Strong headwinds forecast for 2010

The administration’s mandate to bring more work in-house will substantially change the acquisition status quo.

Tech projects to get big splash from second wave of stimulus spending

Technology spending will be a big part of a second wave of spending under the economic stimulus law, according to Edward DeSeve, special advisor to the Office of Management Budget and director for implementation of the Recovery Act.

Perot Systems wins $16M OMB contract

Perot Systems Government Services will provide information technology services to the Office of Management and Budget under a four-year contract that could be worth more than $16 million.

Federal Register goes XML -- at last

Readers can now browse, reorganize, and electronically customize the Federal Register's contents.

What kind of OFPP leader would Gordon be? Look at his track record

Judging by his history, GAO's Daniel Gordon will bring to the OFPP post a wealth of legal and procurement experience, as well as a reputation for candor and evenhandedness.

Government apps 'storefront' opens for business

An online storefront where federal agencies can purchase cloud computing technology was launched today.

Senate confirms new leader for White House regulatory efforts

The Senate has confirmed Cass Sunstein to head the powerful Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs that reviews agencies' final and proposed rules before they are published.

Agencies absorb contractor jobs without clear direction

A number of federal agencies are proceeding with insourcing efforts even though they haven't conducted performance or cost analysis of the benefits or offered a strategic vision of the agency’s workforce composition.

Regulators urged to lighten up on award-fee rules

Agencies urged regulators to avoid more burdensome rules and reporting requirements to see whether contractor award fees work.

New-age problem solver

Jason Khan, CTO and business development director at Touchstone Consulting Group, helps federal clients tackle tough privacy and security challenges of new technologies.

OMB wants employee, contractor balance

Agencies should find the best balance between contractors and employees in their workforces, the Office of Management and Budget says.

OMB to agencies: Start contractor reforms

OMB issued three memos today that outline $40 billion in savings on contract spending. It told agencies to cut seven percent from their budgets for contractors.

Fed CIO helps search for new procurement policy leader

Vivek Kundra said the OFPP administrator should understand the overall challenges in government procurement and be able to speed up the acquisition of rapidly changing technologies.

Who's on First?

Key IT and acquisition jobs remain unfilled in the Obama administration and even the rumormill is strangely quiet.

Chopra: Government must increase pace of Web 2.0

Federal agencies need to follow the lead of the public in using technology to collaborate and communicate, Federal CTO Aneesh Chopra says.

VA puts a hold on 45 IT projects

VA officials halted 45 information technology projects with a budget of $200 million that are behind schedule or over budget.

GAO rejects request to review HUBZone decisions

SBA and OMB contended GAO overreached its authority in ruling that HUBZone businesses should get priority over 8(a) small businesses and service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses.

Strong guidance needed for insourcing

The hot button issue of insourcing is creating unease, especially in the Defense Department, where weak guidance has produced a sense of confusion among the various components.

Agencies to share contractor past-performance assessments

A revised FAR rule requires agencies to use a standard database to share contractors' performance information with one another.

New virtualization solutions can cut desktop costs

Desktop virtualization aims to lower the costs and increase the security of desktop computers, but agencies must determine which approach — or combination of methods — best suits their needs.