Let’s thank those federal employees who buy things
Nothing happens until somebody buys something. I learned that from a magazine publisher I worked for a long time ago. He was mainly concerned with ad sales. But…
Beyond the patent office: Leveraging your IP at the right time in the right way
One of a start-up’s most valuable assets is intellectual property. Whether you are trademarking your name, securing a patent or acquiring licensing rights, it can help a start-up…
Smart contractors are preparing for what could be a solid fourth quarter
Only a couple of weeks until that magic date: The start of the final quarter of the federal fiscal year. It is now or never for contractors to…
Contracting officers have a new rule contractors should worry about
Love ’em or have ’em, federal proposed rules have a habit of becoming final. For contracting officers in the Defense Department, the latest acquisition regulation means they’re obligated…
NIST updates crucial guidelines for protecting sensitive information
Because cyber threats ceaselessly change, so do the protective measures agencies need to take. Cybersecurity guidelines from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) never stay static…
White House extends secure software attestation deadlines, offers clarifying guidance
The White House Office of Management and Budget is extending the deadline for when agencies have to start collecting software security attestation forms from contractors. In a memo…
The era of ‘big bang’ IT projects at VA is over
Not enough new entrants. A lack of accountability. Too many modifications to existing contracts and not enough new awards. The Veterans Affairs Department got an earful from House…
Senate Republicans lead bill setting higher standard for SBA mentoring program
Republicans on the Senate Small Business Committee are leading a bill that would reorganize a Small Business Administration mentorship and training program. Committee Ranking Member Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)…
A GSA acquisition policy update
Jeff Koses, senior procurement executive at the General Services Administration, joined host Roger Waldron on this week’s Off the Shelf to give an update on GSA’s key acquisition…
CBP’s Borkowski to retire after 43 years
Mark Borkowski, the chief acquisition officer and assistant commissioner of the Customs and Border Protection directorate in the Homeland Security Department, is retiring after almost 43 years of…