Backlog of Unawarded Contracts Continues to Grow
Daniel Snyder of Bloomberg Government talked with Federal News Radio about the growing backlog of unawarded contracts, contracts that are in the source selection stage but have not yet been awarded. In other words, the final solicitations have been issued, and final proposals from contractors are in, but the contract has not been awarded. Snyder said most of the contracts are in information technology, and total in the hundreds of billions of dollars.
Webinar: The Five Myths of Market Research
If done well, and at an early stage of a program or procurement, market research can be a critical aspect of achieving program outcomes and procurement goals. It can lead to better requirements that are aligned to market capabilities, improved competition, and reduced total cost of ownership, benefitting both government and suppliers. Join our webinar to upend conventional wisdom around market research, and how to drive superior outcomes.
Senate to Vote on Continuing Resolution
The Senate is likely to vote on a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government through April 28, 2017. As DefenseNews reports, the current version of the (CR) keeps the procurement of major weapons programs on track, though it faces a fight on the floor. Many senators, including Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said they would not vote for it. It would be the 20th year in a row when some form of a CR was passed, and CRs have often been cited as causing problems.
Webinar: Why Government Purchasing Must Fully Engage Suppliers
Working closely and effectively with suppliers is critical to public procurement success. In this one-hour webinar, Joseph Sandor, the Hoagland-Metzler Endowed Professor of Practice in Supply Management at the Eli Broad College of Business of Michigan State University, and Public Spend Forum’s Ash Bedi walk through some critical practices for realizing public procurement desired outcomes, and methods for leveraging supplier capabilities.
Workforce Solutions Alamo: A Procurement Bad Practices Case Study
David Wyld looks at the case of Workplace Solutions Alamo, the state and federally funded workforce assistance program that recently fired its CEO after allegations of abuse of the procurement system. Wyld notes that the CEO skirted the process often, and used intimidation to keep her employees quiet about it. She also hired a search firm for $28,000 while allegedly intending to hire a former colleague.