Contract Management articles from August 2002

Contract Management archives from August 2002

Reader response corner.(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2002... Reverse Auctions I enjoyed the article, "Who's Afraid of Reverse Auctions," by Patti Ashley (Contract Management, June 2002), but question one point made in the article. The article indicates that "...contracting personnel must notify...

Contract management: one profession equals one association. (President's Forum).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Contract management is a strategic management discipline employed by both buyers and sellers, whose objectives are to manage customer and supplier expectations and relationships, control risk and cost, and contribute to organizational...

Contract manager as problem solver: (Part 1 in a three-part series). (Professional Development).(contract management techniques)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... The Process How many times have you looked in the want ads at the openings for contract management positions? It seems like nearly every one of these advertisements includes some kind of requirement for the candidate to have a...

Transforming a contract team--a blueprint for success: create an enthusiastic team of contract specialists, who improve the performance of the team, while customers receive their procurement requirement solutions.
August 1, 2002... In the not too distant past, the mention of a government contracting office evoked a variety of responses--most of them negative. Typical contracting office Customer complaints ranged from "too much red tape" and "takes too long" to "doesn't...

E-Com: changing the process; using new technology to simply mirror the existing manual system is not enough. Instead, companies should view IT as an opportunity to dramatically improve their core business processes.
August 1, 2002... How does a company use electronic communication (e-com) to increase productivity, profitability, and customer satisfaction? Can information technology (IT) be used in a completely unique way, or is allowing a customer to go online to check the...

Achieving customer loyalty: translating a customer's needs and desires into a tailored, integrated business solution requires the effective use of project management skills.(customer service management techniques)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... How does a company keep loyal customers? The answer is easy--by building trusting, successful relationships and reliably delivering excellent results at reasonable prices. Like so many things, this strategy for success is easier said than done....

TSPR: not for developing systems.(Total System Performance Responsibility )
August 1, 2002... A recent Contract Management article, "Total System Performance Responsibility" by Major Henry Pandes (March 2002) implied that the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is a strong advocate of TSPR. However, the article contained numerous...

How capture teams win: assessing the competition, crafting the solution, and influencing the customer ensure that a company wins the contract--before the request for proposal. (A Case Study).
August 1, 2002... Most opportunities are won or lost before a company even responds to the request for proposal (RFP). A company wins in the capture phase. It is during this time that the company establishes its customer relationships, which allow the firm to...

Successful ad agency searches: following a detailed plan of action and implementing consistent evaluation techniques will help retain a highly qualified firm, which delivers an effective advertising effort.
August 1, 2002... At almost every level, government units are hiring advertising agencies to help build tourism, support health spur lottery ticket sales, attract new businesses, and achieve a host of other goals. In most cases, these programs and the...

ADR payment insurance: an alternative dispute resolution clause in government contracts can solve common payment problems among prime and subcontractors.(Alternative dispute resolution )
August 1, 2002... "What do you mean, we'll have to wait for our money? Hasn't the government paid you?" Any subcontractor uttering these words has experienced one of the most vexing problems between a prime and subcontractor involved in government contracts. All...

Technical data package pitfalls. (Case Commentary).(Ford Aerospace Corporation contract analysis)
August 1, 2002... As part of a plan to develop a second source for sections of the Chaparral missile guidance system, Army Missile Command (MICOM) solicited competitive proposals based on a technical data package (TDP) that Ford Aerospace Corporation (FAC) built...

Forward-thinking government solutions with GoTo.Gov. (E-Business).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... The GoTo.Gov service is a part of the Department of Treasury's implementation of a franchise fund authority. It is based in Baltimore, Maryland, and primarily serves the northeast region of the United States. Before going into the details of...

Legacy reuse within the Internet arena. (Case Study).(TNT Logistics North America company and service profile)(Company Profile)
August 1, 2002... TNT Logistics North America provides customized logistics solutions to Fortune 500 companies in the automotive, tire, retail, electronics, utilities, telecom, fast-moving consumer goods, heavy machinery, and rail industries. Headquartered in...

Bills authorizing appropriations for DOD pass in Senate. (Legislation).(Department of Defense )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Two similar bills authorizing appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) for fiscal year 2003 have passed in the Senate. Generally, the bills authorize appropriations for military activities for the DOD and prescribe "personal...

Bill appropriating funds for military construction, housing, and base realignment for FY 2003 passes in Senate and House. (Legislation).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... A bill regarding military construction appropriations for fiscal year 2003 has passed in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Generally, the bills authorize the military agencies to acquire real property and carry out j military...

Bill restricting federal contracts to foreign corporations that enter into expatriation transactions introduced in house. (Legislation).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Representative Jim Burton has introduced a bill in the House of Representatives, titled "Patriotic Purchasing Act of 2002" ("the Act"). If enacted, the bill would prohibit foreign corporations that enter into corporate expatriation...

Bill regarding exemption of certain pilot-training bases from 2005 round of base closures introduced in house. (Legislation).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Representative Charles Pickering has introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that would amend the 2005 round of base closures to exempt certain pilot-training bases. Section 2914 (Special Procedures for Making Recommendations for...

Bill regarding reduction of improper payment by federal agencies introduced in house. (Legislation).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Representative Stephen Horn has introduced a bill in the House of Representatives, titled "Improper Payments Reduction Act of 2002." If enacted, the bill would require the head of each executive agency to review all programs and activities that...

