInAcquisition Exchange Forum: The Future is Now at the Fairview Park Marriott in Falls Church, Virginia. The half-day forum will bring together government and industry leaders for discussions on the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) across the federal marketplace.
The theme, “The Future is Now,” reflects the growing role that AI is already playing across the federal government. The forum will focus on how AI is being used across government, as well as the evolving acquisition policies, information technology (IT) strategies, and other considerations impacting its adoption. Attendees will hear perspectives on agency AI strategies, the role of AI in IT management, and the changing AI acquisition policy landscape.
The Coalition thanks SAIC for its sponsorship of the AInAcquisition Exchange Forum.
GSA’s AI Strategy and the Road Ahead
The forum will begin with a fireside chat focused on the General Services Administration’s (GSA) AI Strategy and the Road Ahead. The Coalition has invited Michael Lynch, Deputy Administrator of GSA, to participate in the discussion. The fireside chat will provide an opportunity to hear his perspectives on GSA’s approach to AI and its role supporting the agency’s mission and priorities.
IT Management and the Role of AI
Next, the forum will turn to IT Management and the Role of AI, examining how agencies are approaching AI as part of their broader IT strategies and how the technology can support operations, missions, and the delivery of government services.
The Coalition has invited the following government leaders to participate:
- Dave Shive, Chief Information Officer, GSA (invited)
- Adarryl Roberts, Chief Information Officer, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) (invited)
- Kimberly McManus, Acting Chief AI Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) (invited)
The Evolving AI Acquisition Policy Landscape
The forum will conclude with the Evolving AI Acquisition Policy Landscape. This panel will examine the latest developments and considerations impacting how the federal government acquires and adopts AI, bringing together perspectives from the acquisition policy and government procurement communities.
The Coalition has invited the following experts to participate:
- Jessica Tillipman, Associate Dean for Government Procurement Law, The George Washington University Law School
- Michelle Miller, Director for Contract Policy, Office of the Principal Director, Defense Pricing, Contracting, and Acquisition Policy (DPCAP), Office of the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, Department of War
- Mathew Blum, Associate Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) (invited)
- Nick West, Director, Office of Acquisition Policy, Integrity, & Workforce, GSA
The AInAcquisition Exchange Forum: The Future is Now Forum takes place the day before the Coalition’s 2026 Fall Training Conference on November 18–19.
Registration for the AInAcquisition Exchange Forum is complimentary for attendees registered for the Fall Training Conference. Conference registrants can indicate whether they plan to attend the November 17 forum, Day One of the Fall Training Conference, and/or Day Two through the conference registration page.
The registration page can be found here.
Already registered for the Fall Training Conference? We encourage you to log in and update your registration to indicate if you plan to attend the AInAcquisition Exchange Forum on November 17. This will help the Coalition maintain an accurate head count. Registrants who need assistance updating their registration may also contact Mady Whiting at mady.whiting@thecgp.org.
We hope you will join us on November 17 for the AInAcquisition Exchange Forum and November 18–19 for the 2026 Fall Training Conference.
Why Invest in Success? Join Us on October 7
With less than two weeks to go, we invite you and your colleagues to join us on October 7 for the Coalition’s inaugural Invest in Success: Compliance Training Conference, hosted by CGI Federal in Arlington, Virginia, with virtual attendance also available.
Why Invest in Success? As you know, the federal marketplace is highly regulated and constantly changing. Understanding your compliance responsibilities and the government’s expectations is fundamental to successfully doing business with the federal government. The Compliance Training Conference is designed to provide members with practical insights into today’s compliance environment, including how the government views key compliance issues and what contractors should be considering as they manage risk and meet their responsibilities.
We strongly encourage all Coalition members to participate, particularly professionals responsible for managing government contracts, in-house counsel, contract compliance professionals, and others involved in their organization’s compliance efforts. The compliance conference will provide an opportunity to hear directly from leading government, industry, and legal experts about important compliance issues and practical approaches to managing risk.
