Management

Iraq reconstruction failures tied to contracting breakdowns

As the longest-serving members of project teams, contractors often run the show in Iraq, author of new book says.

Tech

GSA finalizes merger of contracting organizations

Amount of authority the consolidated acquisition office will have over regional offices is not settled.

Management

New government report card coming in late 2007

Nonprofit group aims to measure workforce quality, leadership and public support.

Management

Army Corps competition for IT work strains staff

Some information management offices have lost more than a third of their employees since public-private contest began.

Tech

Working group to study online procurement

Group will review agencies that use "creative" buying services, and issue a best practices guide.

Defense

Bush, lawmakers at odds over qualifications for FEMA chief

Bush says he may not abide by appropriations measure's requirement that emergency management chief have at least five years of related experience.

Management

Forum discussion probes contracting challenges

Attendees recommend replacing “acquisition” with “purchasing” to make jobs sound more appealing.

Management

Thou Shalt Not Steal

Even with good cause, taking agency documents is against the law.

Management

White House chief's notebook raises question: What's a 'record'?

Former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card sought to circumvent Presidential Records Act by keeping key personnel information in blue spiral notebook he bought himself.

Defense

Park Service deputy chief resigns

Donald Murphy is central figure in case of fired Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers.

Tech

Advocacy group puts federal spending search tool online

Launch of FedSpending.org provides new insight into contract and grant spending, raises questions on focus of upcoming government site.

Tech

GSA launches governmentwide property sales site

Web site will consolidate agencies’ efforts to unload unwanted assets.

Defense

Privacy groups rap DHS plan to limit access to clearance information

Proposal could make half of data gathered during background investigations off-limits to applicants, one opponent says.

Defense

Agencies say most Iraq contracts competitively bid

GAO review finds some errors in documenting the procurement process and reporting to Congress.

Tech

GSA probe of regional contracting shops finds few problems

Agency continues to differ with the Defense Department on interpretations of law on spending contract funds.

Tech

Agency launches anti-drug ads on video-sharing site

Potential for reducing drug use remains unclear; online ads run risk of prompting parodies.

Tech

DHS pulls back $5 million from communications project

Disaster management systems are being consolidated to save money, department spokesman says.

Management

EEOC raises visibility of initiative to hire more disabled

Program seeks to stem a decrease in representation of the severely disabled in the federal workforce.

Defense

TSA advised to strengthen emergency operations plan

Inspector general also calls on FEMA to beef up oversight of agencies’ contingency preparations.

Defense

Internal board could spark new clash in DHS labor overhaul

Review panel will be a centerpiece of discussions when unions and department officials meet to revise labor plan.