Contract Management articles from February 2002

Contract Management archives from February 2002

The truly educated never Graduate. (President's Forum).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... With the variety of reading that I do, I was surprised when I was moved by a T-shirt saying--"The Truly Educated Never Graduate." Most of us realize that education and training are lifelong experiences. The fact that an entrepreneur put it...

Time for a career tune-up? (Professional Development).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Is your career moving ahead smoothly, like a finely oiled automobile? Or, is it sputtering along the highway at a slow pace, in need of a major tune-up? Use the following guide to troubleshoot your particular career path: * Knocking Engine...

The case for interim award-fee payments: To minimize cash flow deficits, contractors should request interim award-fee payments on cost-plus-award-fee contracts.
February 1, 2002... Contracting professionals have the unique responsibility of negotiating a contract arrangement that will meet the needs of both government and industry. When negotiating a cost-plus-award-fee (CPAF) contract, it is especially important to pay...

Negotiating the intersection: Defense companies must balance security and anti-discrimination concerns when dealing with foreign national employees and job applicants.
February 1, 2002... In response to America's continuing war against terrorism, companies across the nation have been reexamining their security practices to assure that their security classified and proprietary information is well protected and complies with all...

The award-term incentive: A status report.
February 1, 2002... What are award-term incentives, who is using them, now do they work, and are they successful? A review of award-term clauses and plans suggests that many agencies are still learning as they go. In the February 2001 issue of Contract...

Revenue recognition for long-term contracts: Companies that ignore the accounting rules could find themselves restating their earnings--and facing lawsuits and plummeting stock prices.
February 1, 2002... Revenue recognition is one of the most difficult and pressing problems facing the business community today. Organizations such as the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants have been...

Liberating private prison contracting.
February 1, 2002... Traditional government contracts hamper private prison contractors access to affordable capital as federal prisons become increasingly overcrowded. Alternatives under Section 119 may solve both problems. Flexibility increased competition...

Multiple award contract task orders: Streamlined procuremer vs. fair competition.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Contractors competing for task orders under multi-agency, multiple award contracts should keep in close contact with the contracting officer and increase marketing efforts to enhance the possibility of obtaining opportunities to compete. ...

Incentive contracting assessing the risks: When cost savings and mission achievement conflict, program managers must identify the risks and demand that successful program performance be their first obligation.
February 1, 2002... The theory of incentive contracting--whether fixed-price or cost plus--holds that the contractor is motivated by the desire to maximize profit. It is this motivation that translates into a drive to reduce costs. If this cost reduction is...

Overpayments and corruption. (Case Commentary).(Panama Canal Commission and Medica court case information)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... In 1994, contracting officer (CO) L__ pleaded guilty in a United States District Court to racketeering and attempted income tax evasion. He had been accused of receiving improper payments under miscellaneous contracts. Among other punishments,...

I-many, Inc., and trade relationship management. (E-Business).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Businesses are built on relationships. As relationships become complex and collaboration is required, decision systems must be able to recognize and process this complexity efficiently, as we see in the case of "Bob Buyrite and the Ms. Clean-it...

Cost-effective technology services. (Information Technology).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Project Cost Accounting System, or PROCAS, is an all-purpose accounting system principally designed for government contractors with current annual gross revenue ranging from $2 million to $25 million. It also targets companies with staff sizes...

Small business ombudsman. (Small Business Briefs).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The Small Business Administration (SBA) has an ombudsman who acts as a liaison between small business concerns and federal regulatory agencies. The ombudsman, Michael L. Barrera, submits concerns and comments of small businesses, small...

HUBZone program deficiencies. (Small Business Briefs).(Small Business Administration program)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The General Accounting Office (GAO) has released a report (GAO-02-57, October 26, 2001) that highlights serious problems in the implementation of and reporting on the HUBZone program, administered by the SBA. While federal agencies reported...

BusinessLaw.gov and congress.org. (Small Business Briefs).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... SBA has launched a new Web site to enable s business owners to obtain legal and regulatory business information. Businessbaw.gov is meant to help reduce the burden placed on small businesses to comply with laws and regulations. SBA's...

Women-Owned business set-aside program. (Small Business Briefs).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... As provided in the Small Business Reauthorization Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-554), federal agencies will be allowed to restrict competition in industries where women-owned small businesses (WOSB) are represented, if two or more are expected to...

FAR changes. (Small Business Briefs).(Federal Acquisition Regulation )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The Federal Acquisition Circular 2001-01 amends the Federal Acquisition Regulation in several areas of interest to small businesses. First, contracting officers are now prohibited from obligating or expending appropriated funds to enter...

After September 11th: Reverse auctions in government procurement. (Speaking Out).(Editorial)
February 1, 2002... Upon hearing that President Abraham Lincoln had been assassinated in 1865, then-Congressman James Garfield, who himself would later be elected president of the United States--only to see his own life also cut short by an assassin--spoke to a...

