With the Senate’s passage of the NDAA this week, we are approaching the finish line for this critical piece of legislation. This conference agreement undertakes needed reform, and the process leading to it should be lauded as an example of bipartisan cooperation across the Congress. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed that this process continues.
The Coalition is excited to announce the 2015 Excellence in Partnership (EIP) Award Winners! The EIP Awards were developed 16 years ago to honor individuals and organizations in the acquisition community that have made significant contributions to the procurement system while providing best value to the taxpayer. The EIP Lifetime Acquisition Excellence Award is the
As we approach the fiscal year deadline, the chances of another government shutdown have grown. The most recent federal government shutdown occurred in 2013. It lasted seventeen days, and not many people were happy with the end result. This approach to appropriations may not be the way to “run a railroad,” but FAR & Beyond
I can’t believe we’re just over four weeks away from our 2015 Excellence in Partnership Awards & Fall Training Conference, taking place on the evening of October 21st and all day on October 22nd. This two day event will be held at the Westin Tysons Corner in Falls Church, VA and discounted room rates are available
As students return to school and Congress returns to Capitol Hill, there is a feeling of anticipation in the air. Some might attribute this feeling to the autumnal equinox arriving in less than two weeks, and others might associate it with the expected flurry of legislative activity surrounding the end of the government fiscal year.
On July 31st, GSA issued a Class Deviation to “mitigate the legal risk of incorporating into GSA contracts common Commercial Supplier Agreement (CSA) terms and conditions that conflict with or are incompatible with Federal law.” As I explain below, the impacts of this deviation cannot be understated. The deviation establishes a new GSAR Clause 552.212-4,
Could yesterday’s weather have been any better? Joe Caggiano was certainly smiling down on us as we enjoyed a perfect day and the beautiful Whiskey Creek golf course at this week’s Third Annual Joseph P. Caggiano Memorial Golf Tournament. As a veteran himself, Joe would have been proud that this year’s proceeds are once again
On August 10, 2015, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released Report No. GAO-15-590, FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULES: More Attention Needed to Competition and Prices. The report examines (1) how and to what extent the government is using the FSS program; (2) factors influencing the degree of competition for FSS orders, and (3) the extent to which
In policy pronouncements and public statements over the last year, the Department of Defense (DoD) emphasized, as a strategic imperative, gaining access to, and leveraging, innovative commercial technologies. For instance, on April 9th of this year, DoD issued Better Buying Power 3.0 – Achieving Dominant Capabilities through Technical Excellence and Innovation, and among the
On July 14th GSA issued an Request for Information (RFI) seeking feedback on a revised list of Leading Edge Technologies (LETS) for the Alliant 2 Unrestricted and Small Business Set-Aside procurements. The RFI indicated that GSA is considering reducing the 17 LETS identified in the original draft Request for Proposal (RFP) to ten. The RFI