Lawmakers to micromanage more

Lawmakers, frustrated by the Office of Management and Budget’s practice of putting federal projects on various watch lists without explaining why, have decided to do something about it.

In the fiscal 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill President Bush signed into law Dec. 26, Congress included a governmentwide provision that requires OMB to publish in its annual budget request the specific reasons why a project is on its High-Risk and Management watch lists.

“The information will help [the Government Accountability Office] and Congress to spot trends, track progress and recommend corrective action,” lawmakers wrote in the legislation.

The new requirement follows two years of debate between OMB and lawmakers about the use and effectiveness of those lists.

Read the story: FCW.com News - Lawmakers to micromanage more

Acquisition official: DOD, industry must communicate

Defense Department contracting officers need to talk more often to industry to improve the process of awarding contracts, a new memo states.

Shay Assad, DOD’s director of Defense procurement and acquisition, wrote in the memo that contract awards made without discussions should be rare. DOD officials need to encourage the various parties involved in source selections “to fully engage with industry at all stages of the competitive process.”

In the memo, he recommended DOD use industry days, requests for information and draft requests for proposals to exchange information and start dialogues with industry.

“Communication is a key element,” Assad wrote in the Jan. 2 memo.

After presolicitation, officers should continue talking with companies after they’ve submitted their proposals so the officers can understand the company’s exact intent when aspects of their proposal are blurry, Assad wrote.

“Such dialogue can only lead to more efficient, effective and improved source selections,” he wrote.

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SBA rule a 'slap in the face' to women, lawmaker says

The Small Business Administration’s attempt to give women who own small businesses better odds of getting a government contract may not help after all, lawmakers say.

On Dec. 27, SBA issued a proposed rule for setting aside contracts for women-owned small businesses. The rule would limit the contract set-asides to four industry areas: national security and international affairs; coating, engraving, heat treating and allied activities; household and institutional furniture and kitchen cabinet manufacturing; and motor vehicle dealers.

Congressional leaders want the rule thrown out.

It “is a slap in the face to women business owners,” said John Kerry (D-Mass.), chairman of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.

Read the story: FCW.com News - SBA rule a 'slap in the face' to women, lawmaker says