Mark Fox, director of Federal Sales at Amazon Business, joins Off the Shelf this week for a discussion on procurement transformation, e-commerce, and the role data management can and does play in supporting the federal mission.

Fox shares his insights on the critical role data transparency and management play in transforming supply chains and the procurement functions.  The ability to collect and analyze data on strategic sourcing, transactions, and suppliers will drive organizational efficiencies through more predictive and proactive procurement and supply chain management.

He also highlights opportunities to embrace enhanced data transparency to identify and credit current customer agency purchasing from small businesses.

Finally Fox explains how leveraging data will assist customer agencies in understanding their buying patterns and market conditions to optimize procurement outcomes.

The post Using data to transform procurement first appeared on Federal News Network.

This week on Off the Shelf, Bill Gormley, president of the Gormley Group, provides an update on the MAS program, including processing Economic Price Adjustments (EPA) and other modifications.

Along these lines, Gormley shares the latest on the handling of price negotiations across the MAS program. He also discusses where the federal market is heading regarding purchasing channels, access to the commercial market and the role of data management in procurement.

Finally, Gormley highlights some key takeaways for the fourth quarter buying season and the importance of having in place contracts like the MAS program.

The post An update on the MAS program first appeared on Federal News Network.

This week on Off the Shelf,  Tom Voshell, vice president, Federal Program Office at Coupa Software provides his insights and analysis regarding data management and cyber security with a focus on the Department of Defense’s upcoming release and implementation of an updated version of its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC 2.0).

Voshell discusses the underlying DFARs provisions and NIST 800-171 standard and controlled unclassified information (CUI).  He lays out the process, applicability and management considerations for contractors and subcontractors who will be subject to CMMC.

Voshell also gives his thoughts on the new software attestation form, the recently released DHS cybersecurity regulations, and FedRAMP.

The post CMMC: What does it mean for government contractors? first appeared on Federal News Network.

This week Peter Hutt, partner at Covington & Burling LLP, joins Off the Shelf for an in-depth discussion of the False Claims Act, including the basics of the law and its impact in the government contracts market.

Hutt lays out the history of the law, including liability standards, potential damages and penalties, and the role of qui tam plaintiffs/relators.

Each year DOJ releases key statistics on the FCA and Hutt highlights key trends in enforcement activity found in the data.  Over the last year there has been an increase in activity but a reduction in recoveries. Hutt notes the types of cases he is seeing and the current priorities of the DOJ.

Durin g the interview, Hutt also analyzes two recent Supreme Court cases:  U.S. ex rel Schutte V. Supervalu (Supervalu) and U.S. ex rel Polansky v Executive Health Resources (Polansky).  Supervalu is significant, holding that the scienter standard refers to a defendant’s contemporaneous knowledge and subjective beliefs, not what an objectively reasonable person may have believed.  Polansky addresses the timing and ability of DOJ to intervene in a qui tam and then seek dismissal.

Hutt unpacks both decisions, providing clear, concise analysis on what contractors need to know and what the decisions mean for the future.

The post The impact of the False Claims Act first appeared on Federal News Network.

This week on Off the Shelf, Larry Allen, president of  Allen Federal Business Partners, gives his thoughts, observations, and insights on a host of procurement hot topics.

Allen discusses the long winding road of Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) implementation across the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program.

He talks about the prospects for GSA’s IT GWACs (Polaris and Alliant) and OASIS+, and analyzes the impact of the recent Court of Claims Polaris bid protest decision limiting the application of “Section 876” to multiple award IDIQ contracts, including the MAS program.

Allen also discusses NASA SEWP and the development of and expanded scope of work for the follow-on procurement, and he shares his keys to fourth quarter success in the federal market.

The post The hottest topics in procurement first appeared on Federal News Network.

Jason Miller, executive editor of Federal News Network, joins Off the Shelf for a wide-ranging discussion of the key procurement events/trends over the first half of 2023.

