Showing posts with label NDAA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NDAA. Show all posts

Friday, September 6, 2013

PSC Responds to Rules Expanding Executive Compensation Cap Coverage

PSC, through the Council of Defense and Space Industry Associations (CODSIA), on August 26, responded to interim and proposed FAR rules to implement the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act provision requiring the cap on executive compensation to apply to all employees performing under defense contracts.

The two sets of comments, available here and here raised concerns that the interim and proposed rules improperly applied the expansion to contracts that were forged before the law expanding coverage went into effect on December 31, 2011. Such retroactive applications would cause the government to breach all contracts established before the effective date, CODSIA said. In addition, CODSIA said that, contrary to the rules’ Regulatory Flexibility Act statements, the rules did impose a burden on contractors, particularly small businesses, to maintain more than one billing rate structure for 2012, 2013, and possibly several years into the future. Many systems are not designed or configured to process different rates for the same work, the comments said.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

SmartContracting Daily Intel for Jan. 8, 2013



Happy Tuesday! In today's news...

Washington Post: Obama statement concerns whistleblower advocates, but will it have much impact? 

Federal News Radio: Top 3 for 2013 - Stan Soloway on procurement trends 

The Hill: Defense industry fears sequestration delay won't stop Pentagon cuts

Washington Post: Obama’s failure to nominate women for two top Cabinet posts questioned

Federal News Radio: Obama defense pick faces rough going in Senate


Thursday, December 20, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for Dec. 20, 2012


Happy Holidays! This will be our last Daily Intel post until 2013. Check back with us again in the new year for more news you can use from PSC! 

Washington Post: Defense bill draws varied reviews from employees, contractors, whistleblowers 

FCW: 8 acquisition provisions in the defense bill

Federal News Radio: OMB delaying budget passback guidance, creating uncertainty

Washington Post: Republican House leaders try to build support for Boehner’s ‘Plan B’

The Atlantic: Do the United States and China Need a Cybersecurity Hotline?

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

NDAA Conference Report Addresses Top PSC Concerns


The conference version of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act addressed three of the Professional Services Council’s top concerns about the bill. 

Sec. 955 (formerly Senate Sec. 341): Rather than mandating civilian and contractor workforce reductions at a set ratio, as Senate Sec. 341 required, the new provision gives the Defense Department needed flexibility to develop an efficiency plan to adjust civilian and contractor staffing to meet the department’s actual needs. 

Sec. 864 (formerly Senate Sec. 842): Rather than arbitrarily set the allowable compensation cost limits contractors could be reimbursed for at the salary levels of the Vice President, as Senate Sec. 842 would have imposed, Sec. 864 smartly requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a comprehensive study of the effects reducing compensation reimbursements would have on the department, it’s industrial base, and contractor employees. 

Sec. 832 (formerly Senate Sec. 843): Rather than grant the Defense Contract Audit Agency unlimited access to defense contractor internal audit reports and working papers, as Senate Sec. 843 provided, Sec. 832 ensures that DCAA cannot use internal audits and supporting materials for purposes other than assessing risk and evaluating the efficacy of contractor internal controls and the reliability of associated contractor business systems. The new provision also denies auditors the ability to disapprove a system based on internal audit information alone.

SmartContracting Daily Intel for Dec. 19, 2012


In today's news:

Washington Technology: 5 questions to derail an LPTA procurement

FCW: How to lessen sequestration's impact 

The Hill: Panetta makes last-minute bid against 'needless' DOD programs in defense bill

Washington Post: Fiscal Cliff Q&A: How cuts have hit, and may hit, federal workers

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

PSC Asks NDAA Conference Committee to Drop Arbitrary Cuts Provision


The Professional Services Council asked the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act conference committee to drop a Senate provision that would impose arbitrary reductions on the civilian and contractor workforces at the Defense Department, in a December 14 letter.

The provision, Section 341, directs the Defense Department to implement a plan to reduce funding for both DoD civilian and contractor personnel by at least the same percentage as the planned reduction in funding for military personnel between 2012 and 2017.

