Contract Management articles from May 2005

Contract Management archives from May 2005

Character counts.(LEADERSHIP FORUM)
May 1, 2005... "In war, three-quarters turn on personal character and relations; the balance of manpower and materials counts only for the remaining quarter." --Napoleon, 1808 In 1990, this quote prefaced my master's thesis, which explored ethics...

Asserting Yourself.(PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
May 1, 2005... Do you ask someone to do something without feeling anxious or guilty? Can you verbalize strong feelings--empathy, disappointment, and frustration--to others under your direction? Are you capable of counseling others to change or modify their...

Key components to developing critical estimating processes: if management takes the time to evaluate and improve estimating systems, the benefits will facilitate and nurture success in their company's other functional areas.
May 1, 2005... Most government contractors' estimating departments consistently face a dilemma--how best to estimate costs that will fit into the target value that business development deems necessary to win the contract. The purpose here is not to...

Forgotten fundamentals: fixed and variable costs; Here's a budget technique for you--an effective but little-used methodology that promotes cost management by focusing on a handful of variable costs.
May 1, 2005... In the performance of any government contract or grant, a contractor incurs costs. Costs are categorized as "direct" if they are related solely to one contract and "indirect" if they support more than one contract. Some indirect costs are...

How does your professional services firm stack up? A unique performance survey released this year, tracking the professional services industry for the last 27 years, has the data and metrics you need.
May 1, 2005... Most firms want to know how they compare with others. Unfortunately, this useful information is proprietary, and almost all surveys are limited to generally useless financial data extracted from annual reports of publicly traded companies....

WAWF progress payments: Web-based progress payments are just the beginning of technological changes to come in defense contracting.(wide area workflow)
May 1, 2005... "What is WAWF? Why is it important? What does it mean to me?" As a contracting officer with DCMA, I hear these questions a lot and want to use this space to try and answer each of them. What Is WAWF? WAWF stands for wide area...

But rather than flex our own muscles, here's a first hand account by one of our recent graduates. Learning how to create better agreements and solve tough problems, are skills you can acquire quickly--and use to re-energize your career.(Column)
May 1, 2005... As I sat down among 25 strangers, I began to wonder if I was wasting my time. After all, time, like money, is something few of us ever seem to have enough of. Little did I know that I was about to take more control over both. Or that the...

E-courses.(from VCampus)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... With the support of our new on-line learning partner, VCampus, we are proud to offer you virtual courses to support the NCMA Certification Program. On-line learning is a flexible, affordable, and effective way to meet your continuing...

General Electric v. United States: impact of overfunded pension plans; Given that the bulk of contract claims under CAS 413 relate to pension surplus attributable to inactive participants, the COFC decision will have significant financial impact on contractors with overfunded pension plans.
May 1, 2005... Introduction A May 27, 2004, decision by the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC) regarding General Electric Co. (GE) could have major implications for government contractors with overfunded pension plans. The COFC ruling on cross motions...

Performance-based acquisition: the real essential elements, part 1 of 4; Go deeper than the traditional components of good acquisition and realize four key elements for success at the core.(Federal Acquisition Regulation)
May 1, 2005... Performance-based acquisition is no longer an option--it is a business necessity in both the public and private business sectors. The U.S. federal government has mandated that agencies and departments comply with performance-based guidelines...

Proper charging of IR & D costs.(CASE STUDY)(Independent Research and Development)
May 1, 2005... Under FAR 31.205-18, independent research and development (IR & D) means that a contractor's costs consist of projects that fall within the four following areas: (1) Basic research, (2) Applied research, (3) Development, and ...

Elements of duress.(CASE COMMENTARY)(PNL Commercial Corporation )
May 1, 2005... PNL Commercial Corporation (PNL) contracted in the year 2000 with a Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentality (NAFI) to build two 10-unit family lodging facilities together--with service buildings and related work for a fixed price of $2,409,000....

ContractAssistant: customized for and growing with your company.(INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY)
May 1, 2005... Keeping pace with your company's contract vehicles is one of the most serious challenges facing professionals today. The revolving door of administrators in government agencies and team members' offices has created an environment where...

