The original implementation of DoD’s “Better Buying Power” initiative heavily promoted the use of Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract types. Many federal agencies adopted this approach with the intent to control costs and limit the Government’s risk exposure on acquisitions. This does not remove risk from the acquisition itself, and may not even reduce it. …
Continue reading “Three MORE Things to Consider When Choosing Contract Types”
Lately it may seem like training in the Federal sector is under fire. From last year’s post-GSA clampdown on travel, to this year’s sequestration-driven furloughs and budget cuts that leave less time and money, training is often moving to the bottom of the priority list. But should it? Most front-line folks would say no. …
Continue reading “PSC President: Six Ideas for the Future of Federal Sector Training”
Being a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) can add a whole list of tasks and activities to a manager’s already busy day-to-day responsibilities. A lot of time can pass from the date of certification as a COR to the time when a procurement request (PR) package is needed to acquire products and/or services to carry on …
Do not assume anything when you are writing a task order against an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. Why? Ever write a task order and miss something or miss ensuring the proper contract language rigor is included? For example, what happens when a task order is written against an IDIQ contract and language requiring …
Continue reading “Writing a Task Order Against an IDIQ – Make Sure You’re Covered!”
Blogs criticizing the misuse and overuse of Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) source selections for services will flood your search engine results in seconds. Because integrity matters, let’s step back and ask the tougher question: How can we effectively apply LPTA source selection to complex services? Can we raise the bar for technical acceptability?
Integrity Management Consulting and GovLoop are proud to present a 12-part series called “Conscientious Contracting: A Thoughtful Approach to Acquisition and Program Management,” that aims to address common challenges and achieve new efficiencies in government procurement. Integrity Matters will bring you occasional posts written by GovLoop’s Andrew Krzmarzick, featuring the expertise of Integrity subject matter experts and …
Continue reading “4 Ways Acquisition Professionals Should Engage With Industry”
Picture the acquisition process flow as a wheel. Around the wheel are the pre-award and award process, contract management and finally the contract close-out. Because Contracting Officer’s Representatives (CORs) may be involved in all aspects of the acquisition cycle, they operate as the linchpin that holds it all together. What would happen if you pulled …
Continue reading “Do CORs Matter in Your Agency? Why They Should”
Being “risk-averse” often means trying to completely eliminate risk, which is counter-productive and often impossible. Good managers embrace risk. Why? Because they know that setting up a proper risk management program up front can ultimately save time, money, and avoid potentially serious program execution problems. Think of it as building “sweat equity” into the investment. …
Continue reading “Why Your Program Should Tackle Risk Head On”
Integrity Management Consulting and GovLoop are proud to present a 12-part series called “Conscientious Contracting: A Thoughtful Approach to Acquisition and Program Management,” that aims to address common challenges and achieve new efficiencies in government procurement. Integrity Matters will bring you occasional posts written by GovLoop’s Andrew Krzmarzick, featuring the expertise of Integrity subject matter experts. It’s …
Recently the US Chief Information Officer (CIO) Steven Van Roekel (@stevenvdc) has been discussing the Federal Information Technology FY 2014 Budget Priorities on social media such as Twitter and elsewhere. In his budget priorities presentation, he discusses the shift towards Performance Based Budgeting (PBB). So what exactly is PBB? Sounds like a great buzzword, right? …
Continue reading “Performance Based Budgeting – Is it just another buzzword?”
