Hard Bargain

• Kimberly Palmer
• March 15, 2005

OMB pushes measurement of contract costs, performance

"Earned value management" compares actual cost, planned cost and output.

• Kimberly Palmer
• March 14, 2005

Contractor wins $26.8 million Energy Department competition

Award marks largest Energy competition won by a contractor.

• Kimberly Palmer
• March 11, 2005

Financial management organization says quiet goodbye

As JFMIP disbands, executives focus on the way forward.

• Kimberly Palmer
• March 10, 2005

Agencies save by sharing back-office jobs

Report finds that two-thirds of government executives already have implemented shared services.

• Kimberly Palmer
• March 9, 2005

Congressmen probe contracts with Alaska native firms

Disadvantaged businesses receive government contracts without competition, reports say.

• Kimberly Palmer
• March 8, 2005

Companies providing acquisition help find themselves in high demand

Growth in strategic sourcing leaves agencies searching for acquisition experts and suppliers.

• Kimberly Palmer
• March 7, 2005

Agencies buy goods and services without GSA help

New acquisition strategy leads some departments to work directly with companies.

• Kimberly Palmer
• March 4, 2005

New buying method changes shoppers' job descriptions

Today’s procurement officials need a business and management background.

• Kimberly Palmer
• March 3, 2005

New software takes guesswork out of tough decisions

RAND professor develops a tool for people who disagree.

• Kimberly Palmer
• March 2, 2005

NAACP says agencies fail to implement anti-discrimination act

No FEAR Act data is missing and complaints are not taken seriously, critics say.

• Kimberly Palmer
• March 1, 2005

Acquisition panel considers ethics in contracting

Office of Government Ethics asks for procurement reform advisory committee for input on whether ethics rules should apply to contractors.

• Kimberly Palmer
• February 28, 2005

Labor union looks north for new members

As Bush administration policies clamp down on organized labor, Canada catches recruiters’ eyes.

• Kimberly Palmer
• February 25, 2005

Congress, Pentagon continue to fight over health care provision and job competitions

Rumsfeld questioned about whether Defense is implementing provision prohibiting it from favoring contractors that reduce costs by offering less comprehensive health coverage than federal employees get.

• Kimberly Palmer
• February 24, 2005

GAO issues last financial systems checklist

Responsibility for oversight of agency fnance efforts now shifts to OMB.

• Kimberly Palmer
• February 22, 2005

Agriculture employees win job competition through cost adjustments

Consideration of the price of converting to the private sector enabled in-house team to keep work.

• Kimberly Palmer
• February 17, 2005

Officials warn that more financial controls come with a price

Lawmakers question when agencies can begin auditing their internal controls.

• Kimberly Palmer
• February 16, 2005

Postal Service boosts internal controls

Voluntary compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act puts the Postal Service ahead of the game.

• Kimberly Palmer
• February 15, 2005

OMB may add 'strategic sourcing' to management agenda

Idea is to get agencies to leverage their buying power to get better deals on specific commodities.

• Kimberly Palmer
• February 14, 2005

Industry group defends interagency contracting

Contracts open to multiple agencies have come under fire, but they may save money, says head of Professional Services Council.

• Kimberly Palmer
• February 11, 2005