Miller discusses the current state of transactional data reporting and the slow roll towards implementation, and shares his thoughts on the impact of the Polaris bid protest decision limiting the use of Section 876 for “unpriced contracts” the focus on competition at the task order level.

Miller also talks about the interaction between DoD and Congress in developing/drafting the NDAA—with positive outlook regarding the engagement between the two branches of government.

He also discusses the recent “60 Minutes” segment focusing on DoD procurement and pricing.

Finally Miller provides additional context on the highly complex, multi-faceted defense procurement system and its impact on competition and pricing.

The post Procurement trends in 2023 first appeared on Federal News Network.

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 policy priorities, including the latest on transactional data reporting (TDR), economic price adjustments (EPAs), Ability One, the end of the COVID emergency declaration and its impact on procurement and the acquisition workforce.

Koses provided the background, performance results and rationale for TDR as a natural evolution in an internet- and data-driven commercial market.

He also identified areas where GSA’s implementation of TDR can and will improve over time, and explains how TDR supports small businesses by reducing barriers to entry and contract administration costs.

Koses also gives an update on Ability One and its role in the federal market.

The post A GSA acquisition policy update first appeared on Federal News Network.

Brian Friel, co-founder of BD Squared, joins Off the Shelf for a wide-ranging update on the leading governmentwide, Best-in-Class IDIQ contract programs.

Friel analyzes the recent Polaris bid protest decision addressing the applicability of “Section 876” to the cost evaluation for MAIDIQ contracts, and he shares his thoughts on how GSA will likely proceed in modifying its cost evaluation approach for the Polaris procurement as well as the potential implications other major IDIQ procurements, including OASIS+.

The Polaris decision also found fault in the approach to the evaluation of joint ventures (mentor-protégé) arrangements and Friel shares his views on the impact and potential evaluation adjustments GSA and other agencies will make in moving forward.

He also gives an  update on the current state of play with regard to OASIS+, NIH’s CIO-SP4, and NASA SEWP VI.

Finally,  Friel notes that the FBI is undertaking a major FSS Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) competition (FBI IT-SSS 2) using a scorecard evaluation methodology.

The post Best-in-Class IDIQs: A deep dive first appeared on Federal News Network.

Jonathan Aronie, partner at Sheppard Mullin, joined Off the Shelf for a reflective and personal conversation. He shared stories, thoughts and appreciation regarding his six-month journey battling acute leukemia.

On the road to recovery, Aronie explained what happened to him and how his family, friends and law firm provided comfort and support throughout his journey. He also shared his experiences, both emotional and physical, in dealing with his cancer, and talked about the amazing people at Johns Hopkins Cancer Center who delivered his care.

On May 11^th, Aronie “rang the bell” after completing his in-hospital care at Johns Hopkins where he had received a stem cell transplant from his daughter. It has been quite a journey!

The post Jonathan Aronie: On the road to recovery first appeared on Federal News Network.

Charlotte Phelan, assistant commissioner of the, Office of Enterprise Strategy Management at GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) joins Off the Shelf for a discussion of the role, responsibilities, and priorities of her office in supporting FAS’s government-wide contracting programs.

Phelan provides an update on schedules consolidation, now in Phase III with FAS working with contractors to consolidate legacy contracts.   Her office plays a leading role in IT systems development and deployment across FAS and she provides an update on systems modernization efforts.

Phelan highlights the role out of buy.gsa.gov, a single-entry point for customer seeking to acquire products and/or services from GSA.  She also previews the new government-wide procurement equity tool and how it will support efforts to support small businesses in federal marketplace.

Finally, as she reaches her first anniversary as assistantcommissioner, Phelan shares her thoughts and observations regarding the important, evolving role of the Office of Enterprise Strategy Management.

The post An inside look at GSA’s Office of Enterprise Strategy Management first appeared on Federal News Network.

