Tuesday, March 27, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for March 27, 2012


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

Washington Post: Subcontractors take contractors to court

Washington Post: House plan envisions partial federal hiring freeze

FCW: Is security the real problem for an intelligence community cloud?

FCW: Congress to overhaul federal cybersecurity laws

AOL Government: White House Cyber Chief Lays Out New Priorities

Monday, March 26, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for March 26, 2012

Happy Monday! Today's SmartContracting Daily Intel brings you the news intel you need to get start the week off right.

NextGov: Malicious code in the IT supply chain threatens federal operations

Federal Times: DoD looking for ‘cost-conscious' contractors, Assad says

Federal Times: Experts call for better training of warzone contracting officers

Federal Times: House panel to Defense: Simplify acquisition process

FCW: 5 ways Congress could change small-biz contracting

Friday, March 23, 2012

Happy 40th Birthday PSC!



Forty years ago today, a small group of visionary leaders came together to form what would become the Professional Services Council to serve as their eyes, ears and voice for smart contracting in the federal policy arena. Four decades later and now 350 members stronger, PSC has grown into the largest and most effective advocate and resource for the federal professional services industry. 

Today, we celebrate more than this milestone anniversary. We celebrate the enormously beneficial impact our industry has had, and continues to have, on our government's diverse missions. We can look with pride at the capabilities and people this industry has brought to bear on some of the most difficult and challenging problems facing the government. Even amidst the sometimes harsh rhetoric in the political sphere, and despite the occasional problems and issues that come to light, the record of this industry is impressive. Moreover, it transcends individual agencies and encompasses the totality of the government. 

From supporting our men and women in uniform to supporting our nation's security, from helping to improve internal agency business processes and systems to providing critical citizen interfaces, this industry plays a central role in helping our government partners operate better, smarter and more efficiently. 

We also celebrate our partners in government: the committed civil service professionals with whom we work, to whom we report, and with whom we collaborate every day. They are on the front lines and they too have been in the line of fire far too often. They deserve not only our appreciation but also our support.
But despite a history of exceptional performance and partnership, we can always do better. We can and, in the current fiscal environment, we must continue to look for ways to improve outcomes, reduce costs and do our part to help optimize the taxpayer's dollars. The challenges are many and not all are within our control, but we can and will succeed in the future as we have in the past. 

Throughout the year, we will recognize and celebrate PSC's 40th Anniversary and the contributions of our industry to our nation. Find out more about PSC’s history and the contributions of its membership in the March issue of PSC’s Service Contractor magazine, on our website, or through the timeline below. 

SmartContracting Daily Intel for March 23, 2012


Happy Friday! Today's SmartContracting Daily Intel brings you the news intel you need to get ready for the weekend.

Government Executive: Congress votes to curb insider trading, require federal employee disclosure

Washington Technology: Panel: Small businesses to feel crunch as spending declines

Washington Technology: DOD needs simpler contracting processes, lawmakers told

Federal Times: Administration directs agencies to weigh ‘cumulative' burden of regs 

Law360: DOD Waste Singled Out In Hearing On Efficiency Bill (subscription required)

Washington Technology: Collaboration as a past performance evaluation factor? Why not?

Washington Technology: Lessons learned -- or ignored? 


Thursday, March 22, 2012

SmartContracting Daily Intel for March 22, 2012


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

NextGov: High cyber staff turnover rate is good for government, DARPA chief says

Wall Street Journal: Spending Clash Looms on Election Eve

Government Executive:  Senators mull whether consolidation authority would cure duplication

Government Executive: Analysis: This could be government's finest hour

Law360: Pentagon Faces Stiff Opposition Over Base Closure Plans (subscription required)

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Smart Contracting Daily Intel for March 21, 2012

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

Foreign Policy: Ryan budget contains huge cuts for diplomacy and development

Government Executive: House Small Business panel prepares to mark up contractor bills

Federal Times: No more than 20 vendors to get initial cloud security assessments

Bloomberg Government: Contract Awards by U.S. Drop for Neediest Areas (subscription required)

Chicago Tribune: Military rapidly boosting cyber abilities: general