The inaugural half-day conference will feature an outstanding group of experts and timely discussions, including:
- Procurement in the Age of AI: Ethics & Compliance in a Changing Federal Marketplace — Jessica Tillipman, Associate Dean for Government Procurement Law Studies at The George Washington University Law School, will examine emerging AI-related risks across the procurement lifecycle and practical compliance considerations for federal contractors.
- Active Bystandership: The Missing Link in Corporate Risk Reduction — Jonathan Aronie, Partner at Sheppard, will discuss how organizations can empower employees to intervene early to help prevent mistakes and compliance problems before they escalate.
- Compliance and the Civil False Claims Act — Chris Terranova, Assistant Director, Civil Fraud Section, Commercial Litigation Branch, Department of Justice; Alex Canizares, Partner at Vinson & Elkins; Terra Fulham, Special Counsel at Covington; and Tirzah Lollar, Partner at Arnold & Porter, will provide perspectives on the False Claims Act and key compliance considerations for government contractors.
With the compliance conference quickly approaching, I encourage you to register today and share this invitation with the contracting, legal, compliance, and other professionals across your organization who would benefit from participating. We hope you will join us on October 7 for the first of what we expect will be a valuable and ongoing series for the Coalition community.
To learn more and register, click here.
Fall Training Conference Day One Governmentwide Agenda Released!
The Coalition for Common Sense in Government Procurement (Coalition) is excited to release the Day One agenda for the 2026 Fall Training Conference: The Acquisition Exchange, taking place November 18–19 at the Fairview Park Marriott in Falls Church, Virginia.
Day One, “The Acquisition Exchange: What’s Next for Interagency Contracting?”, will bring together government and industry leaders for a full day of discussions focused on the future of the federal acquisition marketplace. As agencies continue to evolve their acquisition strategies, programs, and contracting approaches, the agenda will examine what these changes mean for both government and industry.
Main Stage Preview
Keynote Address – Post Election: What Happened, Where are We, and Where are We Going?
The conference will begin with a keynote address from former Congressman Tom Davis, Partner at Holland & Knight*, who will present “Post Election: What Happened, Where Are We, and Where Are We Going?” Davis will provide attendees with a timely look at the 2026 election results and what they could mean for the policy and political landscape moving forward.
The Nexus Between Policy & Operations
Jeff Koses, Senior Procurement Executive at the General Services Administration (GSA), and Laura Stanton, Acting Commissioner of GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS), have been invited for “The Nexus Between Policy & Operations.” The session will explore the connection between acquisition policy and its implementation across federal procurement operations.
Legislative & Budget Update
Attendees will hear from Moshe Schwartz, Coalition Defense Fellow and President of Etherton and Associates*, for “Budget & Legislative Updates.” Schwartz will discuss the latest developments on Capitol Hill and the federal budget and legislative issues impacting government contractors.
Luncheon Keynote with GSA CAO
Greg Justice, Chief Acquisition Officer at GSA, has been invited to deliver the luncheon keynote address, offering attendees another opportunity to hear directly from GSA leadership about the acquisition landscape.
Procurement Hot Topics Panel
The main-stage program will conclude with “Procurement Hot Topics,” featuring Emily Murphy, CEO of Government Procurement Strategies*; Rob Burton, Coalition Acquisition Fellow*; Tim Brennan, President of the Center for Procurement Advocacy*; and Brian Friel, Founder of BD Squared*. This panel will bring together top procurement experts to discuss the latest issues, trends, and developments impacting the federal market.
Nuts & Bolts Breakout Sessions
Following the main-stage program, attendees will have the opportunity to choose from a series of Nuts & Bolts Sessions designed to provide a closer look at key acquisition programs, offices, systems, and initiatives.
The first round of breakout sessions will feature:
- ASSIST: Office of Assisted Acquisition Services
- CENTRALIZE: Office of Centralized Acquisition Services
- CREATE: Office of Acquisition Solutions Development
- DELIVER: Office of Shared Services Delivery
A second round will feature:
- Multiple Award Schedule Listening Session
- OneGov
- NASA SEWP
- FAS Systems
To register, click here
Book your group rate for the Coalition’s Fall Training Conference at the Fairview Park Marriott.
