The Government Accountability Office recently upheld a first of its kind protest of a contract awarded under the non-traditional contracting methodology known as other transaction authority. The protest and GAO’s decision have stirred debate over the future of OTAs and their potential to fundamentally disrupt federal acquisition.
In one of its most noteworthy expansions of the General Schedules for routine purchasing, the General Services Administration on Tuesday announced full implementation of a streamlining option for agencies that need to add ancillary purchases to long-standing multiple-award contracts.
The so-called Order-Level Materials initiative, built around a January 2018 General Services Acquisition Regulation rule, is aimed at making it easier for customer agencies and industry partners to adjust existing deals for related products or services.
Source: GSA Streamlines General Schedules to Allow Ancillary Purchases – Management – GovExec.com
GSA plans a gradual rollout to test sales.
Source: Government’s Fast-Buying Service Takes Shape With First Customer
Have you been watching enviously as the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx), the Homeland Security Department’s Silicon Valley Innovation Program and various other exceptional entities have been able to snap up new technological wonders from Silicon Valley and elsewhere? Using what’s known as “other transaction agreements,” a blessed few government agencies have been able to circumvent onerous acquisition rules to quickly purchase innovative technologies.
The recently released president’s management agenda states that efforts to transform government through major acquisitions are hamstrung by processes that “remain captive to a risk-averse culture that rewards compliance over creativity.”
Source: Agencies Need to Take More Risks in Acquisition – Promising Practices – Management – GovExec.com
As the Senate Armed Services Committee on Monday began its markup of the fiscal 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, a contractors group was pushing committee leaders to reject a Pentagon proposal to curb time-consuming bid protests.
Source: Contractors Oppose Proposed Limit on Federal Bid Protests – Contracting – GovExec.com
Pentagon watchdog finds high turnover and poor training among contracting officials.
Source: Army Told to Improve Monitoring of Small Business Subcontracts – Contracting – GovExec.com
Most civilian agencies would see substantial decreases from 2017 spending.
Source: Agency-By-Agency Spending Levels Under Trump’s 2019 Budget – Management – GovExec.com
A Senate-proposed “loser pays” mandate on major contracts was watered down.
Source: Defense Authorization Bill Allows Pilot Program on Curbing Bid Protests – Defense – GovExec.com
Arrangement had caused concern at FEMA and on Capitol Hill.
Source: Puerto Rico Terminates Controversial Contract to Restore Its Power – Management – GovExec.com