DOD, GSA, and NASA issue final rule regarding definition of "claim" and terms relating to termination. (Regulations).(Department of Defense, General Services Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... The Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration (GSA), anti National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have issued a final rule to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to clarify and move the definitions of...

DOD, GSA, and NASA issue final rule regarding disputes and incidental items. (Regulations).(Department of Defense, General Services Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... The DOD, GSA, and NASA have issued a final rule to amend the FAR, to add policies on disputes and incidental items under Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contracts and to eliminate the notification requirement to the GSA when a schedule contractor...

DOD, GSA, and NASA issue proposed rule to clarify clauses in FAR relating to federal, state, and local taxes. (Regulations).(Department of Defense, General Services Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... The DOD, GSA, and NASA have issued a proposed rule to amend the FAR to clarify certain clauses relating to federal, state, and local taxes. FAR Subpart 29.401 (Domestic Contracts) includes prescriptions for the use of FAR clauses 52.229-3...

DOD issues final rule regarding requirements for use of U.S. flag vessels. (Regulations).(Department of Defense amends Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... The DOD has issued a final rule to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) regarding the U.S. flag vessel requirements. Previously, the DFARS exempted contracts and subcontracts, at or below the simplified...

DOD issues final rule regarding whether a subcontractor item meets definition of "commercial item". (Regulations).(Department of Defense)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... The DOD has issued a final rule to clarify the responsibilities of contractors and administrative contracting officers regarding determinations as to whether a subcontract item meets the definition of a "commercial item" as specified in FAR...

DOD issues proposed rule regarding electronic submission and processing of claims for contract payments. (Regulation).(Department of Defense)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... The DOD has issued a proposed rule to amend the DEARS to implement Section 1008 of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Pub. L No. 106-398), which requires contractors to electronically submit, and the...

NASA issues final rule regarding non-commercial representations and certifications in simplified acquisitions. (Regulation).(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... NASA has issued a final rule to amend the NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) to create a unified set of representations and certifications for the acquisition of non-commercial items within the simplified acquisition threshold. According to NASA, FAR...

DOD, GSA, and NASA issue notice regarding electronic posting of proposed rulemaking withdrawals. (Regulation).(Department of Defense, General Services Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... The DOD, GSA, and NASA have issued a notice withdrawals of proposed rules will now be electronically posted at www.acq.osd.mil/dp.dars, "Defense Acquisition Directorate, Management Status Reports." Currently, on the same Web site, the agencies...

DOD, GSA, and NASA withdraw proposed rule to amend the FAR by moving definitions of "applied research" and "development". (Regulation).(Department of Defense, General Services Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... The DOD, GSA, and NASA have withdrawn a proposed rule to amend the FAR by moving the definitions of "applied research" and "development." As previously reported, the agencies issued a proposed rule that would move the definitions, currently set...

Completing the circle--recycling and giving back. (Association News).(Department of Defense, General Services Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... It is not often that an NCMA member's organization is honored at such a national level for contracting excellence. Or for "giving back" contracting skills on both a national and environmental level in such an unified way. But James Romero, a...

Names to remember: honoring for a lifetime. (Association News).(National Contract Management Association awards Mary J. Mayer)
August 1, 2002... A queen lives in Long Beach, California, "Queen Mary," the largest luxury liner in the world. A little known fact about the "Queen Mary" is that during the World War II, it was a service ship known as "The Grey Ghost." Painted camouflage gray...

Three decades of service--for country and for NCMA. (Association news).(National Contract Management Association)
August 1, 2002... A Dana Award-winner is a person who offers "extensive and distinguished service to NCMA," above and beyond the normal level of voluntarism that unites and distinguished NCMA as a body of contracts professionals. Richard Abele, CPCM, Fellow, of...

Awards for excellence in Europe: U.S. Army Contracting Command in Europe names top 2001 performers. (Association News).
August 1, 2002... The U.S. Army Contracting Command in Europe (USACCE) held its 2001 Head of Contracting Activity Awards for Contracting Excellence ceremony on June 5, 2002, in Chiemsee, Germany. Ten individual and two group awards were presented to members of...

A chapter commentary: the Aloha chapter has an adventure. (Association News).(National Contract Management Association meeting in Hawaii)
August 1, 2002... It is not every day that a group of business owners board school buses for an all-day adventure to pursue government contracts! But it's true, the Aloha Chapter will go to any length--no obstacle is too large for us to ensure that vendors and...

It's everyone's "business:" bringing people together in forum. (Association News).(National Contract Management Association's Small Business Opportunities Forum)
August 1, 2002... On a Tuesday evening this past May 2002, we hosted Greenville's first Small Business Opportunities Forum (SBOF). Seventy-plus people from different small business communities attended the meeting, held in the board room at the Greater...

Chapter bulletin board. (Association News).
August 1, 2002... DAYTON CHAPTER USAF Major General Charles D. Metcalf (Retired) director of the United States Air Force Museum, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, receives a speaker's gift from Dayton Chapter board member JoAnn Miner and Dayton Chapter...

Changing the face of contract management training.(Calendar of Events)
August 1, 2002... Protection of Intellectual Property Rights Once you go beyond the world of government contracting and move into commercial contracting, your knowledge of intellectual property (IP) rights need to go beyond just understanding technical data...