Sponsorship Opportunities Available for the 2026 Fall Training Conference!
Make Your Brand Stand Out at the 2026 Fall Training Conference! Sponsorship opportunities are still available!
Showcase your company at the Coalition’s 2026 Fall Training Conference: The Acquisition Exchange, taking place November 18–19 at the Fairview Park Marriott in Falls Church, Virginia.
The Fall Training Conference brings together leaders and professionals from across the government contracting community for two days of timely discussions, direct engagement, and valuable networking.
Put your company in front of industry peers, decision-makers, and high-level acquisition officials at our upcoming conference. Sponsorship provides a valuable opportunity to increase brand visibility, strengthen relationships, showcase your organization, and connect directly with potential customers and partners.
With a variety of sponsorship opportunities still available, your company can build its presence throughout one of the Coalition’s signature annual events.
Don’t miss the opportunity to put your brand front and center at the 2026 Fall Training Conference! review the 2026 Fall Training Conference Sponsorship Prospectus for additional information. If you have any questions or are ready to secure your sponsorship, please contact Heather Tarpley at htarpley@thecgp.org.
Thank You to Our Current Sponsors
GSA Identifies $1.2B in Suspected Fraud Across COVID-Era Contracts
The General Services Administration (GSA) announced that it has identified more than $1.2 billion in suspected fraud across five COVID-era contracts supporting the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The findings are part of GSA’s ongoing collaboration with HHS and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud to identify potential fraud and improper payments across federal contracts. According to GSA, although the COVID-19 national emergency ended in 2023 and related acquisition flexibilities were subsequently canceled, certain contractors continued to receive funds under COVID-era contracts.
GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst said that the agency’s review identified $1.22 billion in suspected fraud across the five contracts. The White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud also said the review stopped an additional $41 million in payments. GSA and HHS said suspected wrongdoing is being referred to law enforcement and that the government is working to recover taxpayer funds where appropriate.
The announcement follows GSA’s finding in late August of more than $13 billion in suspected contractor fraud. GSA has expanded its efforts to identify potential fraud, improper payments, and other issues across federal contracts and refer suspected cases for further investigation. cases for further investigation.
DHS Plans Consolidated Network, Cloud, and Cybersecurity Contract
Washington Technology reports that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released the procurement schedule for a potential contract that would consolidate the agency’s network security, cloud, and cybersecurity services.
According to a SAM.gov notice, DHS is targeting October 1 for the release of the final solicitation for the Network Operations Security Center Network, Cloud, and Cyber Services 2.0 contract. Phase 1 proposals are expected to be due October 6, with bidders advancing to Phase 2 notified by October 9. Phase 2 proposals would then be due October 21, with awards anticipated in late November.
Through the procurement, DHS is seeking to establish a centralized hub for IT service management functions across its network infrastructure, cloud and platform services, and cybersecurity operations. These functions are currently spread across DHS headquarters and its components. The new approach would bring multiple component-level contracts under a single contract vehicle and operational structure.
DHS also expects proposed solutions to incorporate agentic artificial intelligence to automate lower-level responses to IT issues, allowing personnel to focus on higher-value activities such as identifying and responding to cybersecurity threats.
The procurement will use a two-phase evaluation process. Phase 1 will consist of a pass/fail assessment based on facility clearance requirements. In Phase 2, DHS will evaluate bidders based on prior experience and references, staffing and management approaches, and price. Prior experience will receive the greatest weight, while the prior experience and staffing factors combined will be significantly more important than price.
Coalition Comments on SBA’s Size Standard Proposed Rules
Last week, the Coalition for Common Sense in Government Procurement submitted comments to the Small Business Administration (SBA) in response to the Revised Size Standards Methodology and Small Business Size Standards proposed rules. Together, these proposed rules would represent the largest restructuring of small business size standards in decades. The rules would consolidate the 995 industry size standards currently in use into 338 broader industry size standards. SBA also is proposing that a much larger share of industry size standards rely on employee counts rather than revenue. For remaining revenue-based size standards, thresholds are drastically increased. To review the Coalition’s comments posted on our website, click here.
