(Click on headlines below to read each full story.) Strategic sourcing pushing ahead Office Supplies 3, Microsoft software and JanSan move forward The General Services Administration is advancing on several fronts in its strategic sourcing initiatives--generating ongoing and growing concerns for small vendors, along with opportunities. Support gap for VA verifications? The Veterans Affairs Department is switching one of its key contractors this week, with a gap in service expected for several days at minimum. The contractor previously supported processing applications for verifications of veteran-owned small firms. Tips from a small gov’t contractor that grew--and is still growing There was a moment a few months ago when Lisa Firestone, president and founder of Managed Care Advisors Inc. (MCA) of Bethesda, MD, saw a risk that a potentially huge federal opportunity might slip away and go to larger firms. She stepped up. Making GSA schedules cost-reimbursable The General Services Administration is considering adding a cost-reimbursable contract option to its multiple award schedules. Confusion about consolidated contracts? More than a third of the consolidated contracts identified by the Defense Department and the General Services Administration actually were not consolidated contracts, according to the Government Accountability Office. Column: What in the World is DIBBS? We all know that the federal government posts all of its requirements valued at $25,000 or more to the FedBizOpps.gov website, right? But there are numerous other places to find out about opportunities, and not all get posted to FedBizOpps. Washington Insider: Sequester or shutdown? Unless House and Senate negotiators can reach a budget deal soon, prepare for either another government shutdown or .... Two-time proteges The Energy Department’s mentor-protege program is supposed to help inexperienced small contractors, but in reality many of the proteges have past experience.... Too many rejections? Federal performance metrics that reward a speedy turn-around on processing new applications to GSA Schedules may be contributing inadvertently to more rejections.... Supply chain risk The Defense Department’s new interim rule on supply chain security may be tricky for contractors....