#acquisition-reform

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fromFortune
11 hours ago

The Trump administration is blurring the public and private sector workforce, and OPM director Scott Kupor won't rule out conflict of interest risks | Fortune

One of the things that I'm hoping to do a better job on is getting people from the private sector-who've been in the private sector their whole career-who also spend a couple years in government at some point in their career, and learn something.
Non-profit organizations
#ai-regulation
fromFortune
1 month ago
Artificial intelligence

OpenAI sweeps in to snag Pentagon contract after Anthropic labeled 'supply chain risk' in unprecedented move | Fortune

Artificial intelligence
fromFortune
1 month ago

OpenAI sweeps in to snag Pentagon contract after Anthropic labeled 'supply chain risk' in unprecedented move | Fortune

OpenAI secured a Pentagon deal for classified AI systems while the U.S. government designated Anthropic a supply chain risk, raising questions about government-business relationships and potential retaliation for contractual disagreements.
Business intelligence
fromNextgov.com
3 days ago

Survey: Human capital is a key barrier to government AI adoption

Federal leaders view AI as essential for improving agency efficiency, but many initiatives remain in early stages due to various implementation barriers.
Healthcare
fromNextgov.com
4 days ago

VHA, Labor Department tap Salesforce for critical modernization efforts

Federal agencies are using Salesforce's AI technology to enhance customer experience and automate contact center engagement.
EU data protection
fromFast Company
1 week ago

The most important defense regulation you've never heard of

CMMC mandates new cybersecurity standards for the defense industrial base, impacting thousands of businesses and transforming the defense supply chain.
Tech industry
fromComputerWeekly.com
1 week ago

Flaws in government procurement show in HMRC 473m AWS award | Computer Weekly

AWS has secured a £473m contract with HMRC, raising concerns over competition and potential government leverage loss.
fromNextgov.com
3 days ago

Agency CIOs must supply top-down IT contract information, OMB memo states

What we want to do is make sure that CIOs are fully empowered to be there at the beginning of conversations, that they are part of the formulation of budget and policy from liftoff.
Privacy professionals
fromNextgov.com
4 days ago

HHS reverses Biden-era restructuring of its IT and tech operations

HHS Chief Information Officer Clark Minor stated that consolidating the CTO, CDO, and CAIO roles within his office allows the department to move faster on shared platforms and protect systems more effectively.
Healthcare
UK politics
fromTheregister
2 weeks ago

UK promises procurement shift after Palantir backlash

The UK government will change its approach to tech procurement, focusing on domestic companies and innovation instead of relying on firms like Palantir.
Agile
fromBusiness Matters
2 weeks ago

How to Avoid Construction Delays and Stay on Schedule

Construction delays can derail projects due to poor planning, resource shortages, and communication breakdowns, but can be mitigated with effective strategies and technology.
fromNextgov.com
1 week ago

Agency data leads worry about staff capacity to tackle statutory requirements, survey finds

Among the 189 CDO and other data leader respondents to the annual survey conducted by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Data Foundation, about 40% said they had lost six or more employees last year.
EU data protection
Washington DC
fromwww.mediaite.com
2 weeks ago

DHS Contractors Were Asked to Pay Corey Lewandowski Success' Fees: Report

DHS contractors expressed concerns about requests to pay Corey Lewandowski while he worked at the department, with tensions arising between Lewandowski and GEO Group founder George Zoley over compensation arrangements.
Artificial intelligence
fromNextgov.com
2 weeks ago

Safe AI pathfinding is essential for government adoption, officials say

Federal agencies should adopt AI through experimentation and fit-for-purpose deployments, using centralized platforms like USAi.gov to safely evaluate tools and determine when AI solutions are actually needed.
E-Commerce
fromThe Verge
2 weeks ago

Amazon doesn't want the blame for the Post Office going under

Amazon plans to reduce USPS shipments by two-thirds after contract expiration, citing the postal service's abrupt withdrawal from negotiations that could have generated billions in revenue.
DevOps
fromDevOps.com
2 weeks ago