FedBid.com: reverse e-auctioning "ethernet cards to explosives" in two easy steps; This site was reviewed in March 2005.(E-BUSINESS)
May 1, 2005... Back in the mid-1990s, a tsunami of statutes swept through Congress. Known collectively as "acquisition reform," these acts were aimed at cutting the cost of doing business with the federal government. At the same time, they aspired to boost...

Rep. Davis drafting bill to integrate FSS & FTS, reorganize GSA.(Legislation)(Federal Supply Service and Federal Technology Service )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis said he was developing legislation to make "structural reforms" in the General Services Administration (GSA), including integrating the Federal Supply Service and Federal Technology Service...

Congress examines cost and structure of Army's Future Combat Systems program.(Legislation)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Subcommittees of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees held hearings on March 16, 2005, to hear from senior U.S. Army officials and government contractor executives, on the status and progress of the Army's Future Combat Systems...

Notification requirement removed for certain CPFF contracts.(Regulations)(cost plus fixed fee )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The Department of Defense (DOD), GSA, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) published an interim rule on March 9, 2005, to remove the advance notification requirements in FAR 44.201-2, relating to cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPFF)...

Application clarified for Buy America Act's non-availability list.(Regulations)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... DOD, GSA and NASA promulgated a final rule on March 9, 2005, which amended the FAR to clarify the application of the list of products in FAR Part 25 deemed non-available from domestic suppliers for purposes of the Buy American Act. The...

Agencies extend simplified acquisition experiment for certain commercial items.(Regulations)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... On March 9, DOD, GSA, and NASA announced the extension of a test program relating to commercial items and simplified acquisition authority. The new rule allows federal agencies to use simplified procedures to purchase commercial items in...

New FAR authority established for service-disabled veteran-owned small business procurement.(Regulations)(Federal Acquisition Regulation)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... On March 23, 2005, DOD, GSA and NASA published a final rule establishing set-aside and sole-source procurement authority for service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) concerns. This rule implements Section 308 of the Veterans...

SBA revises protest regulations; adds definition for SDVOSB.(Regulations)
May 1, 2005... In conjunction with the DOD, GSA, and NASA announcement of new FAR authority for SDVOSB procurements, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced a final rule of its own relating to SDVOSB procurements on March 23 (see 70 Fed. Reg....

DOD revises DFARS to limit contracts for acquisition functions.(Regulations)
May 1, 2005... On March 23, DOD published an interim rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to add Subpart 207.5. This rule implements Section 804 of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2005. The new subpart...

GSA considers consequential damages waiver & mandatory post-award audit provisions.(Regulations)(General Services Administration)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The GSA published a notice stating it is considering whether its General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) should be revised to include a waiver of consequential damages for contracts awarded for commercial items under the...

DHS sets rules to implement U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement.(Regulations)
May 1, 2005... On March 7, 2005, the DHS Customs and Border Protection Bureau published interim regulations to implement preferential tariff treatment and other customs-related provisions in accordance with the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement. The United...

Commerce mandates export license denial for entities subject to statutory sanctions.(Regulations)
May 1, 2005... The Commerce department published an interim final rule on March 7, which mandated the denial of any export or re-export license application if the applicant, other party authorized to receive the license, purchaser, intermediate consignee,...

White house: continuation of Iran national emergency.(Regulations)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... On March 10, 2005, President Bush signed a finding continuing Executive Order (E.O.) 12957, which continued the national emergency declared with respect to Iran, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C....

State department extends waiver of non-proliferation measures for China.(Regulations)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... On March 15, 2005, the State department announced a determination pursuant to section 73(e) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2797b(e)), that it was essential to U.S. national security to extend the waiver of import sanctions on China...

Commerce seeks comment on deemed export licenses & definition of "use".(Regulations)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BI) announced on March 28 that it was seeking public comment relating to issues raised by the Department of Commerce inspector general's recent report, titled "Deemed Export...

