Contract Management articles from October 2005

Contract Management archives from October 2005

NCMA: pulling together as chapters.(National Contract Management Association)
October 1, 2005... NCMA was established in the late 1950s by the merger of chapters of prior organizations in Boston and Los Angeles. Our 18,000 individual members make up 146 chapters of all sizes, shapes, and orientations spread across the country and overseas....

Commitment: requirement for success; Enduring employee commitment is the single most important and necessary requirement for an organization and its managers to successfully attain goals, plans, projects, and resolutions.(PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
October 1, 2005... What is commitment? Do you have employee commitment in your workplace? Do convictions align with commitments and if not, why not? How do you attain and promote commitment from employees? Knowing the answers to these questions is critical to...

Beware of common government contracting pitfalls: because of the requirements of FAR 1.602-1(b), contracting officers have a unique, and perhaps impossible, responsibility. Learn how the government acquisition team can better fulfill this unique mission.
October 1, 2005... The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) places an almost impossible burden on contracting officers to ensure that procurements are procedurally perfect. (1) To assist contracting officers in this Herculean task, the FAR requires contracting...

Doing business with the government: tips for success; Here are some tips to help you stay out of trouble and make the experience positive--know what you're getting into and follow the rules.(Cover Story)
October 1, 2005... For many companies, doing business with the government is a rewarding and profitable experience. In most instances, the contracting process works well: the government gets what it needs, and the contractor makes a reasonable profit for its...

Five best practices for government contractors: adding value one step at a time; One of the ways to pulse incremental change is to recognize best practices as they occur and look at them in the context of where you are headed in the mid and long term.
October 1, 2005... The views expressed in this article are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or polices of the Fluor Corporation or its affiliates. The author takes full responsibility for the content of this article. ...

NCMA 5th Annual Commercial Contract Management Conference.(National Contract Management Association)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Make the Connection: Your Customers, Suppliers, and Partners October 17-18, 2005 * Renaissance Atlanta Downtown * Atlanta, GA How do you make the connection with your customers, suppliers, and partners? Start by getting up to date on...

Earned value management: DOD implements policy improvements; The policy has been modified to provide consistency in application across DOD programs and to better manage the programs through improvements in departmental and industry practices.
October 1, 2005... Earned value management (EVM) is now a hot topic for a couple of reasons. First, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is working to add the requirement for EVM to the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Second, the Department of Defense (DOD)...

The case for earned value management with fixed-price contracts: while the notion that EVM is exclusively used with CR contracts is most likely embedded in decades-old military industrial policies, more contemporary literature offers strong counter claims.(earned value management)(cost-reimbursable)
October 1, 2005... The most significant and useful knowledge breakthrough, with respect to managing projects under contract, was the development and introduction of cost/schedule control systems criteria (C/SCSC) in 1967, and its successor, earned value...

The basics of government contract formation.
October 1, 2005... Note This workshop covers government contract formation. A companion workshop covers government contract administration. This course provides updates to the most recent Statutes and Federal Acquisition Regulation changes. It includes...

NCMA 24th Annual Government Contract Management Conference.(National Contract Management Association)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Improving the Procurement Process: Getting the Bang for the Buck December 5-6, 2005 * Sheraton Premiere * Tysons Corner, Vienna, VA Connect with business, legislative, and political professionals to see how innovative acquisition...

E-courses.
October 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 education...

Content removal from the Code of Federal Regulations: understanding and navigating the confusing trend; A new trend has emerged among agencies in how they view the content of their regulations and make revisions to their individual FAR supplements. This article will help you understand and navigate the confusing trend.
October 1, 2005... A new trend has emerged among agencies in how they view the content of their regulations and make revisions to their individual Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) supplements. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Government contracting authority: when working with government personnel, understand the specific responsibilities and authorization limits, how these may flow or differ, what can happen when unauthorized work is performed, and how the government may authorize previously unauthorized actions through ratification.
October 1, 2005... The U.S. federal government is one of the largest consumers of supplies and services in the world. As a major procuring entity, it is subject to the guidelines and restrictions established by U.S. statutes and laws, as well as administrative...

