A coalition of contractor groups has endorsed proposed legislation that would change the way the Homeland Security Department grants security clearances.

The industry organization, the Security Clearance Reform Coalition, said DHS has a history of refusing to recognize clearances granted by other agencies. A provision in the Homeland Security Authorization Act, H.R. 5814, would consolidate the personnel clearance process and making the department’s chief security officer primarily responsible. The House Government Reform Committee has approved the legislation.

In a letter, the coalition commended the committee for recognizing “the importance of not duplicating investigations for persons who already possess a clearance, thereby wasting taxpayer dollars on redundant efforts.”

The Senate confirmed the nomination of veteran procurement executive Paul Denett to head OMB’s Office of Federal Procurement Policy.

OMB Director Rob Portman said, “His integrity, extensive knowledge of government acquisition and grant management issues, and policy expertise will guide us in providing effective leadership in shaping governmentwide procurement regulations and in developing the acquisition workforce.”

Denett retired after more than 30 years of federal service and most recently was vice president of contracting programs at management consulting firm ESI International in Arlington, VA.

Cornerstone, of Alexandria, VA, is one of the leading providers of joint doctrine support for the joint staff with significant presence at the U.S. Joint Forces Command Joint Warfighting Center, SAIC said.

Cornerstone’s 59 employees will join SAIC’s Strategies, Simulation and Training Business Unit.

Agencies hired 653 more contracting officers than they lost in 2005, according to the annual report of the Federal Acquisition Institute. The increase was the biggest since 2002.

The institute said 13% of contracting officers, General Schedule code 1102, were eligible for retirement last year, and almost one-fifth of those did retire.

It said nearly one-third of them will be eligible for retirement by 2010.

The Energy Department announced plans to offer $2 billion in loan guarantees for advanced energy projects.

“We hope to spur investment in new renewable energy projects like solar and wind, as well as clean coal technologies and efforts that can convert cellulosic biomass into ethanol,” Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said during an appearance in Baltimore.

The department said it will issue the solicitation for the first round of loan guarantees soon and will publish draft regulations within a few weeks.

The program implements a provision in last year’s energy law that was designed to spur commercial development of new technologies.