Policy as Code for Cost Control, Not Just Compliance - DevOps.com

Policy as code prevents cloud cost waste by enforcing guardrails at infrastructure provisioning time, stopping small routine decisions from accumulating into significant overspend.
Business
fromHarvard Business Review
2 weeks ago

The Shifting Relationship Between Business and the U.S. Government

Business leaders face a changed relationship with government, requiring new strategies to navigate political uncertainty affecting tariffs, trade, and military decisions.
US news
fromThe Washington Post
3 weeks ago

Did Trump cuts slow access to public records? We found 26 cases that say yes.

Federal workforce reductions have severely impaired agencies' ability to comply with Freedom of Information Act requests, with at least 13 agencies citing staffing cuts as reasons for missing FOIA deadlines in court.
fromNextgov.com
2 weeks ago

GSA, NIST partner to craft evaluation standards for AI tools in federal operations

We're at a pivotal time in the AI revolution and this partnership between CAISI and GSA will enable federal agencies to adopt AI in ways that help the American people. We are excited to help advance AI in support of the Trump Administration's vision for innovation.
Artificial intelligence
Women in technology
fromNextgov.com
3 weeks ago

SEWP's long-tenured leader is calling it a career

Joanne Woytek, who managed the SEWP procurement program since 1999, is retiring from NASA on October 17 after overseeing one of government's most successful IT contracts.
fromNextgov.com
3 weeks ago

GSA proposes sweeping changes to Multiple Award Schedule program, including new AI terms and conditions

The changes to transaction data reporting, or TDR, will apply to all MAS special item numbers by adding 112 SINs that were previously exempt. GSA will require contractors to report detailed sales transaction data to GSA on a quarterly basis. Once finalized, current MAS contract holders will receive a mass modification for the TDR requirement and must accept the change within 90 days.
Marketing tech
fromNextgov.com
3 weeks ago

Vought takes aim at GAO in new guidance

Doing so has failed to prioritize agency internal control processes to adequately protect American taxpayer dollars, leading to documented examples of widespread abuse. Prior versions of OMB's guidance have overly deferred to the direction and priorities of external entities whose views are not binding on the Executive Branch, such as the Government Accountability Office.
Washington DC
Education
fromFortune
3 weeks ago

'I don't know if we're ready': Governors from each party appalled at 100-year-old federal workforce strategy | Fortune

The United States education and workforce pipeline is critically broken, leaving workers unprepared for automation and economic instability as AI technologies rapidly advance.
E-Commerce
fromBusiness Matters
4 weeks ago

Supplier Verification: A Practical Guide for Smarter Global Sourcing

Supplier verification is a strategic necessity in global trade, requiring thorough assessment of legal status, production capability, quality systems, financial stability, and regulatory compliance before establishing business relationships.
EU data protection
fromTheregister
3 weeks ago

UK's Shared Services Strategy is entering the danger zone

The UK government's Shared Services Strategy faces legal challenges and implementation risks as it pursues a £1.7 billion consolidation of 17 departments into five cloud-based shared services centers by 2028.
#ai-governance
DevOps
fromThe Hacker News
1 month ago

New RFP Template for AI Usage Control and AI Governance

Organizations have AI security budgets but lack clear requirements for AI governance solutions, requiring a structured evaluation framework focused on interaction-level control rather than application cataloging.
fromwww.bbc.com
4 weeks ago
Artificial intelligence

Anthropic labelled a supply chain risk by Pentagon

The US Pentagon designated AI firm Anthropic a supply chain risk for refusing to grant unrestricted government access to its AI tools, citing concerns about mass surveillance and autonomous weapons.
DevOps
fromThe Hacker News
1 month ago

New RFP Template for AI Usage Control and AI Governance

Organizations have AI security budgets but lack clear requirements for AI governance solutions, requiring a structured evaluation framework focused on interaction-level control rather than application cataloging.
Artificial intelligence
fromwww.bbc.com
4 weeks ago