Elevate your career, get certified today!
October 1, 2005... Earning a professional designation from NCMA is one of the most important steps you will take in your career. NCMA certification will bring you professional recognition by validating your knowledge of the contract management field. Enhance...

NCMA corporate membership.(National Contract Management Association)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... NCMA corporate members enhance their industry image as premier businesses in the contract management community. Learn how your company can take advantage of our growing resources by joining our corporate members. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Contracting under the FSS Program: since July 2004, there is better guidance for ordering more complex items under the MAS program that require a SOW--yet, these rules have proven to be problematic for many ordering agencies.
October 1, 2005... The U.S. General Services [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Administration (GSA) directs and administers the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program, whereby contractors participating in the program can list their services and supplies on a Federal...

DCAA audit compliance: what's hot now? Doing business successfully with the federal government in today's auditing environment requires greater efficiency, sustained vigilance, and the right combination of resources.
October 1, 2005... As a government contractor, you've always had to function under the federal microscope, but today's auditing environment is changing as fast as the world around us. Audit requirements and priorities, and even the level of scrutiny applied by...

CM magazine 2006 editorial calendar.(Calendar)
October 1, 2005... February -- Articles Due: Nov. 1, 2005 Career Management From entry level, mid-management, and executive-level... how can you advance your contract management career? Continuing education, e-learning, human capital...

When is acceptance final?(CASE COMMENTARY)
October 1, 2005... In November 1995, the U.S. Army contracted with Bender GmbH (Bender) to clean and close a sewage treatment plant in Babenhausen, Germany. Dieter Bender had been a contractor with the United States for 30 years. He submitted Bender's bid and...

Contracting with the hummingbird: fast, powerful, versatile.(INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY)
October 1, 2005... This product was reviewed in August 2005. True to its name, Hummingbird Ltd., has produced an IT tool that is quite like the bird, versatile, flexible, powerful, agile, colorful, fast, and steady all at the same time--offering numerous...

President Bush signs FY 2006 Interior spending bill.(Legislation)
October 1, 2005... On August 2, 2005, President Bush signed into law the Department of Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY 2006. Inter alia, the law places limitations upon the agencies' ability to conduct public-private...

President Bush issues notice to extend expiration of Export Administration Act for one year.(Regulations)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... President Bush issued a notice, titled "Continuation of Emergency Regarding Export Control Regulations," to extend for one year the expiration of the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2401 et. seq.). The act...

DOD issues proposed rule to amend DFARS & require notification of potential safety issues.(Regulations)
October 1, 2005... The Department of Defense (DOD) has issued a proposed rule to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to mandate inclusion of a new clause in specified DOD contracts, "Notification of Potential Safety Issues," that...

DOD issues proposed rule regarding disposition of property at closed and realigned military installations.(Regulations)
October 1, 2005... DOD has issued a proposed rule to amend the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to address issues arising from the upcoming round of base closures and realignments made pursuant to the recommendations of the 2005 Defense Base Closure and...

DOD releases interim position regarding procurement authority to provide relief to Hurricane Katrina victims.(Regulations)
October 1, 2005... DOD has provided informal notice, to be followed by a formal memorandum, regarding the use of its procurement authority to provide aid to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. DOD has determined that response to this disaster constitutes a...

DOD issues interim rule to amend DFARS regarding IRS tax levies on contract payments.(Regulations)
October 1, 2005... DOD has issued an interim rule to amend the DFARS to mandate that contractors notify the contracting officer if tax levies imposed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) threaten contract performance. The contractor must also advise the...

NASA issues final rule amending Grant and Cooperative Agreement Handbook regarding intellectual property provisions.(Regulations)
October 1, 2005... The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has issued a final rule amending the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Handbook to reflect administrative clarifications regarding intellectual property provisions. The agency stated...

GSA issues notice creating Small Business Advisory Committee.(Regulations)
October 1, 2005... The General Services Administration (GSA) has issued a notice, announcing the establishment of the new Small Business Advisory Committee--an entity that will under-take initiatives to evaluate and improve federal contracting opportunities...

GSA issues notice re: adding ancillary Repair and Alteration services to GSA Schedules Program.(Regulations)(General Services Administration (US government) )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... GSA has issued a notice regarding the possible addition to the GSA Schedules Program of ancillary Repair and Alteration (R & A) services, a subset of construction services under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and the...

