Management

OMB eliminates broad competitive sourcing targets

The Office of Management and Budget will no longer hold agencies to governmentwide numerical targets for competitive sourcing—including the goal of opening 425,000 federal jobs to private competition—federal procurement chief Angela Styles said Thursday.

Management

House panel orders reports on costs of job competitions

Agencies would have to tell Congress how much they are paying outside consultants to help run public-private job competitions under legislation approved by the House Appropriations Committee Thursday.

Management

Postal panel tackles collective bargaining, pay

The Postal Service should have the authority to negotiate retiree pension and health care benefits that are different from those offered under existing federal plans, a nine-member commission appointed to study postal reform said Wednesday.

Management

Lawmakers renew push to tighten contractor ethics standards

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced legislation that would make it easier for agencies to locate companies with histories of misbehavior and bar them from federal contracting work.

Defense

German gun maker wins TSA contract to arm airline pilots

The Transportation Security Administration has selected the German firearms manufacturer Heckler & Koch to supply the handguns the agency will use to arm commercial airline pilots.

Management

Panel urges Postal Service to consolidate

To improve its financial health, the Postal Service should consolidate its facilities and should consider outsourcing tasks “incidental” to delivering the mail, a nine-member commission appointed to study postal reform said Wednesday.