 |
December 2007
December 28, 2007
Letter: Time to get real about brand name specs
A reader argues that it would be a mistake to prohibit the use of the "brand name or equal" provision in solicitations.
December 27, 2007
Letter: Contractors can't solve management problems
Agency officials often hire contractors to compensate for internal management problems, but it rarely works, writes one longtime fed.
Letter: A little journalism 101 may be in order
A reader takes issue with a story that cites a GAO report without including the department's response.
Letter: Data security efforts must not hinder data sharing
A reader is concerned that efforts to crack down on peer-to-peer networking and data brokers could mean trouble for intergovernmental data sharing initiatives.
December 19, 2007
Letter: Fewer Internet links mean more risks
Limiting connections will make it easier for hackers or malicious code to disrupt connectivity for a much larger segment of the network, writes one reader. Read the complete letter and post a comment to let us know what you think.
December 18, 2007
Letter: How much is pay a factor in outsourcing high-level workers?
Most of the federal jobs that end up competed out via A-76 are technical, administrative and support jobs, not high-end professional positions.
December 17, 2007
Letter: Article mischaracterizes Bechtel's post-Katrina work
FEMA praised Bechtel employees' work in the affected areas of Mississippi, and DHS' IG expressed concern about FEMA's oversight, not about the company.
Letter: Quality of EVM metrics depends on underlying data
Contractually reported data is not always a valid measure of technical progress and cost performance.
December 14, 2007
Letter: Chief management officers won't help
Without any real job qualifications, the position could be filled by unskilled but aggressive White House supporters.
December 13, 2007
Letter: The word is out: DOD gyps employees
DOD no longer has to provide meaningful wage increases that keep pace with inflation.
December 11, 2007
Letter: Research, not laws, needed for fake degrees
It's already an offense to lie on government job applications, and proposing additional laws won't make a real difference.
December 10, 2007
Letter: Army mentality, not workforce, causes acquisition woes
Many acquisition workforce positions could be filled in two years if the practice from the top down was not to prevent capable employees from advancing.
Letter: Know what you're buying beforehand
NASA buys through original equipment manufacturers and then suggests a source, such as a distributor or GSA, to the procurement team.
Letter: OPM IG's investigation of Bloch a disgrace
OPM's inspector general has been investigating Special Counsel Scott Bloch for two and a half years and has not come to any conclusions or made any recommendations.
Letter: Using GSA is not a waste of money
The Army is building up its acquisition workforce, but the Defense Department should get out of the acquisition business and consolidate its resources under GSA.
December 7, 2007
Letter: Thumb drives are useless at VA
The device drivers don't load and everything at the department is connected via a network, so there is no need for thumb drives.
Letter: FCW ignores serious questions about enhanced driver's license
Nobody is looking into how the licenses work and how they will improve border security.
Letter: OFPP must punish restrictive procurements
In "brand-name or equal" requirements, the ultimate guilty party is the end user or client originating the request for a purchase.
December 6, 2007
Letter: Agency use of Lean Six Sigma a political process
Consequently, agencies lose resources to the point that there are not enough to perform some functions.
Letter: Don't axe draft RFPs
The quality of proposals rises and protests decline when draft requests for proposals are issues.
December 5, 2007
Letter: Special contracting treatment hurts Alaska Native firms
Allowing noncompetitive awards to certain classes of contractors should be limited to the same requirements as other 8(a) companies.
Letter: Higher-level politics impede COTRs
A director hindered the efforts of one contracting officer's technical representative.
December 4, 2007
Letter: Who should oversee DHS' exit system?
A separate federal authority that reports to the department should take on the task, not organizations related to customs and immigration.
Letter: Brand name justifications must hold water
All requests for proposals that specify brand name products should be carefully vetted.
Letter: OFPP's training plan is 'excellent'
Quality professional training is imperative.
Letter: Feds should seek competence, not numbers
Closing off Internet links is an illogical move.
December 3, 2007
Letter: Revamping funding opens doors for new systems
Using a commercial implementation for health IT would give users -- patients and professionals -- the friendliest graphic user interfaces and most logical forms.
Letter: Closing Internet links will lead to more unauthorized telecommuting
In order to access information, government workers will have to use unsecured computers.
Letter: Closing Internet links will hurt satellite offices
Thousands of smaller offices use private Internet connections and a virtual private network to connect to their agencies’ networks.
Letter: EVM, Activity-Based Costing will reveal projects' problems
Using the metrics together can be very effective in pinpointing why a project is off-schedule and off-budget.
Letter: Closing off Internet links will hurt R&D
The move takes away workers' ability to research new technologies.
|
|
|
|
