Government Procurement articles from October 2005

Government Procurement archives from October 2005

Spotlight focuses on federal procurement.(Federal Emergency Management Agency's competitive contracting strategy)
October 1, 2005... The federal procurement community is under a spotlight--a very bright spotlight. Never before have contract allocations and purchasing practices had such a prominent position on the front pages of newspapers and Web sites across the country and...

Green purchasing--leading by example.(Cover Story)
October 1, 2005... About King County Located on Puget Sound in Washington State and covering 2,134 square miles, King County is nearly twice as large as the average U.S. county. With more than 1.8 million people, it also ranks as the 13th most populous...

An education in earned value: procurement officers' expanding role.(PROJECT MANAGEMENT)
October 1, 2005... As a result of heightened pressure from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and revised Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), the need for the professional purchasing community to understand the principles of Earned Value Management...

Maximize acquisition power with municipal leasing programs.(MUNICIPAL LEASING)
October 1, 2005... Long a staple of commercial enterprises' equipment and technology acquisition strategies, lease financing continues to gain momentum in the public sector, as well. Like any business, municipal entities have ongoing equipment and technology...

Preparation is key to post award debriefing.
October 1, 2005... It's an all too common belief among organizations that want to provide goods and services to the government that when an agency has made its award decision--and subsequently notifies all offerors of this decision--that the agency's procurement...

Ten steps to energy cost savings.(ENERGY)
October 1, 2005... Managing an organizations's energy supply is a difficult and complex undertaking in the best of times. When energy management parameters change dramatically from week to week, facility to facility, and market to market, it can become a...

Procurement card fraud.(P-CARD SECURITY)
October 1, 2005... Procurement cards, also called "P-Cards" and "Pro-Cards," have become increasingly popular in higher education and in every public agency across the nation. You've probably read any number of procurement card horror stories, but take note of...

Public purchasers prepare to share the magic: Orlando, FL, home of fun-filled Disney World, will provide an entertaining venue for the 37th Annual Conference and Products Exposition sponsored by the National Purchasing Institute (NPI).(NPI CONFERENCE PREVIEW)
October 1, 2005... A Parade of purchasing professionals may soon be whistling while they work, as they march into Orlando, FL. Their destination will be Coronado Springs Resort, located in the heart of the Disney World mega complex and site of the National...

National Purchasing Institute 37th Annual Conference and Products Exposition: Coronado Springs Resort, Orlando, FL.(NPI CONFERENCE PREVIEW)
October 1, 2005... National Purchasing Institute 37th Annual Conference and Products Exposition Coronado Springs Resort, Orlando, Fl SCHEDULE OF EVENTS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13 5:00 p.m. First-Timers Welcome Reception 5:30 p.m. General...

Chemical foam stops roots from invading sewer lines.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: public works)
October 1, 2005... Chemical root control pumped into sewer fills entire line from manhole to manhole with compressing foam, including cracks and joints. Herbicide kills roots on contact and inhibits regrowth for up to 5 years. Will not harm trees or above-ground...

Versatile dump bodies handle construction, maintenance duties.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: public works)
October 1, 2005... Lightweight, crossmemberless steel, aluminum, and stainless-steel medium-duty dump truck bodies feature fast latch that enables operators to open the tailgate quickly. Tackle road maintenance and construction jobs, as well as winter road...

For good grades, rely on integrated GPS.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: public works)
October 1, 2005... Rugged AccuGrade grade control system, integrated into Caterpillar machines and attachments, uses GPS technology to provide real-time feedback of job site terrain to operator. Decreases need for traditional grade staking, reducing costs,...

Heavy-duty pipe boasts life expectancy of 100 years.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: public works)
October 1, 2005... Centrifugally cast, fiberglass-reinforced polymer mortar pipe resists corrosion. Offers life expectancy in excess of 100 yrs. Leak-free, push-together joints reduce installation time and cost. Ideal for sanitary sewers, potable water, and...

Lift, move utility covers from comfort of cab.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: public works)
October 1, 2005... Rely on Tony to lift magnetic sanitary sewer, storm sewer grates, water, and oversized utility covers. In-cab monitor helps operator guide magnet over cover to raise and move it to desired location, all from comfort of vehicle. Attach to...

Crack sealing equipment extends pavement life.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: public works)
October 1, 2005... Magma Series melter/applicator line of crack-sealing equipment boasts kink-resistant Superflex III heated hose. Lightweight hose and aluminum wand offer 24 ft. of reach. Trigger flow control recirculates liquid back to sealant tank when not in...

Graders boost uptime, lower operating costs.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: public works)
October 1, 2005... D-Series Motor Graders boast engines with 185 to 245 hp., 25 to 40% torque rise, and event-based shifting transmission. A longer wheel base and heavier mainframe improve fine grading and traction. Bigger cabs boast wide-view windows, enhanced...

