Oversight
GSA’s draft acquisition system guidelines aim for standardization
Agency hopes the new rules will promote financial system compatibility and further automation of the contracting process.
Defense
Coast Guard accepts preliminary delivery of national security cutter
New ship is the centerpiece of the service’s Deepwater modernization program.
Oversight
From NextGov.com: NAPA launches collaboration Web site
The Collaboration Project aims to attract leaders to use interactive social tools "to solve government's complex problems."
Defense
GAO: Homeland Security lacks adequate workforce for performance-based acquisitions
Half of the major service contracts studied experienced cost overruns, schedule delays or did not meet expectations.
Pay & Benefits
Retirement rate could begin to affect service delivery
Federal employees are leaving government in high numbers in areas where workloads are increasing.
Oversight
OPM employee pitches winning idea in federal contest
A member of Gen ‘Y’ devises an online career quiz to match job seekers with the right government gig.
Defense
From Nextgov.com: Bill lays out stricter info security requirements for DHS
Conducting vulnerability tests against known cyberattacks and setting requirements for the CIO post would be part of a bill that fixes shortcomings in a federal security law.
Defense
Defense to review 'unnecessary duplication' among services
Critics have complained that vast sums of money are wasted due to the military operating four air forces, two land armies and overlapping intelligence and space programs.
Defense
From NextGov.com: Navy changes course on IT outsourcing
A contractor will build the next-generation network, but it will be the service’s job to manage and defend the system.
Defense
Less than 8 percent of port workers have new security ID cards
DHS moves deadline to issue more than 1 million credentials to April 2009.
Pay & Benefits
OPM announces plan to improve federal hiring
Agency will create a governmentwide standard to simplify process and attract new employees.
Oversight
House Oversight Committee clears measure to sell excess federal properties
Bill would increase incentives for the federal government to unload an estimated $18 billion worth of unneeded property.
Defense
Panel sinks Navy's $2.5B request for DDG-1000 destroyer
The move essentially puts an indefinite hold on one of the Navy's biggest modernization programs.
Oversight
Contractors' offshore tax havens under more scrutiny
House Dems urge Treasury secretary to back legislation requiring overseas subsidiaries of U.S. contractors to be treated as American employers for the purpose of payroll taxes.
Defense
FBI withdraws national security letters subpoena, freeing target to talk
Case involving a San Francisco-based digital archive is first known challenge to a security letter served on a library since a 2006 law limited the FBI's power to issue such information requests.
Pay & Benefits