“PSC opposes the imposition of arbitrary reductions in the civilian and contractor workforces in Section 341 and believes that requiring DoD to make equal cuts across its blended workforce deprives the department of the ability to make strategic decisions about how to best meet its mission needs,” PSC President and CEO Stan Soloway said in the letter.

Under the current law, DoD is required to determine the most appropriate and cost-efficient mix of military, civilian and contractor personnel needed to perform its mission. While not perfect, the policy does allow DoD to access the skills they need, which the arbitrary cuts required by Section 341 would deny. 

“In a budget constrained environment Congress should be reinforcing DoD’s ability to make strategic decisions about its workforce needs and how best to balance its reliance on military personnel, DoD civilians, and contractors,” Soloway said. “Such flexibility is necessary as the mission needs of the department change.”

Friday, November 30, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for Nov. 30, 2012

Happy Friday! We close out November and send you into the weekend with a round-up of today's news you can use. 

Washington Technology: Sequestration's impact already here 

Bloomberg: Veterans Agency Can Ignore Vets Status in Contract Awards

Federal News Radio: White House threatens to veto Senate Defense bill

FCW: Can the next Congress get up to speed on cyber legislation?

Washington Technology: What 5 contracts will reshape the market?

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for June 19, 2012

After a brief hiatus, we're back with the latest procurement news you can use. 

FCW: Defense bill dilutes agencies' business judgment, experts say 

Washington Post: Small cloud companies struggling to secure federal contracts, certification

Washington Post: Amazon spreads its Web in Washington

Washington Post: Smaller defense programs need a closer look, too

FCW: Myth-busters program covers government, industry

Federal Times: OMB issues guidance for incremental IT development

FCW: DATA Act slammed for lacking transparency

Friday, June 15, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for June 15, 2012


In today's news...

Federal News Radio: Contractors play central role in State-run mission in Iraq

Government Executive: Contractors object to parts of Defense authorization bills

Federal News Radio: Vendors start to see contracts slowing down with sequestration looming

Federal News Radio: Suspension, debarment a 'business decision' for agencies

FCW: Senators back off call for automatic contractor suspensions

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for June 6, 2012


In today's news...

Bloomberg Business Week: Senators Seek Reduction in Pentagon Pay for Contractors

Wall Street Journal: Defense Chiefs Signal Job Cuts 
http://on.wsj.com/LA1atn (subscription required)

Bloomberg Government: U.S. Contract Spending Drops From Historic High 
http://bit.ly/LacOMt (subscription required) 

FCW: Senate defense bill takes first steps to undo sequestration

FCW: Senate committee encourages reverse auctions

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for May 22, 2012


After a brief hiatus, we're back with your rundown of news you can use about the government contracting industry. 

Washington Times: Defense contractors eye cuts to jobs, plants 

Washington Post: Doubling direct foreign aid could bite U.S. vendors

Defense News: Dispute Brews Over Changes to Commercial Acquisition Process

Federal News Radio: OMB directs agencies to cut 5 percent from 2014 budgets

Washington Post: Tension is common in federal employee-contractor relationships | #FedBuzz

Federal News Radio: House OKs $642 billion defense bill

Thursday, May 17, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for May 17, 2012

In today's news...

Government Executive: Obama procurement chief nominee clears Senate panel

FCW: VA's Frye stirs debate with reverse auction explanation

Washington Post: White House’s cybersecurity official retiring

Washington Business Journal: Defense authorization bill could bar private security contractors from Afghanistan

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for May 16, 2012


In today's news...

Washington Business Journal: Central Contractor Registration system to shut down May 23

Washington Business Journal: White House opposes measure to up small business contracting goals

FCW: Defense bill could alter approach to suspension and debarment

Associated Press (via Federal News Radio): White House threatens veto of House defense bill http://bit.ly/J8f4p3

Foreign Policy: Flournoy: Defense sequestration won’t be solved until after election

Reuters: Senate committee approves seven Pentagon nominees

FCW: DOD’s proposed acquisition rule changes faltering in Congress

Federal News Radio: Big Data creates big challenges for agencies

Bloomberg Government (via Federal News Radio): Big MACs: Fixed Price Deals Lag

Monday, May 14, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for May 14, 2012


After a brief hiatus, we’re back with all the news you can use about the federal government and its procurement system. 