Hot patcher repairs potholes in roadways.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: public works)
October 1, 2005... Diesel-fired, tow-behind RMV Hot Patcher trailer unit has automatic temperature control that keeps patch mix ready for use and auger that dispenses patch onto roadbed. Options include heated tack tanks with sprayer and Bulldog 500 vibratory...

Fabric stops sediment from sliding on slopes.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: public works)
October 1, 2005... Biodegradable SedimentStop Filtration System provides erosion control on active, sloped jobsites. Made of straw and coconut fiber, lightweight fabric is reinforced with netting rolled edge to edge to create 50-ft. long temporary,...

Timber bridge kits install quickly and last for decades.(PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: public works)
October 1, 2005... Panel-Lam timber bridge kit assembles up to 250 sq. ft. at a time, minimizing need for road closure. Install even in cold weather. Pressure-treated with oil-based copper naphthenate wood preservative to provide protective barrier against water...

FEMA announces competitive contracting strategy.(NEWS)
October 1, 2005... The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced plans for a competitive contracting strategy for ongoing recovery work for the Gulf Coast hurricanes, as well as for future disasters. The dual...

NASPO honors procurement practices.(National Association of State Procurement Officials)
October 1, 2005... The National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) honored six innovative state procurement programs during its Annual Meeting in Mystic, CT, when it presented the Cronin Club awards. The awards are broken into two categories:...

Former GSA chief of staff pleads not guilty.(General Services Administration's David H. Safavian)
October 1, 2005... A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., has indicted David H. Safavian, the former chief of staff for the General Services Administration (GSA), on charges of obstructing a GSA proceeding, obstructing a U.S. Senate proceeding, and making...

Corrections department to save with performance-based contract.(Department of Corrections signs contract with Siemens Building Technologies Inc.)
October 1, 2005... Under the terms of a 15-year performance contract, Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) has been guaranteed more than $6 million in energy and operational costs. The MDOC is the first state agency in Mississippi to enter into a...

United Nations procurement processes undergo extensive reform program.(NEWS)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... In response to internal and external pressures, the United Nations (UN) has been undergoing an extensive program of fundamental procurement reform. News reports and publications have told the story of the "Oil for Food" scandal at the...

EPA to contract out hundreds of jobs.(NEWS)
October 1, 2005... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided to outsource nearly five percent of its workforce, according to agency memos released by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), a national organization of government...

Rome to host international public procurement conference.(NEWS)
October 1, 2005... NIGP will join the World Bank, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and several academic institutions including Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in co-sponsoring the 2006 Public Procurement Conference in Rome on Sept. 22 to 24,...

Canadian Commission points to procurement's untapped potential.(NEWS)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Canada's Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development told residents that the federal government needs to use its own purchasing to put its money where its mouth is. Recent research by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing goes...

Port Authority debuts marketing effort.(NEWS)
October 1, 2005... The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, operating many of the busiest and most vital transportation links in the world, has begun a multiyear, municipal marketing and sponsorship program for the Port Authority's transportation and trade...

Guide promotes efficient contract management at state and local levels.(RESOURCES)
October 1, 2005... Responding to the rapid growth of government contracting with the private sector for goods and services, the National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation, assisted by the Reason Foundation, has published a guide to improve...

Massachusetts to host environmentally preferable products fair.(RESOURCES)
October 1, 2005... Plan to attend the 11th Annual Environmentally Preferable Products (EPP) Vendor Fair and Conference on Nov. 2, 2005. The event, hosted by Massachusetts Operational Services Division(OSD), will be held at the DCU Center (formerly Centrum),...

Consortium helps small businesses win federal IT contracts.(RESOURCES)
October 1, 2005... CDW Government, Inc., has added six new companies to its Small Business Partner Consortium and exercised the one-year contract options of nine companies that are currently members. The 15 federal consortium members may issue purchase orders to...

Software simplifies grant searches for municipalities.(eCivis, Inc. offers a procurement software and research services)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... eCivis, Inc., a company dedicated to helping local governments improve their grants performance, announced that its clients have won over $1 billion in total grant funding this year. eCivis' flagship product is Grants Locator, a Web-based...

Aramsco, Inc., an international supplier of homeland security products, announced that it has been awarded a competitive contract from New York State.(CONTRACTS)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Aramsco, Inc., an international supplier of homeland security products, announced that it has been awarded a competitive contract from New York State for a first-in-the-nation Hazardous Incident Response Equipment program. The nation's...

Colorado Springs, CO, Fire Department (CSFD) has deployed ESRI.(ESRI ArcGIS 9 geographic information system)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Colorado Springs, CO, Fire Department (CSFD) has deployed ESRI ArcGIS 9 software. With 450 personnel, CSFD serves 400,000 Colorado Springs citizens residing in 192 sq. mi. of territory. The fire department provides the full range of...

Knowledge is power.(public purchasing)
October 1, 2005... I remember when I was just a "cub" contract officer, one of my first bosses told me that, "Knowledge is power, and you don't share power." He played everything pretty close to the chest and didn't tell anyone what purchasing did or how we did...