Oversight

Postal Service counts on Congress to get it out of a tight spot

Lawmakers say they’ll need more information before they can get behind a plan to reduce the number of delivery days.

Oversight

Posting information online could preempt FOIA requests

Technology can help agencies tackle new queries and backlogs, federal officials tell lawmakers.

Defense

Lawmakers: Facilities shouldn’t set their own security standards

D.C. delegate suggests establishing minimum requirements governmentwide so employees who “don’t know a hill of beans about security” aren’t making the rules.

Oversight

Agencies’ progress meeting FOIA transparency mandate mixed

Research institute finds more pressure and leadership from the administration are needed to make significant changes.

Oversight

Turning around negative view of government will take time, Obama official says

Strides in IT and human capital seen as key to improving program performance and gaining public trust.

Oversight

IG: Homeland Security isn’t awarding noncompetitive contracts by the book

Lack of market research and acquisition planning could mean DHS isn’t receiving the best value for taxpayers, watchdog says.

Oversight

Senator: Contracting provisions will be passed in next jobs bill

Landrieu says bipartisanship helped advance a measure to resolve long-standing small business contracting problems.

Oversight

Procurement policy office surveys agencies on tax-delinquent contractors

Federal officials’ responses are due by March 17.

Oversight

Administration takes first crack at controversial women’s procurement program

SBA’s proposed rule increases number of industries in which women-owned firms are considered underrepresented.

Trends

Securing the Danger Zone

Diplomatic Security chief Eric Boswell is on his second tour in the job, and much has changed.

Oversight

Bad press makes contracting an unattractive field, professor says

The acquisition workforce is one issue Defense procurement reform panel will address in forthcoming report.

Oversight

Homeland Security contractors outnumber civilian employees

Senators call the department’s reliance on the private sector “unacceptable, untenable and unsustainable.”

Oversight

Iraq watchdog proposes new agency to manage reconstruction

An office of contingency operations is necessary to improve coordination, special inspector general says.

Oversight

Coming soon: Revamped spending Web site and more

Performance chief Jeff Zients says IT tools will increase accountability and improve data quality.

Oversight

Senator cites progress in Afghanistan contract oversight

Agencies have better acquisition-monitoring systems in Afghanistan than they did in Iraq, Missouri Democrat says following a visit.

News

High-priority performance goals don’t draw additional budget dollars

Agencies expected to ‘do more with less,’ OMB says.

Oversight

Contractors welcome military surge in Afghanistan

Some have been expected to work in areas not yet cleared by U.S. soldiers.

Oversight

Obama’s $3.8 trillion budget slashes 120 programs

Terminating or reducing funding for those programs would save more than $20 billion, White House officials say.

Oversight

Administration outlines performance management strategy

Budget includes agency-identified, high-priority performance goals for the first time.

Oversight

Budget likely will target agencies’ top performance goals

Objectives identified by agencies played role in cuts, increases to federal programs.