Contract Management articles from November 2002

Contract Management archives from November 2002

Reader response corner.
November 1, 2002... Dangers of the Contracting World I really enjoyed reading the article, "Facing the Dangers in the Contracting World," in the July 2002 issue of Contract Management, as it pertains to my job. How do we prevent incumbent contractors from...

Membership with NCMA--dedicated and growing. (President's Forum).
November 1, 2002... What an honor and privilege it is for me to serve as NCMA's national vice president for membership this 2002-2003 program year. I face this opportunity with committed enthusiasm and excitement...and why not! The 2002-2003 Membership Campaign is...

Can't we all just get along? (Professional Development).
November 1, 2002... Perhaps one of the most persistent comments I hear around the water cooler, at lunch, and in meetings is the lamenting refrain: "Can't we all just get along?" My workplace, probably much like yours, is filled with personality conflicts, career...

E-sourcing made simple: for companies adrift in a sea of inefficient contract processes, e-sourcing is a beacon of sanity.
November 1, 2002... Managing contracts so that they positively impact a company's bottom line can be a daunting challenge, even for veteran contract administrators, purchasing directors, and procurement analysts. Contract management (CM) requires carefully...

Leasing IT--good for the government, too: the commercial world has enjoyed the advantages of leasing information technology equipment for decades. So, why is the government holding back?
November 1, 2002... Leasing information technology (IT) recently gained considerable media attention in the government technology and procurement world. Earlier this year, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) put a moratorium on leasing IT equipment...

The new tool for CFOs: automating contract management can help chief financial officers control costs, manage revenues, comply with financial regulations, and mitigate risks.
November 1, 2002... With the recent exposures of companies like Enron and Worldcom, investors are losing confidence at an alarming rate. Issues like revenue recognition, capital versus operating expenses, and other accounting fundamentals are not being managed...

Measuring IT performance: common in the private sector, service level agreements are becoming the new standard in federal information technology contracts.
November 1, 2002... Service level agreements (SLAs) provide a means for contracting agencies to effectively measure the performance of a contractor's equipment or services. Usually, there is a monetary incentive or disincentive attached to each performance factor,...

Acquisition excellence in technology--an interview with a big player in government. (Special Profile).
November 1, 2002... On Sunday, July 21, 2002, before the 2002 World Congress opening ceremonies, CM magazine assistant editor, Kathryn Mullan, met with Michael Wynne, the Department of Defense's under secretary for defense (acquisition, technology, and logistics)....

Contract management that boosts revenue: by integrating contract management into all the revenue management processes of your organization, you can manage the entire revenue cycle from contract to cash.
November 1, 2002... Not so terribly long ago, companies looked at comprehensive, interactive contract management to improve contract negotiation and document management efficiencies. But in today's challenging economic environment, in a marketplace filled with...

Homeland security's (not so) secret weapon.
November 1, 2002... The flexibility of procuring cutting-edge technology and research via "other transactions" can give the new U.S. Department of Homeland Security a powerful tool to protect the nation against terrorism. For those of us who pioneered the use...

Revised delivery due dates. (Case Commentary).
November 1, 2002... For the calibration of test equipment, more sensitive and accurate devices than those to be tested must be used. In August 1993, Aviation Technology, Inc. (ATI), contracted with the Army Missile Command (Micom) to design and supply a first...

Mastering your programs with PrimeContract software. (Information Technology).
November 1, 2002... PrimeContract is the progeny of Primavera's seminal project management application, Primavera Project Planner (P3), developed in the 1980s. Originally conceived in 2000 as an e-marketplace product for the construction industry, PrimeContract...

Small business briefs: a compilation of procurement news affecting small business.
November 1, 2002... * Small Business Size Standard The Small Business Administration (SBA) has proposed to increase the size standard for testing laboratories (North American Industry Classification System 541380). The size standard would be increased from...

Contract bundling: a good thing and a small business opportunity? (Small Business).
November 1, 2002... In recent years "contract bundling," which was originally considered a good thing because of efficiencies that could be realized by consolidating similar requirements, has gotten bad press. Many lawmakers and small business advocates...

Boilerplate deliverables--dangerous business. (Best Practices).
November 1, 2002... One of the most unnerving aspects about being a government contractor is to sit in a contract management meeting, where a customer manager announces, "This plan doesn't meet our specs. It is unsatisfactory. In fact, it looks like it's all...

Having trouble getting to the negotiation table? Try baseball arbitration. (Alternative Dispute Resolution).
November 1, 2002... (Part Two of a Two-Part series) The last ADR Corner ended with the promise that Part Two would cover where and how to apply "baseball arbitration." But, first let's re-visit the topic and set the stage. Mini-Recap Last month's...

Final edition.
November 1, 2002... November 2002 Contributed by Functional Director for Legislation & Regulations, C. Stanley Dees, with assistance from Associates at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP Legislation There were no procurement-related bills introduced this...

National Contract Management Association's Buyer's Guide 2003: serving the buying and selling communities.(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2002... Category listing Accounting: AUDIT SPECIALISTS CONSULTING FIRM SOFTWARE OR PRODUCTS SYSTEM MANUFACTURER OTHER Aerospace and Defense: AGENCY CONTRACTOR INTERNATIONAL A&D ORGANIZATIONS ...

First Annual national NCMA Leadership Summit: an NCMA success. (NCMA Association News).
November 1, 2002... NCMA's First Annual Leadership Summit, held August 15-18, 2002, in Reston, Virginia, for all chapter, regional, and national officers, seems to have a founded a lasting tradition. Featuring a dynamite program that "raised the bar" on previous...

Procurement Round Table award for Young Acquisition Professional Excellence. (NCMA Association News).
November 1, 2002... Each year, the Procurement Round Table, in cooperation with the Procurement Executives Council, awards $5,000 to a young federal acquisition professional, who has contributed significantly to acquisition operations or acquisition policy: *...

CPCM exam updates: "certification is the key to professionalism". (NCMA Association News).
November 1, 2002... Congratulations to those candidates who passed the Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) examination on May 17, 2002. The CPCM designation represents the highest level of qualification in the contracts profession. As the...

CM 2003 editorial calendar.
November 1, 2002... March Articles Due: Dec. 1, 2002 Project/Program Management Project teams, life-cycle management, risk management, process reviews, defining a goal, project planning, work breakdown structure, quality, conflict and negotiation,...

Cape canaveral chapter. (Chapter Bulletin Board).
November 1, 2002... Caption: Mr. Lenn Vincent, vice president at American Management Systems (AMS), spoke at the monthly dinner meeting, held on September 11,2002. Vincent is currently responsible for the development and launch of a commercial contract management...

Dayton Chapter. (Chapter Bulletin Board).
November 1, 2002... Caption: Bob Anderl, Dayton Chapter's past national president (2001-2002), receives a gift of appreciation from the Dayton Chapter from 1999-2000 Dayton Chapter President Farris Welsh, at the Dayton Chapter's annual "Volunteer and Member...

Suncoast Chapter. (Chapter Bulletin Board).
November 1, 2002... Caption: The Suncoast Chapter recognized their four new CPCMs at a September dinner meeting in Tampa, Florida. Roger Ertsgaard led the CPCM study group. Pictured here are Cathy Dixon, Anna Urquhart, Roger Ertsgaard, Jackie Thibideau, and...