This week, the Small Business Administration (SBA) extended the deadline for submitting comments on the Revised Size Standards Methodology and Small Business Size Standards proposed rules. The 60-day extension pushes the deadline to November 20, 2026. We encourage members to provide the SBA additional feedback on these proposals if they have not done so yet.
FAR Council Publishes Additional RFO Proposed Rules
The Federal Acquisition Regulation Council published four proposed rules that continue to codify the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO). The RFO aims to remove non-statutory requirements from the FAR, empowering contracting officers to make better, more rapid procurement decisions. Previous rulemaking has codified updates to FAR Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 18, 24, 26, 29, 33, 37, 39, 40, 41, 49, and 53.
The most recent proposed rules published on September 18 cover the following:
- 14 (Sealed Bidding)
- 28 (Bonds and Insurance)
- 36 (Construction and Architect-Engineer Contracts)
- 52 (Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses)
- 8 (Required Sources of Supplies and Services)
- 12 (Acquisition of Commercial Products and Commercial Services)
- 13 (Simplified Acquisition Procedures)
- 15 (Contracting by Negotiation)
- 38 (Federal Supply Schedule Contracting)
- 44 (Subcontracting Policies and Procedures)
- 51 (Use of Government Sources by Contractors)
- 52 (Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses)
- 16 (Types of Contracts)
- 17 (Special Contracting Methods)
- 35 (Research and Development Contracting)
- 52 (Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses)
- 9 (Contractor Qualifications)
- 27 (Patents, Data, and Copyrights)
- 47 (Transportation)
- 52 (Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses)
Comments on the proposed rules are due October 18. The Coalition is collecting feedback from members. If you have comments, please email them to Greg Waldron at gwaldron@thecgp.org by the close of business October 2.
GAO Calls for Better Information Sharing on Section 889 Compliance
According to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, the General Services Administration (GSA) and Department of War (DOW) have processes that support the prohibition on purchasing telecommunications and surveillance equipment from specific Chinese companies, as required by Section 889 of the FY19 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). However, that information is not shared with other federal agencies.
GSA uses automated processes to remove prohibited telecommunications equipment and services from Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contracts. Both GSA and DoW also provide tools to review contractor representations in the System for Award Management (SAM).
However, GAO found that GSA and DOW do not share information on subsidiaries and affiliates of the five prohibited companies with other federal agencies. Nor do they share information and practices for improving supply chain visibility across the federal government.
GAO made four recommendations to improve information sharing and help agencies address future statutory prohibitions, including upcoming restrictions on semiconductors. GSA and DOW concurred with the recommendations.
Off the Shelf: The latest developments in federal procurement policy
Jason Workmaster, member at Miller & Chevalier joins Off the Shelf to discuss several developments shaping federal procurement policy, law and operations. The conversation examines the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul, including whether changes to FAR Part 15 could reduce bid protest risk, as well as ongoing policy and contracting issues surrounding GSA’s Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program. Workmaster also discusses the use of eCommerce platforms for MAS orders, the role of bid protests in OTAs and Commercial Solutions Openings, and a recent decision addressing the constitutionality of relators under the Civil False Claims Act.
Listen to the full podcast here
Legal Corner: U.S. – Canada Trade War: Public Procurement
On September 8, 2026, President Trump announced on his “Truth Social” platform that he would direct that Canadian-origin products be removed from the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS). However, on September 16, 2026, the White House announced a broader review of Canadian access to U.S. government procurement — a new approach, focused on civilian agency procurements, which appeared to fold procurement issues into broader negotiations between the two nations. It is not yet clear whether GSA will proceed independently to remove Canadian-origin items from the MAS or will await a government-wide rulemaking as the President’s memorandum suggests. George Washington University Law Professor Christopher Yukins reviews these developments in this article.
Healthcare Spotlight: VA Previews Solicitation of 3 Year Enterprise AI Support Contract
NextGov reports that the Department of Veterans affairs has released a request for information on a potential three year Enterprise Artificial Intelligence Support Services contract. The contract will likely be firm-fixed prices for outcomes tied to performance requirements and cover third-party services including IT operations, discovery and adoption, role-based virtual training, training “champion” agency users, data connectivity, financial monitoring, and migration support. The third party services provider will partner with a first party supplier (to be determined in a separate procurement) to roll out enterprise AI capabilities through six rollouts to 540,000 provisional users.
