Oversight

NASA contractors get help finding new jobs

Labor provides $5.3 million grant to help Texans affected by retirement of the space shuttle program.

Defense

Lawmaker finds Defense IG is doing less with more

Watchdog is drifting off-topic and publishing fewer reports despite a staff increase, report says.

Oversight

Plea agreement for ex-special counsel in limbo

At hearing, judge raises questions about whether Scott Bloch must serve a minimum of a month in jail.

Defense

Defense insourcing to continue at military services

Pentagon allows thousands of job conversions to proceed despite a reported lack of savings, sparking outcry from contractors.

Oversight

Defense contractor employee pleads guilty to bribery

Dorothy Ellis is the latest to be ensnared in a bid-rigging probe at an Army base in Kuwait.

Oversight

BP oil spill proves fertile ground for procurement

Federal agencies have spent almost $126 million in Gulf Coast contracts.

Trends

Charge It

GSA designs office supply contracts to reach more buyers for less money.

Defense

Improper time-and-materials contracts prove costly

IG raps Army for lack of competition, weak oversight for war zone work.

Oversight

FAR Council to hear tribal concerns about new sole-source law

Some fear justification rule for contracts of more than $20 million could hinder Native American firms.

Oversight

Small businesses net bigger share of contracts

New report shows total spending up, but government once again missed its 23 percent goal.

Oversight

Agencies are getting too attached to incumbent contractors, watchdog finds

Narrow project requirements that favor one firm are another reason federal contracts are less competitive than they could be, GAO says.

Management

Push and Pull

White House mulls the option of posting contract documents online to improve transparency.

Defense

Lockheed on board with Pentagon cost-cutting initiative

Government’s biggest contractor says it’s working to reduce inefficiencies and cut overhead expenses.

Oversight

Civilian agencies feel contracting pinch

Agencies watch their wallets and bring work back in-house.

Defense

Young arms dealer gets into more trouble

Efraim Diveroli, who delivered faulty munitions to Afghan security forces through a Pentagon contract, is arrested again on firearms charges.

News

Former NASA chief of staff pleads guilty to conspiracy charge

Courtney Stadd conspired with an agency official to direct a $600,000 contract to a consulting client.

Defense

Watchdog raps Homeland Security for conference fees

Inspector general instructs department to return more than $200,000 to the Treasury.

Defense

Removing all private security firms from Afghanistan could be difficult

Obama administration officials argue that four-month deadline might be overly aggressive.

Defense

Report finds gaps in Gulf Coast small biz contracting

GAO says locally based small firms received less than 14 percent of contracts to recover from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Oversight

Court rules against government, again, in small business parity

Federal Claims judge finds the Air Force violated the law when it did not give a HUBZone firm priority.