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March 30, 2009
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DHS Contracting Protests
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We're proud to announce that former Rep. Tom Davis will keynote our New Washington III, on the morning of April 30 at the National Press Club. This is exactly 100 days after the inauguration and Tom's first major public speech in civilian clothes. Other top figures to be announced. Recession-busting prices. Sign up later this week.
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To avoid protests, Homeland Security must improve its market research and do a better job of bidding out task orders, Soraya Correa, Director of DHS' Office of Procurement Operations, told a packed Bethesda North Marriott Friday at AFCEA-Bethesda's monthly breakfast.
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Soraya, right, with Dave Grant, IRS Acting Chief of Agency-Wide Shared Services, says the protest process is fair, but she wants the industry to think before they submit a claim. "I've heard companies factor in the protest in their bids before even making a proposal. That's wrong. The only people making money on these protests are the lawyers," she says.
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Moderator Michael Sade, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of GSA's FAS Integrated Technology Service, told the crowd that Federal CIO Vivek Kundra is pressing agency CIO's to move faster. "It took us nine hours to put a new emblem up on Recovery.gov, and that's just unacceptable," Michael says.
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| Where's the Infrastructure? |
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With government contracting on warp speed these days, we sat down with two Arent Fox federal contracting gurus: Craig King, general counsel for the Navy under Bush 41, and Rick Webber, a 29-year Arent Fox vet. Craig says the current administration has set the correct agenda, politically, with increased oversight on contractors, but they lack the infrastructure (most notably acquisition workforce) to successfully pull off their plans.
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As for proposed fix-priced contracts, Craig says they work in some situations: "It's about finding the right vehicle: There is a time for cost reimbursement contracts and express contracts and all that, but if not done in the right situation the results can be terrible." Rick tells us the stimulus bill gives a large amount of money to the inspector generals that was lacking in the past.
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| Animals.com Goes Wild! |
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Sadly, we couldn't find any squirrels to pose with Animals.com CEO Janet Hall, a former AOL product exec and CIA analyst, who is turning the valuable domain name (previously owned by a Florida pet shop) into a social marketspace. "Businesses can tell consumers the animal-friendly things they do, while consumers can find companies that align with their values," Janet says. The site has pics, videos, adoption information, and more. Janet stays busy with four cats and is also an avid swimmer and a supporter of the choral arts, but her schedule keeps her too busy to sing. "I'd have to go to practice and stuff, so maybe someday," she says.
Number of Final Four teams David Stegon accurately predicted: 0. Ouch. Send story ideas to David@Bisnow.com.
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