Congress | Voter.org

Better data protests could benefit, agencies, vendors alike

December 7, 2023 benefit, Protests, Alike, vendors, could, Better, data, Agencies0 comment

When it comes to data on bid protests, the data is lacking to say the least. Beyond the annual bid protest report to Congress from the Government Accountability Office, agencies track few other outcomes from protests. David Drabkin, a fellow at the Stevens Institute of Technology Acquisition Innovation Research Center and a former senior procurement executive for the General Services Administration, said by not collecting and understanding this data, agencies are missing a host of opportunities to improve the acquisition process, the contracting workforce and industry response to solicitations. Dave…

‘Telework is not one-size-fits-all’: Agencies defend hybrid work for feds in front of House lawmakers

December 3, 2023 defend, Feds, hybrid, telework, onesizefitsall’, House, Lawmakers, work, front, Agencies0 comment

Agency leaders are still adjusting their return-to-office plans after the Biden administration called for an increase to “meaningful” in-person work and cuts to telework for the federal workforce. The administration, in large part, has emphasized the importance of using data to measure productivity, engagement and other factors that telework affects, according to the initial return-to-office memo from the Office of Management and Budget in April. But left unsatisfied with the telework data available from agencies, lawmakers on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee pressed harder on a handful of federal…

IG to launch investigation into FDIC’s leadership climate, harassment allegations

November 29, 2023 climate, launch, Allegations, harassment, FDIC’s, into, Leadership, Investigation0 comment

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is facing new scrutiny over allegations of a toxic work environment and sexual harassment at the highest levels. The agency’s office of inspector general and both House and Senate lawmakers are pushing FDIC leadership to address the issues that have come to light only recently. “We plan to initiate a new evaluation project to assess the FDIC’s sexual harassment prevention program, which will examine the changes made since our 2020 report titled Preventing and Addressing Sexual Harassment and the current effectiveness of the program,” a…

Congress, Biden administration look for ways to boost federal recruitment, retention of military spouses

November 25, 2023 federal, administration, boost, Ways, recruitment, retention, spouses, Congress, Biden, look, military0 comment

House lawmakers are looking to offer a little more help to military spouses who may be struggling to keep their jobs. Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) introduced the READINESS Act on Nov. 21. If enacted, the bill would provide more job flexibility to the spouses of both active-duty military members and Foreign Service officers. The bipartisan legislation presents several options to military spouses working in government. Upon a military relocation, they would be able to seek an individual determination from their employing agency about whether they can…

Why there’s not a huge cause for optimism for the rest of the federal budget year

November 21, 2023 federal, Huge, Rest, There's, cause, budget, year, Optimism0 comment

The latest continuing resolution Congress passed last week avoided a government shutdown. But even if lawmakers achieve that feat again next year, on the two different dates when the CR expires, there are a lot of other ways the rest of fiscal 2024 could be messy for federal agencies and their vendors. To look into it further, Federal News Network Deputy Director Jared Serbu talked with Larry Allen, President of Allen Federal Business Partners on the Federal Drive with Tom Temin. Interview Transcript: Larry Allen Jared, my primary concern still…

4 major acquisition changes GSA is pursuing in 2024

November 17, 2023 changes, Major, Pursuing, 2024, acquisition0 comment

The General Services Administration is driving what it hopes to be a final nail in the LPTA coffin. As one of three major acquisition policy changes GSA is seeking over the next year, the proposal would remove language in the schedules program that many blame for why agencies use lowest price, technically acceptable (LPTA) still too often. Jeff Koses, GSA’s senior procurement executive, said the legislative change would bring clarity to the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984. Jeff Koses is the senior procurement executive at GSA. “Over the last…