DOE contract management still at risk: auditors

      The U.S. Energy Dept. continues its decades-long problems with contract management, according to an audit by DOE’s Office of Inspector General.

      The audit found weaknesses with project management and oversight for both prime contracts and subcontracts, resulting in additional incurred costs. DOE is the largest civilian contracting agency with 14,455 active contracts valued $25 billion.

Read more at: DoE IG report: https://bit.ly/2KChyPM

Veterans sue over VA’s Mar-a-Lago advisors

      A veterans activist group is suing the VA alleging that the agency is unlawfully conducting policy discussions with a group of Mar-a-Lago Club members.

      VoteVets.org claims that VA officials have met privately at least 25 times with several club members to discuss VA privatization, reorganization and other proposed VA policies. The group claims those talks violate the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The government is defending the talks, saying FACA does not apply.

Read more at:
VoteVets.org release: https://bit.ly/2RitAAl
ProPublica story: https://bit.ly/2P6I3gY.

Does the “Rule of Two” apply to Task Orders?

      Ever since the Supreme Court in its “Kingdomware” decision affirmed that every single contract at the VA--including task orders--are subject to the Rule of Two, there has been speculation that the decision may reach beyond the VA. Some say the ruling might affect other federal agencies, especially for acquisitions under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold.

      John Shoraka, former SBA associate administrator for government contracting and business development and now managing director of GovContractPros, recently touched on this topic in a recent column.

      While noting that he is not an attorney, Shoraka said federal buying activities “should be aware that there is a strong school of thought that task orders under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold must adhere to the Rule of Two, and that the Kingdomware decision, once and for all time, established that a task order is a contract. “

      The wording of a recent GAO decision appeared to support that idea, Shoraka wrote.

Read more at: Federal News Network commentary: https://bit.ly/2TRdJKP

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Tietronix ‘not guilty’ verdict

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Column: Bonus & Incentive Compensation - Maximizing Recovery

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