Anthropic labelled a supply chain risk by Pentagon

The US Pentagon designated AI firm Anthropic a supply chain risk for refusing to grant unrestricted government access to its AI tools, citing concerns about mass surveillance and autonomous weapons.
Artificial intelligence
fromTechCrunch
4 weeks ago

Anthropic's Pentagon deal is a cautionary tale for startups chasing federal contracts | TechCrunch

The Pentagon designated Anthropic a supply-chain risk after disagreeing over military AI control, leading to a failed $200 million contract and DoD's pivot to OpenAI.
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

These former government tech leaders are prepping day-one plans for a future administration

Watching how much the team was able to get done quickly was "astonishing," said Mikey Dickerson, a senior advisor for the Tech Viaduct. Those behind Tech Viaduct say that Elon Musk's team caused harm that will take years to undo, but it also showed how much can get done in government when you have the force of political will behind you.
US politics
Intellectual property law
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

What rights do AI companies have in government contracts?

Government AI procurement involves multiple acquisition pathways that determine contractor rights to restrict technology use, making the Anthropic-Pentagon dispute a contractual matter rather than a novel policy question.
US politics
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

The diminished state of Defense IT acquisition and how to fix it

DOD IT programs fail to deliver on time and budget over 80% of the time due to systemic conflicts of interest, weak accountability, and unchanged oversight structures despite decades of reform efforts.
fromwww.berkeleyside.org
1 month ago

No-bid city contracts could be giving Berkeley a bad deal, audit finds

Berkeley has awarded tens of millions of dollars in contracts that weren't subjected to a competitive bid process, according to a new report, which could lead to the city paying too much for goods and services, or create opportunities for corruption. The investigation by the office of City Auditor Jenny Wong found Berkeley often used non-competitive contracts in cases where it should have solicited for other bids, including in two deals for recycling services worth a combined $41.4 million, which are up for extensions soon.
California
US politics
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

Contract reviews continue at OMB, official says

OMB is leading a government-wide review to cull and reform IT contracts, emphasizing commodity IT and empowering CIOs in procurement and budgeting.
Public health
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

Targeted AI adoption can drive change, current and former officials say

Federal agencies must adopt AI strategically, managing implementation and expectations to improve services like veteran healthcare enrollment and clinical support.
Artificial intelligence
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

Agencies begin to shed Anthropic contracts following Trump's directive

Multiple federal agencies are phasing out Anthropic tools following President Trump's directive, citing national security concerns over the company's refusal to support certain defense applications.
fromEntrepreneur
2 months ago

How to Win Big With Public-Sector Partners

Understanding the difference in purpose Unlike private businesses, which exist to make a profit, public institutions are designed to create impact - especially social and economic outcomes that benefit everyone, not just paying customers. A public agency doesn't measure its success in revenue or margins, but in how much it improves lives, builds equity and maintains public trust. This doesn't mean budgets and spending don't matter - they absolutely do - but money is not the goal. It's the tool.
World politics
Data science
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

FPDS looks old and clunky but that only masks its power

FPDS.gov retains a 1990s-era, clunky interface but remains a powerful, complex federal procurement data repository that requires skill to navigate.
Fundraising
fromNature
1 month ago

The funding system needs fixing - but it's not a 'waste of time and money'

A single Horizon Europe funding call consumed more researcher and funder time than the awarded funds, creating a net drain on scientific resources.
Marketing
fromThe Drum
2 months ago

Can agencies pick up more business with a changed approach to procurement teams?