State department issues final rule amending ITAR regulations.(Regulations)
October 1, 2005... The Department of State (Department) has issued final rules amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Inter alia, the amendments (1) add a new definition of "North Atlantic Treaty Organization" (NATO) by listing its member...

OMB updates federal pay raise assumptions, inflation factors & costing software used in OMB Circular A-76 public-private competitions.(Regulations)
October 1, 2005... The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued a Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies that updates the annual federal pay raise assumptions and inflation cost factors, based on the President's Budget for FY 2006,...

Commerce issues final rule to amend EAR Commerce Control List.(Regulations)
October 1, 2005... The Department of Commerce (Commerce) has issued a final rule to amend the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) Commerce Control List (CCL). The agency stated the final rule was implemented pursuant to the understandings reached at the April...

OPM issues final rule re: Information Technology Exchange Program.(Office of Personnel Management )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued a final rule to implement certain provisions of the E-Government Act of 2002, P.L. 107-347 that authorizes the Federal Information Technology Exchange Program. This program grants authority to...

SBA proposes increase to guaranteed bond fee.(Regulations)
October 1, 2005... The Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued a notice to increase the guaranteed bond fee, from the current 20 percent to 32 percent of the bond premium, assessed to those sureties participating in the SBA Surety Bond Guarantee (SBG)...

The contracts community loses a beloved and influential icon.
October 1, 2005... Experienced and beginner contract management professionals will remember the passion and strength of John Cibinic Jr., professor emeritus and one of the founders of the George Washington Law School's internationally recognized government...

This year's Aerospace & Defense Conference: moving toward the future.(NCMA ASSOCIATION NEWS)
October 1, 2005... While summer may be a time to relax and go the beach for reasons other than those work-related, it also is the time that many leaders and professionals in the field gather each July in California. Here, they rejuvenate themselves in the...

NCMA Honorary Life Member Awards.(National Contract Management Association )
October 1, 2005... In today's "super-industrial" age, where changes are happening at such an accelerated rate, perhaps it is rare to find something that has been the same for more than 25 years. Alvin Toffler, in his book, Future Shock, addresses this phenomenon,...

NCMA 2005 National Education Seminars (NES) series.(National Contract Management Association)
October 1, 2005... NEW! Performance-Based Acquisition Presented by Gregory A. Garrett, CPCM, Fellow, President, and CEO Garrett Consulting Services Based on Gregory Garrett's newest publication, Performance-Based Acquisition: Pathways to Excellence,...

San Diego: constant connections and growth.(NCMA Chapter Profile)
October 1, 2005... As a contract professional, you are bound to encounter a problem with a contract that you could use some help with solving. One of the first things many of us do is reach out to our peers to draw upon their knowledge and experience. And, if...

Boston Chapter's 2005 spring workshops: big successes!(NCMA ASSOCIATION NEWS)
October 1, 2005... On March 16, 2005, more than 400 gathered at the beautiful campus of Bentley College in Waltham, MA, for the annual March workshop. Judging from the attendee evaluation forms, this year's event was top quality in topic choices and speaker...

Dayton chapter.(CHAPTER BULLETIN BOARD)
October 1, 2005... Col Wendy Masiello (left), Dayton Chapter member, visited Camp Eggers in Afghanistan as a part of her military deployment. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Midlands chapter.(CHAPTER BULLETIN BOARD)
October 1, 2005... Dr. Betty L. Bailey (left) taught the "Negotiation Skills" NES for the chapter this past program year. Ronda Colby (current president) is pictured on the right. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Picatinny chapter.(CHAPTER BULLETIN BOARD)
October 1, 2005... The chapter joined with the Center for Contracting and Commerce to hold their 12th annual golf outing, after which the chapter awarded five $1,000 scholarships to area high school graduates planning to pursue a business degree. Pictured are...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
October 1, 2005... In the September 2005 issue of Contract Management magazine, "The Contract Management Maturity Model," page 56, Figure 1, the Maturity Levels in column one (from top to bottom) should have read: (5) Optimized, (4) Integrated, (3) Structured,...