Anne Rung wants a Buyers’ Club in more agencies

Also advises on reverse auctions and digital IT acquisition corps

Anne Rung, administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, wants to expand the Buyers Club innovative acquisition concept from the Health and Human Services Department to more agencies.

Rung plans to issue guidance requiring the 25 largest agencies to set up their own Buyers’ Clubs over the next year or two, according to a report by FedNewsRadio.

In a related initiative, Rung’s office is offering a $360,000 prize to vendors to come up with a new training program for an innovative IT acquisition corps.

Rung also recently issued a new six-page policy memo on reverse auctions. Rep. Steve Chabot, R-OH, told FedNewsRadio there is still a need for his reverse auction legislation.

More information: Rung memo www.whitehouse.gov/omb/procurement_index_memo/
Rung statement to Federal News Radio: http://goo.gl/DY4OAP
Chabot statement to Federal News Radio: http://goo.gl/gISBZ0

Bill exempts recreation contractors from minimum wage

Rafting, hiking and fishing outfitters on public lands would be exempted from a new $10.10 minimum wage requirement for federal contractors under legislation proposed by Rep. Chris Stewart, R-UT.

The president raised the minimum wage for contractor employees to $10.10 per hour in 2014.

Under Stewart’s bill (HR2215), some seasonal recreational contract workers would be exempted.

The bill would broaden an existing exemption to the order for ski businesses to include companies involved in rafting, horseback riding, hiking, cycling and other seasonal recreational activities.

A House Oversight subcommittee held a hearing on June 10.

More information:Hearing testimony https://goo.gl/HxEFgb

3 new FAR rules

The government released three new proposed changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement the Small Business Jobs Act.

Steptoe & Johnson LLP said the new rules will increase opportunities for small vendors (http://goo.gl/tNi5xC).

The proposed rules were:

• Small Business Subcontracting Improvements, comments due Aug. 10 https://goo.gl/SJhBkQ;
• Consolidation and Bundling of Contract Requirements, comments due Aug. 3, https://goo.gl/HWjubQ; and
• FAR Definition of Multiple-Award Contract, comments due Aug. 3 https://goo.gl/R4nYuI.

Category Management said to be redux

The GSA’s category management approach is “strategic sourcing rebranded — literally,” according to Bloomberg Government in a new report.

More information: Bloomberg Government report http://goo.gl/LvKuzg

Supreme Court to consider VA set-asides

Contractors may have been hacked

Which US agencies have not met FY15 small biz goals yet?

Sharpe: new tools for MAS

Column: The unappealable 8(a) denial

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