Agencies that proactively engage procurement teams can win more business by treating procurement as strategic partners rather than adversaries.
#onegov
fromTalkNats.com
2 months ago

Just because you don't see it, that doesn't mean there isn't work being done to improve! | TalkNats.com

You must be a TalkNats Subscriber to access this content. Subscribers have access to exclusive content on the TalkNats website and can engage in discussions with other Nats fans. First two weeks are free and then you will be billed $3.99/month. Cancel anytime. Secure payments using Stripe. If you are already a subscriber, simply log in using the form below.
Washington Nationals
UK news
fromTheregister
2 months ago

Fujitsu scores place on 984M govt framework

Fujitsu won framework places treated as government business despite a moratorium on new public sector bids during the Post Office Horizon inquiry.
History
from24/7 Wall St.
2 months ago

Temporary Military Gear and Assets That Became Permanent Fixtures

Temporary, emergency military gear often becomes permanent when battlefield performance, reliability, and adaptability outperform planned replacements, reshaping doctrine and procurement priorities.
US politics
fromTheregister
1 month ago

GAO urges NSF CIO to fix cloud SLAs, tighten IT oversight

NSF must improve IT planning, cloud procurement and SLAs, complete annual IT portfolio reviews, overhaul cloud contracts, and address open cybersecurity recommendations.
Fundraising
fromBusiness Matters
2 months ago

Which Grant Management Tools Are Best for Government Agencies?

Cloud-based grant management software helps government agencies organize workflows, track metrics, run reports, improve recordkeeping, and support implementation through configurable products and vendor support.
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 months ago

From military service to the built world: Why construction still struggles with accountability and visibility

Construction mirrors military structure and discipline but lacks integrated systems, causing fragmented data, poor coordination, and risk to budgets, schedules, safety, and trust.
Marketing
fromThe Drum
2 months ago

No admin fees, value-based models, guaranteed results: A new era of agency contracts

Agencies are shifting to value-based and performance-guaranteed commercial models as marketing budgets stagnate, increasing pressure to justify spend and deliver measurable ROI.
Artificial intelligence
fromBusiness Insider
1 month ago

A $5.7 billion AI startup wants to help cut government benefit fraud. Experts aren't so sure.

Checkr seeks government contracts to verify welfare and benefits eligibility using AI identity verification technology to reduce fraud and waste.
US politics
fromTheregister
1 month ago

IRS CIO: 40% of techies culled from tax collection agency

IRS technology workforce underwent dramatic cuts, removing about 40% of IT staff and nearly 80% of tech executives, triggering a major reorganization.
#cloud-one
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

Salesforce signs $5.5B contract with the Army

Salesforce has signed a new contract with the Army to provide access to its artificial intelligence, data, and cloud technologies for the next decade. The contract, signed by Salesforce subsidiary Computable Insights LLC, has a five-year base period and a single five-year option period. The Army and rest of the Defense Department will have access to Salesforce's Missionforce National Security products that support efforts in decision making,
US news
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

GSA wants answers from resellers about markups and equipment maker relationships

GSA also wants information on factors that drive the range of markups such as volume, product category, support levels and business size. The questions also wants to know if sourcing hardware through a distributor versus directly with the OEM drives variations in the markups. GSA wants to identify ways to reduce the cost on items that are not purchased directly from OEMs.
US politics
#booz-allen-hamilton
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

NITAAC finally pulls the plug on CIO-SP4

In a filing with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims on Friday, NITAAC explained that cancelling the contract is in line with President Trump's executive order, Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement. "As a result of these efforts, HHS has shifted its focus away from re-evaluation of existing offers," the agency told the court. NITAAC also plans to extend CIO-SP3 for another year, which would push its expiration date until April 29, 2027.
US politics
Artificial intelligence
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

Agencies are prioritizing flexibility and cost savings in AI purchases, GSA official says

Federal agencies prefer competitive-market acquisition of generative AI for operational tasks, valuing choice, flexibility, discounts, embedded compatibility, productivity, security, and responsible use.
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

Treasury cancels all Booz Allen contracts

The Treasury Department has moved to cancel all contracts with Booz Allen Hamilton, two years after a former company employee pled guilty to leaking President Trump's confidential tax information without authorization. Treasury currently has 31 contracts with Booz Allen that average roughly $4.8 million in annual spending and have totaled $21 million in obligations. In a statement issued Monday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cited inadequate data protection safeguards as driving the decision and specifically the disclosure of sensitive taxpayer information accessed through IRS contracts.
US politics
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

