Federal Computer Week reported on a proposed change to the Homeland Security Acquisition Regulation, the supplement to the Federal Acquisition Regulation by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in order to help small businesses fend off rapacious primes contractors from “windfall” payments on Time and Materials contracts. “Help” like this is not desired by smallRead… Read more »
Well, well, well folks. It seems I’ve hit a hot button here: customer service. I cross-posted a post titled “Get to Know Your Customers on a Personal Level” to the NCMA group on LinkedIn. There strong feelings on both sides. Some think that contracting officers absolutely need customer service training. Some think that customer serviceRead… Read more »
This post is part of GovLoop’s ongoing blog series around one of our latest resources, Navigating the Digital Government Roadmap. In the guide, the most pressing technology trends are identified. The guide is intended to provide a broad spectrum of government technology. Our blog series will dive deeper into each section, so be sure toRead… Read more »
According to a recent GovWin IQ study by Deltek, spending on government IT will decrease spending from $121 billion in 2012 to $113 billion by 2017. Budget pressures and IT mandates are driving this change. But, there is a silver lining. Cybersecurity and health IT will be growth areas, and IT cost-savings initiatives will beRead… Read more »
The Accessibility Forum 2.0 blog added some great new content this Summer. Check it out and join the voices from the front line discussing Section 508. A new blog series called, “Department/Agency Section 508 Roles and Responsibilities.” Each post will be discussing different roles and responsibilities with regard to the implementation of Section 508. Department/AgencyRead… Read more »
There seems to be a development that is coming more and more to the forefront: the case of the out-of-control Contracting Officer (KO). There are usually two paths to interactions with a KO, one being the KO who is overwhelmed with the workload, doing the best they can to handle it, and simply have veryRead… Read more »
If you haven’t already you should check out our new job site: Jobs.GovLoop.com.It’s an amazing resource. We’ve built it on top of USAJOBS data, mashed it up with LinkedIn, GlassDoor and GovLoop information, and basically tried to provide a new approach to searching for federal jobs (just like Kayak and Hipmunk provide new ways toRead… Read more »
Applying agile software development methods to IT projects has been a hot topic as of late at the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The agency recently unveiled a report highlighting its 32 tips for applying agile development to help improve how the federal government will develop and implement IT infrastructure projects. Specifically, these tips focus onRead… Read more »
When doing business with government, it’s not always easy for small businesses to get a leg up. Prime contractors have the resources, relationships and tools for capturing significant pieces of business, which can leave smaller contractors behind. Thanks to mentor-protégé programs, small contractors can compete more successfully and develop the innovations that government needs byRead… Read more »
Contract specialists aren’t trained in customer service. Despite this being a huge part of our job, I don’t know of a single contracts person who has had a class on customer service paid for by the government. It’s just not considered. One way to deliver customer service is simply getting to know your customers onRead… Read more »