June 2018 – Page 8 – Government Aggregator

SBA May Eliminate 8(a) Joint Venture Approvals – SmallGovCon

Published on June 14, 2018 in Blog by The Aggregator

The SBA is considering eliminating the requirement that contractors obtain the SBA’s prior approval to joint venture for 8(a) contracts.

There’s no doubt that eliminating the approval requirement would reduce burdens and expenses for 8(a) companies and their joint venture partners–but it could also lead to an uptick in sustained protests against 8(a) joint ventures.

Source: SBA May Eliminate 8(a) Joint Venture Approvals – SmallGovCon

How SOCOM acquisitions try to be as agile as its warfighters

Published on June 12, 2018 in Blog by The Aggregator

It’s not easy riding the bleeding edge of warfighter technology and capabilities. But that’s what U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) does consistently. And it does so by fostering an acquisition team that’s as specialized, disruptive and agile as the operators themselves.

“We are paying very close attention to any developments, because in the cycle of warfare, there is always new technologies and new counter-technologies that occur,” Lt. Gen. Marshall B. “Brad” Webb, commander of U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command, said on Agency in Focus: SOCOM.

Source: How SOCOM acquisitions try to be as agile as its warfighters

Industry awaits JEDI while $8B DEOS project also releases this month

Published on June 12, 2018 in Blog by The Aggregator

Now that the Pentagon’s Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) contract has been delayed, it’s possible that government IT vendors may be faced with responding to the two largest cloud computing contracts in the department’s history in the span of one month. And between the two multibillion-dollar contracts, there will be only two winners.

Source: Industry awaits JEDI while $8B DEOS project also releases this month

Settlement Reached on Contractor Use of Front Companies to Satisfy Small-Business Goals

Published on June 12, 2018 in Blog by The Aggregator

The Tri-City Herald is reporting today that one of the (former) contractors engaged in cleaning up nuclear waste at DoE’s Hanford facility Washington Closure Hanford (WCH), has reached a settlement with the Justice Department over its use of front companies to meet its small business subcontracting goals. WCH is owned by AECOM, Jacobs Engineering, and Bechtel. The reporting did not state the settlement amount. Previously, a subcontractor and two lower-tier subcontractors have settled their parts in the schemes for about $2.2 million.

Source: PNWC’s Government Contracting Update: Settlement Reached on Contractor Use of Front Companies to Satisfy Small-Business Goals

Governments Spending More on Educating Children with Special Needs | GovWin+Onvia

Published on June 12, 2018 in Blog by The Aggregator

The market for state, local, and education (SLED) government contracting is one that offers opportunities in a vast number of industries – and some are growing faster than others. That’s why our recent special report 10 Hotspots in Government Contracting for 2018 highlighted some of the fastest areas of government spending growth, including educating children with special needs.

Based on data from the GovWin+Onvia platform, our analysts found that special education bids and RFPs rose by 32% in 2017 from 2016.

Source: Governments Spending More on Educating Children with Special Needs | GovWin+Onvia

2019 NDAA – Consent to Subcontract Under Approved Purchasing Systems

Published on June 12, 2018 in Blog by The Aggregator

What good is having an approved purchasing system if contracting officers keep second-guessing the results of the process? You know, like telling the contractor a subcontract price is too high based on nothing more than a desire to clout – to show who’s boss.

Source: PNWC’s Government Contracting Update: 2019 NDAA – Consent to Subcontract Under Approved Purchasing Systems

Larry Allen: Protest highlights limits of fast-moving OTAs in contracts

Published on June 12, 2018 in Blog by The Aggregator

A recent protest case seemed to show the limits of a practice known as other transaction authority, or OTA — a way for agencies to do fast acquisitions yet work with the regulations. But the Government Accountability Office said no to an OTA for cloud services worth $900 million. Larry Allen, president of Allen Federal Business Partners, joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin to discuss what this might mean to the market.

Source: Larry Allen: Protest highlights limits of fast-moving OTAs in contracts

Technology Modernization Fund Board Doesn’t Want Boring Proposals – Nextgov

Published on June 12, 2018 in Blog by The Aggregator

Agencies that want a shot at funding had better make their proposals interesting.

Source: Technology Modernization Fund Board Doesn’t Want Boring Proposals – Nextgov

Contracting Officer Decisions Must be Based on Facts, Not Innuendo

Published on June 8, 2018 in Blog by The Aggregator

DHS (Department of Homeland Security) issued an RFP (Request for Proposal) for a company to help with management and support services. During the evaluation process, DHS eliminated one of the offerors, Archimedes Global, Inc (AGI) because of an “alleged” OCI (Organizational Conflict of Interest). AGI protested its elimination from consideration on the grounds the OCI did not exist.

Source: PNWC’s Government Contracting Update: Contracting Officer Decisions Must be Based on Facts, Not Innuendo

Modernization Board Awards Half Its First Year Funding to Three Projects – Nextgov

Published on June 8, 2018 in Blog by The Aggregator

The Technology Modernization Fund Board awarded almost half of its initial funding to three federal modernization programs Thursday.

Source: Modernization Board Awards Half Its First Year Funding to Three Projects – Nextgov

June 2018 - page 8

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