Senators again try for small business parity

Proposal would strip HUBzone businesses of their special standing among small businesses.

GSA tries wiki approach to develop RFPs

The General Services Administration wants public commment on requests for proposals, but blogger Steve Kelman wonders whether the public take the agency up on it.

GSA leader on where social media meets procurement

The General Services Administration can tap the wisdom of the crowds, but it still lacks needed policies to do it well, administrator Martha Johnson says.

GSA solicits wisdom of the crowd for acquisition improvements

General Services Administration officials are testing collaboration and using social media to improve the federal acquisition process.

GSA now on the fast track, top exec says

Martha Johnson, new administrator of the General Services Administration, outlines her priorities.

A practical way to spice things up for new contracting employees

Give high-school grads some of the routine work, so the specialists can engage their minds with bigger challenges.

Contractors' hiring options would get squeezed by new Labor rule

A trade organization for federal contractors is opposing a Labor Department proposed rule that would require new service contractors to offer jobs to some workers from the predecessor contract.

Federal Acquisition Service gets new acting commissioner

Steve Kempf will become acting commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service after current commissioner Jim Williams retires April 3.

GSA's Williams disputes IG charge of missed contract discounts

Williams said GSA has no evidence of a widespread problem of vendors submitting incorrect invoices.

OMB falls short on USASpending.gov data, GAO says

OMB has not included subcontracting award data on USAspending.gov and has no specific plan for collecting such data.

Procurement panel slams price reduction clause for services

The Multiple Award Schedule Advisory Panel offers 20 recommendations on how to improve GSA Schedules program.

Federal court gives HUBZone program priority

The Small Business Act makes it mandatory, not optional, to give HUBZone companies a preference over other small businesses, a judge rules.

Customs at odds with DHS IG over report on small-biz goals

Officials at Customs and Border Protection say a draft report by the inspector general contains 'misstatements of fact and inaccuracies that are misleading.'

GSA's Drabkin heads to Northrop Grumman

David Drabkin will be Northrop Grumman's director for acquisition policy.

SBA proposed rule directs set-aside contracts to women-owned firms

A proposed rule is designed to help agencies award 5 percent of federal contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses.

SBA tries again to help women-owned businesses get contracts

The Small Business Administration today proposed a procurement set-aside rule that would give women business-owners more opportunities in federal contracting.

SBA proposes subtraction rule to contracting goals

Agencies must subtract contract awards from small-business award totals if, even after the award, SBA concludes the firm isn’t eligible to be considered small

House panel links acquisition reforms to people

After a year of hearings, the chairman of a House panel on Defense Department acquisition reforms says DOD must develop new regulations for hiring and building up a civilian acquisition workforce.

DHS too timid with debarment hammer, IG says

DHS Inspector General Richard Skinner is accusing department acquisition officials of being "reluctant" to initiate debarment and suspension actions against contractors.

Senate bill takes aim at HUBZone fraud

The bill seeks to ensure that only eligible firms participate in the HUBZone program.