Government Contracting

5 Reasons Why Careening From Near Shutdown to Near Shutdown Is Bad for America ArticleFebruary 28, 2024

The waning Snow Moon sets behind the U.S. Capitol Dome.

5 Reasons Why Careening From Near Shutdown to Near Shutdown Is Bad for America

While avoiding a federal government shutdown is important, the chaos of constant shutdown threats; uncertainties about funding; and patchwork continuing resolutions are still detrimental for the government’s ability to provide services and the health of American democracy.

Feb 28, 2024

Lily Roberts, Greta Bedekovics

Government on Workers’ Side ReportJanuary 31, 2024

Government on Workers’ Side

State and local policymakers can raise standards for workers and the public through prevailing wages, project labor agreements, and several other best practices.

Jan 31, 2024

Karla Walter

Evaluating and Improving the Contract System ArticleMay 5, 2011

Evaluating and Improving the Contract System

Pratap Chatterjee testifies about the contracting process before the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

May 5, 2011

Pratap Chatterjee

Tech Triumphs in the Federal Government ArticleMarch 28, 2011

Tech Triumphs in the Federal Government

Pratap Chatterjee reports on a private workshop featuring senior government officials and industry representatives sharing examples of best practices in how the government buys and manages information technology.

Mar 28, 2011

Pratap Chatterjee

Pentagon Opposes ‘Insourcing’ Ban ArticleFebruary 23, 2011

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) offered an amendment last week to the Defense Appropriations Act that would ban the use of any Pentagon funds “to convert from private sector to public sector performance any functions or positions that are not inherently governmental in nature.” (AP/Charles Dharapak)

Pentagon Opposes ‘Insourcing’ Ban

Pratap Chatterjee explains why the Pentagon is right that employing government workers to do government work rather than expensive outside contractors makes sense.

Feb 23, 2011

Pratap Chatterjee

Federal Contract Spending down by $15 Billion ArticleFebruary 3, 2011

The TechStat reform project, led by Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra, pictured above, has helped cut contracting costs through the cancellation of several major information technology systems. (Flickr/<a href=

Federal Contract Spending down by $15 Billion

“Buying less and buying smarter” has helped the White House cut costs on contract spending, writes Pratap Chatterjee.

Feb 3, 2011

Pratap Chatterjee

Putting Federal Contract Auditing in the Spotlight ArticleFebruary 1, 2011

Defense Contract Audit Agency recruiters talk with job fair participants during a job fair at Roosevelt University in Chicago. DCAA's oversight of contract dollars has expanded manifold since its inception 46 years ago, but its staff has shrunk. (AP/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Putting Federal Contract Auditing in the Spotlight

Senators at today’s subcommittee hearing need to tackle certain key issues to help improve the federal contract auditing process.

Feb 1, 2011

Pratap Chatterjee

Insourcing “Inherently Governmental” Work Will Save Money ArticleJanuary 25, 2011

The U.S. Army has identified 2,357 contractors doing work that is supposed to be reserved exclusively for federal employees, which violates draft guidelines issued last March by the Obama administration. (AP/Charlie Riedel)

Insourcing “Inherently Governmental” Work Will Save Money

“Insourcing” jobs from contractors back to the permanent federal workforce should be a priority for the military, writes Pratap Chatterjee.

Jan 25, 2011

Pratap Chatterjee

Procurement Savings of $400 Billion Are There for the Asking: President Obama and His Team Must Show the Way ArticleDecember 3, 2010

Government waste-reduction efforts in place today are being led largely by procurement officials who do not control budgets nor many decisions that lead to waste. Department secretaries and deputy secretaries must lead procurement cost-reduction efforts if we hope to translate savings into budget reductions. In fact, the president needs to get involved himself. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)

Procurement Savings of $400 Billion Are There for the Asking: President Obama and His Team Must Show the Way

Donna Cooper and Raj Sharma detail how the federal government can save on the goods and services it buys and sells.

Dec 3, 2010

Donna Cooper, Raj Sharma

Overhauling Federal Information Technology Spending ArticleNovember 19, 2010

OMB plans to release a overhaul of federal IT procurement, including a new career track that would provide specialized training, credentialing, and high-level support employees need to become skilled program managers. (AP/Andy Wong)

Overhauling Federal Information Technology Spending

The White House is set to unveil a new strategy for IT procurement that could save $80 billion, writes Pratap Chatterjee.

Nov 19, 2010

Pratap Chatterjee

A $400 Billion Opportunity ReportNovember 16, 2010

The federal government can save $400 billion over 10 years by changing the way it buys goods and services. (iStockphoto)

A $400 Billion Opportunity

Raj Sharma outlines 10 ways the federal government can save $400 billion over 10 years by changing the way it buys goods and services.

Nov 16, 2010

Raj Sharma

Getting Rich on Uncle Sucker ReportOctober 20, 2010

The issue of excessive profits being collected from the government for goods and services needed to protect the nation’s security has been with us since the early days of the American Revolution. (Flickr/Kevin H.)

Getting Rich on Uncle Sucker

Scott Lilly examines opportunities to reduce spending in government procurement.

Oct 20, 2010

Scott Lilly

Topics

States