DOJ sets non-procurement debarment and suspension rules.(Regulations)(Department of Justice)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... On March 11, 2005, the Department of Justice (DOJ) promulgated a final rule adopting an interim rule published on November 26, 2003, relating to a governmentwide common rule for non-procurement debarment and suspension. (See 68 Fed. Reg....

OMB makes certain agency activity inventories available.(Regulations)
May 1, 2005... On March 10, 2005, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced the release of several agency inventories of activities that are not inherently governmental. This release was issued pursuant to the Federal Activities Inventory Reform...

OMB requests public comment on 2007 NAICS update.(Regulations)(Ontario Municipal Board )(North American Industry Classification System )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... On March 11, 2005, OMB announced it was seeking public comment on the proposed North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) updates for 2007. NAICS is a system for classifying establishments (individual business locations) by type of...

HHS announces new competitive acquisition Medicare program.(Regulations)
May 1, 2005... On March 4, 2005, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed a rule that would establish a "competitive acquisition program" for the purchase of certain Medicare Part B drugs not paid on a cost or prospective payment system...

NCMA 2005 National Education Seminars (NES) series.(N)
May 1, 2005... Best Contracting Practices for Business "Best Contracting Practices for Business" is for those in government or commercial contracting. This interactive seminar examines and offers best practices in building highly successful contract...

2004-2005 Board of Directors: thank you for your service!(NCMA ASSOCIATION NEWS)
May 1, 2005... What a fantastic year 2004-2005 was, as the first year the Board of Directors used the new governance model. CM magazine thanks those members whose term is now finished, but whose work will always be appreciated and remembered in the life of...

DCMA director visits North Texas Chapter.(NCMA ASSOCIATION NEWS)(Defense Contract Management Agency )
May 1, 2005... Our North Texas Chapter was honored to host U.S. Air Force Major General Darryl A. Scott, director of the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), at a recent NCMA meeting. Director since December 2003, General Scott is responsible for...

Leatherstocking chapter: a legend over time.(NCMA Chapter Profile)
May 1, 2005... Your first question might be, "What's a leatherstocking?" Actually, it was a nickname for a character in a series of James Fenimore Cooper's novels set in upstate New York. The main character wore a fox-skin cap and deerskin coat, leggings,...

2005 Achievement Award to Garrett: executive, consultant, coach, teacher, author.(NCMA ASSOCIATION NEWS)(Gregory A. Garrett)(Biography)
May 1, 2005... Gregory A. Garrett, CPCM, PMP, Fellow, a widely known member across the association, has been recently selected to win a National Achievement Award. Nominated for many of his contributions to the general field of contract management and the...

NCMA celebrates Contract Management Week.(NCMA ASSOCIATION NEWS)(National Concrete Masonry Association)
May 1, 2005... This year, the NCMA Board of Directors declared April 25-May 1, 2005, to be Contract Management Week. The purpose of CM Week is to call attention to the contract management profession and its members' accomplishments. NCMA celebrates CM...

GSA Administrator visits Space City.(NCMA ASSOCIATION NEWS)(General Services Administration )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... GSA Administrator Stephen Perry was the keynote speaker at a February luncheon the NCMA Space City Chapter hosted in Houston, Texas. His audience was primarily government and aerospace contracting procurement professionals who support the...

Canadian members.(CHAPTER BULLETIN BOARD)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Graduates of pilot program for a commercial contract management master's degree, through GWU and ESI, Intl., receive their certification from president of CDI Canada (Bill Rasberry) and general manager (Lorraine Clement), along with ESI...

Long Island Chapter.(CHAPTER BULLETIN BOARD)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Long Island Chapter President Tony Piazza (left) thanks chapter board member Gary Marcus for his presentation on teaming agreements and joint ventures at the chapter's February workshop. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

La/south bay chapter.(CHAPTER BULLETIN BOARD)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The chapter receives their Gold Graalman Award at a mid-year leadership conference. (Top row, left to right) Mark Gonzalez (VP, treasurer), Retha Hope (VP, arrangements), Dave Sharp (publicity chair), Kathleen Hogan (VP, membership), Steve...