OMB considers NIAP for software certifications

The software certification role of National Information Assurance Partnership might expand from defense and national security agencies to all federal agencies, a White House official tells Congress.

GSA hires three small firms for EA support contract

The General Services Administration has awarded the government's highest profile enterprise architecture support contract to three small firms.

DHS moves forward with rule on liability

Technology companies will soon be able to apply for liability protection under the Safety Act.

Sprint avoids GSA debarment

The General Services Administration's Agency Suspension and Debarment Official has decided not to propose debarment of Sprint Corp.

Nuevo: FirstGov to launch in Spanish

The General Services Administration next week will officially launch FirstGov en Español, the government's first and only Spanish-language information Web portal.

Survival guide: David Walker, comptroller general of the GAO

If the General Accounting Office is the government's watchdog agency, then David Walker is the GAO's big dog.

Buy Lines:Contract in trouble? Don't ditch it ? transform it

As contractor and government teams prepare and evaluate proposals, we are reminded that federal agencies increasingly depend on contractors to fulfill their missions. But what can be done when the contract isn't going well, and the contractor and government teams find themselves in situations that aren't working?

SmartBuy a tough sell

A top House lawmaker is pressing the General Services Administration to move forward with the SmartBuy enterprisewide software licensing program. The Office of Management and Budget has said SmartBuy will save more than $100 million annually, but GSA faces resistance from agencies and contractors that question how the program will work and whether they will benefit from it.

Groups fight identity fraud

After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when authorities learned that seven of the 19 hijackers held Virginia driver's licenses, the state immediately moved to crack down on loopholes. Other states followed suit, and it appeared for a time that Congress would take steps to ensure the states could collaborate in preventing driver's license fraud.

OMB hails competitive sourcing progress

A new report contends federal agencies are in a better position than ever to compete federal jobs with the private sector.

Amendment limits no-bid Iraq contracts

The Senate moves to require that new Iraqi construction contracts be awarded competitively, unless the contracting agency publicly justifies a sole source or limited-bid contract.

GSA reopens E-Travel procurement

The General Services Administration has decided to reopen the solicitation for its E-Travel initiative rather than defend its actions to the General Accounting Office.

New procurement rules debut

The Defense Department will change the way it buys services, and all federal agencies will be allowed to use share-in-savings contracting for information technology work, according to procurement rule changes announced today.

Federal IT systems, Web privacy policy issued

In an effort to better protect personal data collected by the federal government, the Office of Management and Budget orders privacy assessments on all new IT systems and those undergoing major changes.<br>

Board tells GSA to let eight GWACs expire

A panel of GSA officials has recommended that eight governmentwide acquisition contracts should expire.

FTS aims to erase procurement weaknesses

The General Services Administration has put together a four-step plan to improve procurement oversight and training at regional Federal Technology Service offices.

Putnam asks GSA to clarify progress on SmartBuy

Rep. Adam Putnam is questioning the General Services Administration about why it is taking so long to get the SmartBuy enterprisewide software license buying initiative under way.

Amendment would require competition on Iraq contracts

Contracts for rebuilding Iraq would have to be awarded through full and open competition, according to an amendment lawmakers said they plan to add to an upcoming supplemental appropriations bill.

GAO: Geospatial sharing insufficient

Although agencies are deploying geospatial information systems to help battle wildlife fires, more interagency communications are needed to get their full value, according to a new federal report.

Bill would require guard from threats due to file sharing

Proposed legislation would require federal agencies to protect their computers and information from the security risks of peer-to-peer file sharing programs.