Oversight

Administration touts rapid stimulus spending on transportation projects

Federal agencies have helped states exceed Recovery Act goals, officials say.

Oversight

Stimulus guidance calls for more detailed reporting

Subrecipients, vendors will have to provide detailed information on how Recovery Act dollars are spent.

Oversight

Data shows Alaska native firms do most of their work in other states

Representative of the corporations says it is misleading to focus on where they are based or perform projects.

Oversight

Industry concerned over details of contracting reforms

Contractor groups urge against going overboard on fixed-price contracts and on bringing jobs back in-house.

News

Senate committee moves top management nomination forward

Full Senate will now consider Jeffrey Zients for OMB spot.

Features

Big Spenders

Government’s top procurement officials scramble to award unprecedented amounts of contract funds.

Oversight

OMB will allow agencies to set their own performance priorities

Move shows administration is learning from the mistakes of its predecessors, one observer says.

Oversight

Acquisition reform group warns government not to rush insourcing

Report says agencies could lose contractors’ valuable skills if conversion is not managed properly.

Oversight

OMB releases hiring reform, budget guidelines

Agencies must report to the administration within the next six months on efforts to simplify the federal hiring process and reduce spending.

Defense

Lawmakers criticize management of Kabul embassy security contract

Senators grill State officials on decision to retain guard company, despite repeated complaints about its performance.

Oversight

GOP lawmakers question stimulus job creation statistics

House members ask Obama to explain the administration’s methods of calculating the number of jobs saved or created under the Recovery Act.

Oversight

Management nominee backs performance, accountability measures

Jeffrey Zients vows to take a collaborative approach to program assessments and increase the use of performance information in budget decisions.

Oversight

GSA nominee clears panel, awaits full Senate vote

Leaders of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee lavish praise on Martha Johnson.

Oversight

GSA nominee vows to repair relationship with inspector general

Former administrator says striking balance between management and oversight remains a challenge.

News

Pendulum swings

News

The Specter of Lurita

News

Winning the hearts and minds... with Twitter?

News

Semantics

News And Analysis

The Price Is Right

Cost estimation is becoming a hot-button topic as the Pentagon tries to keep ballooning contracts in check.

Oversight

Homeland Security reviews contractor-federal employee balance

Service contracts worth more than $1 million will be examined to ensure the private sector isn’t performing work best left to civil servants.