Washington Post: Pentagon to expand cybersecurity program for defense contractors

Washington Technology: Defense bill brings insights to insourcing

Federal News Radio: House drops DoD request to change definition of commercial products

Federal Times: Amid veto threat, House passes spending bill

Federal Times: Agencies press vendors to cut prices - or else 

AoL Government: Testimony Points To Innovation As Remedy To Tech Challenges

Government Executive: OMB instructs agencies to further cut travel and conferences

Washington Post: Minority contracts fall for first time in decade


Wednesday, May 9, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for May 9, 2012


In today's news...

Federal Times: New rule would protect jobs of many contractor employees 

FCW: DOD could lose funding over service contract inventories

FCW: Defense Authorization begins its long journey through the House

FCW: Defense bill would boost small business contracting goal

The Hill: GOP lawmakers split as House votes down $1.4B in spending cuts

Government Executive: Cabinet secretaries jab the media and Congress

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for May 8, 2012



In today's news...

Washington Post: Republicans seek to add more in defense spending

CQ: Defense Authorization Provision Would Prohibit Use of Afghan Contractors to Protect U.S. Troops
http://bit.ly/JtTmrT (subscription required)

CQ: House GOP’s Plan to Avert ‘Sequester’ Takes Step Forward 
http://bit.ly/IICf9E (subscription required)

Daily Caller: Government ‘insourcing’ is financially and ethically wrong

Federal News Radio: Defense bill lets feds in national security jobs rotate between agencies

AOL Government: Cybersecurity: Top Secret System Compromised

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for May 1, 2012


Everyday SmartContracting brings you the news intel you may have missed regarding our industry.  In today's news...

Defense News: DoD Seeks New Commercial Buying Rules

Federal Times: News Digest: Industry group opposes new research center 

FCW: Industry wants agencies in control, not mandates 

New York Times: Agency Scandal Highlights Conference Contracts

Federal News Radio: FAA's low marks cast more doubt on 'NextGen': BGOV Insight

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for April 18, 2012


Everyday SmartContracting brings you the news intel you may have missed regarding our industry.

Federal Times: War-zone contractors subject to more suspensions, debarments

FCW: Contracting reforms could come in the next defense authorization bill

Financial Times (London): Cuts force rethink for defence contractors 
http://on.ft.com/I2atTn (free registration required)

Washington Business Journal: A third phase of myth-busting effort to guide agency procurement practices

Politico: Details of appropriations bills begin to emerge

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for April 10, 2012


Everyday SmartContracting brings you the news intel you may have missed regarding our industry.   

Defense News: Sequestration Could Be Left To Lame-Duck U.S. Congress

CQ: House Panels Plan Markups of Defense Authorization Bill (subscription required)

NextGov: Feds work out the bugs in top secret telework

Government Executive: Many public workers agree they have it better than private sector peers

Washington Technology: DoD struggles to limit contractors to appropriate jobs, GAO finds

Federal News Radio: DoD awarding vet-owned contracts to ineligible firms, IG finds

Monday, December 13, 2010

Insourcing Implementation So Far Proves Not Smart Contracting

First, Defense Secretary Gates questioned insourcing at the Defense Department after he found that this initiative had not achieved the intended savings. Now a second administration official is questioning agency insourcing actions.

According to the Dec. 13 edition of Capital Business (the Washington Post’s business weekly), OFPP Administrator Dan Gordon indicated that agencies misunderstood OMB’s guidance and brought work in house to meet quotas, regardless of whether doing so saved money, increased efficiencies or improved internal management capabilities.

“We do not view insourcing as a goal,” Gordon said, according to the Post account of his Dec. 10 speech. “What we’re doing is rebalancing our relationship with contractors.” In this rebalancing effort, the administration wants to convert “targeted, limited numbers of positions” to public sector performance, the Post reported.

The Post quotes Gordon as saying:

“No corporation would agree to have somebody else running their entire operations…There are far too many situations where we have yielded control of our own missions…to contractors. That needs to be fixed, but it doesn’t require massive insourcing.”