SmartContracting Daily Intel for Nov. 7, 2012

With the elections decided, today we start to look at what it all means and continue to examine at the issue of sequestration.

Government Executive: Obama’s victory gives management reformers breathing room

http://bit.ly/VDUaE3

USA Today: In wake of election, fiscal cliff emerges as No. 1 risk

http://usat.ly/Z02AEC

Bloomberg Businessweek: Top U.S. Weapons Buyer Says Pentagon Begins to Plan for Cuts 

http://buswk.co/VToxls

FCW: DOD's Kendall pushes data for better buying 

http://bit.ly/Z02KvO

Washington Technology: Welcome to the new era of corporate culture 

http://bit.ly/TLg1HF

DoD and PSC Agree on Role of Suspension and Debarment

It appears the Defense Department agrees with PSC’s views on how suspension and debarment should be used: as tools to protect the government, not as weapons to automatically punish contractors accused of wrongdoing.

In testimony before the Wartime Contracting Commission on March 28, Ash Carter, undersecretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, told the panel:

“There is a potential unintended consequence of turning suspensions and debarments from tools to protect the government’s interest into tools that automatically punish contractors…Such an approach may have a chilling effect on contractor cooperation in identifying and fixing real problems.”

Well said. PSC President and CEO Stan Soloway expressed similar sentiments in his latest Washington Technology column. In it, Soloway explains why the immediate suspension or debarment of contractors accused of wrongdoing runs counter to the basic tenets of due process and inappropriately shifts the role of suspension and debarment.

Smart Contractors Congratulate Smart Contractors, and Smart Public-Sector Partners too!

While some say the big winners of 2010 were revealed on Tuesday, smart contractors know that the year’s biggest winners were announced Wednesday night at the much anticipated 2010 Government Contractor Awards!

Nearly 1,000 people turned out to celebrate the industry and learn which companies would claim the title of “Contractor of the Year” and which executives would be crowned “Executive of the Year.”

And the winners are…

Smart Contracting Outlook: FY 2011 NDAA is a Mix of Smart and Not-so-smart Contracting Policies

The Professional Services Council’s own Stan Soloway and Alan Chvotkin briefed the media on our take of the House and Senate versions of the fiscal 2011 National Defense Authorization Act.

Conclusion: some provisions are smart contracting, others…not so much.

Take the House provisions on insourcing. The provision that prevents agencies from setting insourcing quotas: Smart. Agencies should think strategically before insourcing to ensure what is brought in house truly needs to be performed by the government to provide the essential “organic” capabilities needed to keep the government in the driver’s seat.

However, a provision telling agencies to insource any work currently contracted out or any new work, thus encouraging insourcing of non-strategic functions found in any phone book: Not smart. Budgets are already tight and hiring authorities are limited. Agencies shouldn’t be wasting time and money insourcing work that is not mission critical and won’t save taxpayer dollars.