The new RFI asks industry to weigh in on how VA could conduct a technical challenge as part of the evaluation. VA also wants feedback on the requirements, firm-fixed-price structure, staffing, subcontracting and pricing elements.
Responses are due by 10 a.m. Eastern time on Oct. 7.
CIO-SP4 Cancelled due to Contract Duplication
Federal News Network interviewed leadership of the National Institutes of Health Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC) about the decision to cancel Chief Information Officer Solutions and Partners 4 (CIO-SP4), a government wide acquisition contract (GWAC) managed by NITAAC.
In his first interview since the cancellation of CIO-SP4 in February, NITAAC director Ricky Clark said that the cancellation decision was due to overlap and redundancies with other GWACs. According to Clark, “… we found that there was better than 93% duplication for the contract holders that had either GSA multiple award schedule [contracts] or was part of the GSA family in some way compared to what we had. So essentially, we had the same contractor providing the same service, but just on different platforms.” Health IT was a key reason NITAAC established its niche, given the regulatory requirements and specialized guidance that were not readily available through other contract vehicles. However, health IT services are now more broadly available, including through GSA’s health IT special item numbers (SINs). As a result, Federal scope reviews of scope found that CIO-SP4 was no longer necessary due to NASA SEWP VI and GSA and that GSA can absorb a large quantity of NITAAC’s customers outside the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
HHS, GSA, and OMB have decided to sunset NITAAC as an independent organization. NITAAC will cease accepting new orders as of October 29 and all task orders must end by December 31, 2028. HHS orders will remain within the agency. Any period of performance beyond 2028 will be handled by a different part of HHS.
Briefing from GSA’s Assisted Acquisition Service (AAS), September 30
The Coalition’s GWAC/MAC Committee will host a meeting on September 30, at 10:00 AM (ET) with GSA’s Assisted Acquisition Services (AAS). Please join us for the opportunity to engage with the following members of the GSA AAS leadership team:
- Pete Burr, AAS Assistant Commissioner
- Erin Quick, AAS Deputy Assistant Commissioner
- Sam Clark, AAS Army Deputy Client Executive
- Jeff McMullan, Acting AAS Air Force/Navy/Space Force Client Executive
- Brooke Gill, AAS Air Force/Navy/Space Force Deputy Client Executive
- Corey Nickens, AAS Defense Client Executive
- Jim Piche, AAS Defense Deputy Client Executive
This level of participation from the AAS leadership team presents a fantastic opportunity for Coalition members to hear directly from senior AAS officials, engage in meaningful dialogue, and exchange perspectives on key AAS priorities and issues affecting government and industry. We greatly appreciate their strong commitment to this meeting, which also demonstrates AAS’ commitment to open dialogue and continued engagement with industry.
The meeting will be held at CACI in Reston, VA. (12021 Sunset Hills Road, Reston, VA, 20190). Given the strong participation from AAS, we encourage members to join us in person. Virtual attendance will also be supported.
To register, click here. For any assistance with registration, please contact Mady Whiting at mady.whiting@thecgp.org
Note: This is a members-only event. If you see a message that says “Registration Not Available” please log in using your member account.
Recording Now Available: Navigating OTAs & Other Non-Traditional Agreements
The recording is now available from the Coalition’s September 24 webinar discussing the latest developments in non-traditional procurement opportunities.
During the webinar with Covington & Burling Special Counsel Peter Terenzio and Associate Daniel Raddenbach provided important updates to the authorities that govern alternatives to traditional FAR-covered agreements, including Other Transaction Agreements, grants, and cooperative agreements. The presentation includes changes to the scope of the Department of War’s OTA authority and a proposed full rewrite of the regulations that govern federal financial assistance.
Coalition members can access the webinar recording through the Member Portal. For any assistance accessing the recording, please contact Mady Whiting at mady.whiting@thecgp.org.