Oversight

Recording raises questions about tax collection calls

Companies calling on behalf of IRS are limited by privacy restrictions, industry official tells lawmakers.

Defense

SBA study shows perils of analyzing small business contracts

Reviewers ran into conflicting and unreliable data in preparing report on small firms' performance in outsourcing contests.

Defense

Oversight of Iraq reconstruction winding down

IG office will publish investigations of key companies and government contracting operations before closing shop at the end of 2008.

Oversight

McCain pledges to reorganize federal workforce

GOP presidential hopeful says he'll devote "necessary resources" to making sure "government pay scales allow us to attract the finest public servants."

Oversight

Lawyers prepare for October hearing on Indian trust fund accounts

Inquiry will judge adequacy of Interior-proposed accounting plan.

Oversight

House passes 3.5 percent military pay raise

Bill also would restore collective bargaining and appeal rights to new Defense personnel system, impose new outsourcing restrictions.

Oversight

Study complicates debate on women’s procurement set-aside

Analysis finds that depending on how you measure, women-owned businesses are underrepresented in 87 percent of industries, or none.

Oversight

IRS debt collection initiative set to break even next spring

Oversight board expresses cautious confidence in program to let private firms help recover unpaid taxes.

Oversight

House panel puts new limits on job competitions

Provision would put a hold on Pentagon public-private competitions until guidance is developed for bringing work back in-house.

Oversight

Report: Navy outsourcing decision leads to higher costs

Performance-based contracting, used poorly, is costing government more than keeping the work in-house, inspector general says.

Oversight

Administration opposes hike in small business contracting goals

Official says tougher target would have “chilling effect” on agencies’ efforts to buy from small firms.

Oversight

Iraq reconstruction IG subject of long-running investigation

Six former employees filed complaint more than a year ago with charges including wasteful spending.

Management

Commerce IG investigated on claims of improper travel

Unnamed accusers say head auditor needlessly extended trips and authorized excessive domestic and foreign travel for himself and staff members.

Management

Job competitions fall short of target

Agencies ended up opening less than half the work planned to private sector bids in fiscal 2006, OMB reports.

Management

Three agencies recognized for financial management gains

As most agencies receive either high or low ratings, with few in the middle, OMB re-evaluates grading standards.

Tech

Agencies' responses to data breaches vary

Government should develop guidelines to help agencies decide when to offer services such as credit monitoring after an incident, GAO says.

Management

OPM pledges to help speed hiring of Social Security judges

New list of eligible hires would help SSA address record disability appeals backlog.

Defense

Iraq reconstruction projects fall back into disrepair

Funding, project management agencies say they have no authority to help Iraqis operate new equipment and maintain refurbished buildings.

Defense

Watchdog: Projects in Iraq at risk for fraud, waste and abuse

Ongoing contract management problems and lack of contractor head count contribute to problems.

Management

IG says GSA chief may have broken ethics, contracting rules

Investigators find Lurita Doan committed the agency to an inappropriate no-bid contract that had to be ended “for convenience.”