IBM’s suspension from federal contracting was lifted after a week. The company agreed to withdraw a protest over a disputed contract and cooperate with investigators.

The Environmental Protection Agency suspended IBM amid allegations that the company employees improperly obtained inside information on a procurement.

Despite tighter controls on the use of government credit cards, the horror stories continue to pile up. The Government Accountability Office discovered thousands of examples of misuse of purchase cards, including spending on dating services and electronic devices like iPods that are missing from government inventories.

Although new controls were put in place after earlier reports of misuse, GAO said federal managers were lax in monitoring use of the cards.

Congress is taking notice. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved legislation that would require agencies to fire employees who abuse the cards and reprimand managers who are negligent in controlling purchase card abuse.

Robert Burton plans to retire as deputy administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy. A 30-year veteran of government service, he joined the office in 2001 and served twice as acting director.

SBA is considering a waiver of the nonmanufacturer rule for the following industries, because it believes no small business is currently providing these products to the government:

•Paper Products Manufacturing, NAICS code 322121 product number 8540;
•Safety Zone Rubber Gloves Manufacturing, NAICS code 339113 product number 9999; and
•Trash Bags Manufacturing, NAICS code 326111 product number 8105.

Comments are due April 23.

The House voted overwhelmingly to require agencies to use plain language in public reports, letters and documents. The bill would leave it up to each agency to define “plain language.”