This week on Off the Shelf the focus turns to emerging solutions in fitness and sports industries that are directly applicable to optimizing warfighter performance.

Host Roger Waldron speaks with Sonya Rahmani, a chief technologist leading Booz Allen Hamilton’s Warfighter Performance efforts, Bart Hodlik, the integrated project technical lead at Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, Dr. Mark Derriso, chief engineer, and chief data officer for the 711th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory, Dr. Reuben Burch, associate professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering and director of Athletic Engineering, Mississippi State University, and Irik Johnson, senior associate and human performance practitioner at Booz Allen Hamilton.

The discussion identifies and discusses the key technologies, including wearables, artificial intelligence, and machine learning that can be used to monitor and enhance warfighter performance.

The guests also identify key strategies and supporting infrastructure capabilities to support a holistic approach to warfighter performance.

The wide-ranging discussion also highlights data, network, cybersecurity, physical and psychological considerations that organizations must address as part of any implementation of fitness solutions across units and around the world.

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The post Using AI to enhance warfighter performance first appeared on Federal News Network.

This week Robin Bourne, Subject Matter Expert, Federal Acquisition at the Gormley Group joins Off the Shelf with a check up on GSA’s Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program.

Bourne addresses the current state of MAS contract price negotiations, including the move to transactional data reporting (TDR) versus commercial sales practices and the price reduction clause.

He also provides an update on how the MAS program is handling inflation through the economic price adjustment clauses and policy, and addresses the fundamental role of management in procurement operations, drawing on his years of experience as an acquisition workforce manager in the Federal Acquisition Service.

Bourne also highlights the MAS program’s positive support of small businesses both at the federal, state and local procurement levels.

The post A review of the MAS program first appeared on Federal News Network.

This week on Off the Shelf,  Joanne Woytek, NASA SEWP program manager, gives an update on NASA SEWP V over the last fiscal year and provides her outlook for the second half of FY23.

Woytek highlights some of the key program capabilities that have made the NASA SEWP the largest IT GWAC in terms of customers and overall spend.

A thought leader in the procurement community on SCRM, Woytek highlights the recent NASA SEWP SCRM Forum that brought together government, industry, and associations for a dialogue on the challenges and opportunities in addressing SCRM and C-SCRM.

Woytek also discusses the recent RFI for NASA SEWP VI, providing some of the early thinking regarding the structure and scope of the next version.

She also pays tribute to her former deputy director, Darlene Coen, who recently retired from government service.

The post An update on NASA SEWP V first appeared on Federal News Network.

Tiffany Hixon, assistant commissioner for the office of the  Professional Services and Human Capital Category at the Federal Acquisition Service, joins Off the Shelf for an update on Professional Services Category procurement trends.

With overall professional services spending up governmentwide, Hixon identifies highlights reasons for the increase in spending as well as identifying key trends in small business contracting and use of governmentwide contract vehicles through the Federal Acquisition Service.

She provides an update on OASIS, OASIS SB, HCaTs, and the federal supply schedule professional services contracts, and gives an update on the key attributes of impending OASIS+ procurement, the follow-on to OASIS.

Hixon also discusses her goals for the professional services category in FY23, and shares her thoughts on her, “other duty as assigned,” role as the Government-wide Executive for the Professional Services Category.

The post Procurement trends in small business contracting first appeared on Federal News Network.

This week on Off the Shelf, Bill Gormley, president of the Gormley Group, gives an update on inflation’s impact on contracting, with a focus on the challenges facing MAS contractors.

Gormley examines a host of pricing issues surrounding the implementation of GSA’s new policy regarding Economic Price Adjustments (EPA) and the use of pricing tools like the 4P program.

He also provides an update on other key MAS trends, including Transactional Data Reporting (TDR) and its potential expansion across the MAS program.

Finally, Gormley discusses the appropriate role of management and communications in procurement operations.

The post Inflation: How is it affecting contractors? first appeared on Federal News Network.