Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Introducing the Insider
The Industry Defined
HUBZones: Anyone Can Play
Beyond Reproach: The Incumbent's Bind
Breaking Wave: Human Resources BPO
Cooperative Personnel Services: Differentiating Not a Problem
Adventures in Marketing
Policy & Regs: Can We Satisfy the Appetite for Cleared Personnel?
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Posted on July 2
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We'd normally shrug our shoulders at another illuminating, but unbalanced, view from the government contracting squad at the Post, but the latest piece inadvertently uncovers one of the sweetest spots in the marketplace. Representative Waxman's latest report does some damage to the good side of program and contract oversight.
Once again were better informed and stimulated by a systematic snapshot of the government services industry prepared by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Building on last year's baseline report, the update shows now-familiar attributes of the industry—a high amount of noncompetition and concentration of prime contract awards among the same firms. Designed to be mainly factual, CSIS also identifies issues and implications of its picture. After reading our summaries, we recommend spending time with the whole document.
If the government lacks qualified staff for program management and contract oversight, who's going to do it? We asked two experts from Robbins-Gioia who say they are doing it for a variety of clients. This article also highlights some recent thinking on exactly what are the functions that need to be performed with fierce independence to give government program officials the best information to make good and timely decisions.
In April we described a new survey tool that is aimed at helping federal clients to pick their horses for IT projects of consequence. Now, the developer, the Government Insights unit of IDC, provides a peek at the positioning of the top ten firms.
The heavy, but arguably necessary, hand of Congress is on the Coast Guard's troubled Deepwater program. Alan Chvotkin explains how this came about and how to keep Congress from being attracted to intrude in your favorite programs.
Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell killing off intel program; USCG Commandant Allen remedies some Deepwater ills—asks for money back; General Hayden cutting staff aug contractors at CIA; Air Force bluesuiters discover graybeards; GSA reaches deep and succeeds in provoking Representative Waxman in a new way; Morningstar's new idea.