Pentagon launches wide 8(a) review, targeting billions in awards

The Defense Department will review all 8(a) contracts over $20 million to remove DEI-related, non-lethality, and pass-through arrangements.
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

From the trenches: Five essential lessons for federal IT modernization

Having spent nearly a decade leading digital infrastructure and technology initiatives at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), I've had a front-row seat to the opportunities and challenges federal agencies face in their modernization journeys. During my tenure as Associate CIO for Digital Infrastructure Technologies, overseeing the IT backbone for 17,000 users, I learned that successful transformation isn't just about the latest tech: it's about strategic vision, collaborative execution and a willingness to learn from experience.
US politics
fromAbove the Law
2 months ago

What If Tariffs Go Away - Or Don't? How You Can Protect Your Bottom Line With Contract Intelligence - Above the Law

With the Supreme Court potentially poised to invalidate recent tariffs, organizations face a confusing scenario. Having clear visibility into contract terms - such as price adjustments and renegotiation provisions - is essential to navigating this volatility. Come join us on at 1 p.m. ET on Jan. 27 for this CLE-approved webinar, where we'll discuss the current state of the tariff conundrum and explore strategies for achieving contract visibility with the latest AI innovations.
Artificial intelligence
#federal-workforce
fromAxios
1 month ago
US politics

Trump admin green lights rule making it easier to fire thousands of federal employees

fromAxios
1 month ago
US politics

Trump admin green lights rule making it easier to fire thousands of federal employees

US politics
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

GSA's procurement chief is attending negotiations for Ukraine and Gaza

GSA Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum has participated in high-level Ukraine and Gaza negotiations as a White House advisor despite a private equity background and no clear foreign policy experience.
US politics
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

Federal CIO says he's zeroed in on government service delivery

Government must treat service delivery as a core operating discipline, building accountability and using data to fix root causes of poor citizen experiences.
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

OMB reverses Biden-era software attestation order

The White House on Friday rescinded a 2022 order that mandated a single, standardized self-attestation form for federal agencies to obtain cybersecurity assurances from software vendors, arguing the policy hindered agencies from adopting security solutions for their specific system needs. "There is no universal, one-size-fits-all method of achieving that result," Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought said in the memo released Friday. "Each agency should validate provider security utilizing secure development principles and based on a comprehensive risk assessment."
US politics
US politics
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

CIA announces new acquisition framework to speed tech adoption

The CIA implemented a centralized, streamlined acquisition framework to speed vendor vetting, IT authorization, and rapid procurement of breakthrough technologies for urgent national security missions.
fromTheregister
2 months ago

GSA's VMware framework deal skips the actual hypervisor

The US General Services Administration is flogging discounts of up to 64 percent under a OneGov Agreement covering Broadcom's VMware portfolio - though the actual hypervisor that made VMware famous isn't included. The framework covers VMware Tanzu Platform, Tanzu Data Intelligence, Avi Load Balancer, vDefend, and the Tanzu AI Starter Kit. Notably absent: VMware vSphere Foundation, the virtualization platform most agencies actually use.
US politics
US politics
fromBusiness Insider
2 months ago

Trump's message to defense contractors: There might be a lot more money coming, but only if you deliver

The administration will condition increased defense funding on contractors prioritizing production and readiness over shareholder returns and executive pay.
US politics
fromwww.aljazeera.com
1 month ago

New Trump administration rule makes it easier to fire career civil servants

OPM will reclassify about 50,000 senior career federal employees as at-will, allowing expedited removal for misconduct or intentionally subverting Presidential directives.
US politics
fromLos Angeles Times
2 months ago

Charter Reform Commission, L.A. City Council look to impose transparency rules

Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance requiring Charter Reform Commission members to disclose private communications with elected officials and staff to boost transparency.
US politics
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

I Tried to Be the Government. It Did Not Go Well.

Government staffing cuts and institutional disruptions have weakened regulatory oversight, prompting individuals to perform personal safety checks such as buying Geiger counters.
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