White House Releases Plans for IT Modernization
Sep 5, 2017
A new IT modernization plan from the White House’s American Technology Council looks to leverage commercial cloud and industry best practices to improve government tech. The plan calls for federal agencies to detail in-process and planned cloud migration projects, and specifically asks the...
SDVOSB vs. AbilityOne: Major Court Ruling Stayed Pending Appeal
Sep 5, 2017
In May 2017, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) lodged another big win in their battle to enforce the statutory preferences for veteran-owned companies: the Court of Federal Claims held that the VA cannot buy products or services...
Leidos Receives Potential $98 Million Army Contract
Sep 1, 2017
Leidos was awarded a potential five-year, $98 million contract from the U.S. Army to perform scientific and administrative services in support of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). The company said it will assist CDMRP leaders and government program managers as well as...
Fourth Quarter IT Spending Blitz
Sep 1, 2017
As part of the overall spending rush that happens as the fiscal years comes to a close, budget uncertainty could be driving leaders to purchase more IT solutions. Matt Hummer, director of analytics at a market analyst company, suggests the end of year “use it or lose it” budget rules is the...
PPI Workshop on Innovation in Public Construction
Aug 31, 2017
eafip, the body that supports public authorities in better innovation procurements of ICT based solutions across the EU, is hosting a workshop on innovation procurement in public construction on 14th November in Prague. It is open to all public procurers and the aim is to highlight the benefits...
Cyprus Offers Training to Central Purchasing Body Officers to Enhance SME Inclusion
Aug 31, 2017
The European Office of Cyprus has announced the organisation of a training programme for central purchasing body officers to improve public procurement best practice. Two universities will receive funding for tuition fees, travel and accommodation and the training will focus on managing markets and...
National Health Service offers £20K per doctor finder fee to agencies
Aug 31, 2017
Jeremy Hunt – the UK health secretary – has pledged that doctors (GPs) will be available to the public 7 days a week by 2020. To fulfil that pledge the NHS has published a contract notice for agencies to find GPs, also from abroad, to fill the gaps. Recruitment agencies are being offered around...
Public Money and the Arts in Question
Aug 31, 2017
Public funding of ‘art’ and art-related activities has been coming under scrutiny in the UK this week. Scotland’s The Courier writes how “Creative Scotland awarded the part-time Duncan of Jordanstone lecturer £15,000 to see how living within Glasgow’s city boundaries for a year would...
Cyber Products Under Scrutiny With DHS Plan
Aug 31, 2017
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an updated continuous diagnostic and mitigation (CDM) supply chain risk management plan to help agencies be more confident in the cybersecurity products and services they are buying. Concerns about the federal IT supply chain increased over the last...
Trump, Congress Ensure Harvey Aid Spending
Aug 30, 2017
Taxpayers are likely to be asked to contribute to a Hurricane Harvey cleanup effort expected to last years and cost tens of billions of dollars in federal assistance. Congress already faces several quick deadlines when lawmakers return next week and will need to pass a new funding bill raising the...
OPM Authorizes Direct Agency Hiring in Wake of Hurricane Harvey
Aug 30, 2017
Due to the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Harvey, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is allowing agencies impacted by the storm to waive some hiring policies and recruit needed staff. In a recent memo, acting OPM Director Kathleen McGettigan authorized direct hiring authority for IT...
Failure to Timely File Comments Leads to Dismissed Protest
Aug 30, 2017
When my nephew started kindergarten, his vocabulary expanded to include a new phrase: “Rules are rules, and you have to follow the rules!” For my nephew (who, if I’m being honest, can be a bit mischievous), this newfound respect for following rules was adorable.
Government contractors should...
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Perspectives and Insights
We have some other written articles around the issues of lots and lotting (splitting up their contract requirements into smaller contracts), and …
One major trend over the past twenty years in public procurement has been the greater centralization of procurement activity. Conceptually and practically, collaborative procurement is …
Think you know all about public sector owned professional buying organisations (PBOs) and what they do? Here are ten interesting facts that might just surprise …
Policies and Regulations
A few months back, we published several articles about the very interesting – and somewhat shocking – court case around the UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning …
The Procurement of Innovation Platform aims to make public procurement of innovation a widespread reality in Europe. The Platform has been developed to help public …
Why Evaluation in Public Procurement is Important If the phrase “bid evaluation” makes you cringe, don’t worry: you’re not alone. If …