Streamlining DCAA compliance: The DCAA audited nearly $200 billion in government contracts in FY2000, netting approximately $2.4 billion in savings. (Government Contracting).(Defense Contract Audit Agency)
February 1, 2002... If your company does project-based work and counts the U.S. government among its clients, then you are probably all too familiar with the complexity of Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) compliance. For many in the field, the mere mention of...

Tips on preliminary hearings--part II. (Alternative Disputes Resolution).(legal services information and techniques)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... This is the second article in a three-part series on preliminary hearings, usually associated with the early stages of a "unique" ADR method of commercial arbitration, which appears in CM magazine from January to March 2002. In the last...

President Bush Signs DOD Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002. (Legislation).(George W. Bush; Department of Defense)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... On December 28, 2001, President Bush signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 (Pub. L. No. 107-107). This legislation is generally intended to authorize appropriations for military activities for the...

Bill regarding federal emergency procurement introduced in senate and house. (Legislation).(acquisitions and contract regulations changes)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Senator Fred Thompson and Representative Tom Davis have introduced nearly identical bills in the Senate and House of Representatives titled the "Federal Emergency Procurement Flexibility Act of 2001." If enacted, the bills would, among other...

Bill regarding security requirements for individuals performing work under DOD contracts introduced in house. (Legislation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Representative Jim Saxton has introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that would amend Title 10 of the U.S. Code to require certain contractors with the DOD to implement specific security procedures. If enacted, the bill would require...

DOD, GSA, and NASA issue final rules regarding contract responsibility determinations. (Regulations).(contract regulations clarifications)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The DOD, General Services Administration (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have issued two final rules regarding contract responsibility determinations. As previously reported, the Clinton Administration issued a...

DOD, GSA, and NASA issue final rule regarding prompt payment and recovery of overpayment. (Regulations).(contract regulation clarification)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The DOD, GSA, and NASA have issued a final rule to amend the FAR to conform prompt payment coverage to current Office of Management and Budget (0MB) regulations (5 CFR Part 1315), to implement a General Accounting Office (GAO) recommendation,...

DOD, GSA, and NASA issue final rule regarding discussion requirements. (Regulations).(acquisition regulation changes)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The DOD, GSA, and NASA have issued a final rule to clarify the scope of discussions in competitive negotiated acquisitions. FAR [section] 15.306(d) ("Exchanges With Offerors After Receipt of Proposals") provides guidelines for conducting...

DOD issues final rule regarding multi-year contracting. (Regulations).(Department of Defense regulation changes)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The DOD has issued a final rule to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) Part 217 ("Special Contracting Methods") to implement sections 802 and 806 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001...

DOD issues interim rule regarding performance-based contracting. (Regulations).(Department of Defense)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The DOD has issued an interim rule to amend the DFARS Part 212 ("Acquisition of Commercial Items") and Part 237 ("Service Contracting") by implementing section 821(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for the Fiscal Year 2001 (Pub. L....

NCMA proudly welcomes nextance... inaugurating NCMA's corporate membership program. (NCMA Corporate Profile).(national contract management association)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Founded in May 2000, Nextance is an enterprise software firm focused on developing applications and supporting services for large organizations to better manage contracts and related commitments. Nextance offers seven solution suites specific...

NCMA's high achievers. (Association News).
February 1, 2002... The National Achievement Award gives special recognition to those members who make notable contributions in program areas such as education, advocacy, certification, or any other special and/or unique contribution that is deserving of national...

The nation's top volunteers. (Association News).(National contract management association award recipients)
February 1, 2002... The Berger Award is given in memory of a former national president of NCMA, one of the early leaders of professional development in contract management. Established in 1998, this award gives special recognition at the national level to those...

2001 Graalman Awards--final tallies! What every NCMA member should know about the Graalman Awards. (Association News).(national contract management association awards information)
February 1, 2002... As NCMA members, we have all heard about the Graalman Award. We probably have had limited involvement with the application process, but whether you know it or not, you as a member of an NCMA chapter have in one way or another contributed points...

"What it means to you": The 2001 East Coast National Education Conference and what it meant for all of Us. (Association News).(National contract management association conference data)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Approximately 400 people- members, leadership, and notable guest speakers-gathered in Tysons Corner, Virginia, for NCMA's 20th Annual East Coast National Education Conference, held December 6-7, 2001. This meeting featured a synergy of...

Building a lasting legacy. (Association News).(Mark A. Williams biographical information)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... NCMA regrets and mourns the death of former East Tennessee Chapter President Mark A. Williams. At the age of 37, this Knoxville resident passed away on November 3, 2001, from sustained motorcycle accident injuries. A graduate of East Tennesse...

CM 2002 editorial calendar.
February 1, 2002... JUNE Article Due: March 1, 2002 E-Business Wireless technology, paperless office, procurement, information technology, smart cards, online catalogues, auctions and reverse auctions, buying consortiums, online collaboration, global...