Author Archive

Karen Powell

Digital Government

Federal Contract Law: FAR change could be throwback to old-style software buying

Proposed changes to Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 27 covering patents, data and copyrights won't be greeted with shouts of hallelujah. Still, it's nice to see that after 15 years the FAR Council has finally gotten around to updating the standard contract clause used to acquire software.

Digital Government

Federal Contract Law: Is anything small in small-business IT contracts?

Everyone knows the Bush Administration wants to make the procurement system more small-business-friendly. Toward this end, it presented two significant changes for small business subcontracting programs earlier this year. But whether small businesses will actually be helped or, possibly, even hurt by the changes remains in question.

Digital Government

Federal Contract Law: Is GSA's schedule tail wagging the dog?

GSA's Multiple Award Schedules program has been a boon and a bane to contractors. A new General Accounting Office report indicates the same may be true for agencies.

Digital Government

Federal Contract Law: Agencies only seem to meet small-business goals

Many small businesses feel like they have fewer and fewer opportunities these days to obtain federal contracts. They're probably right.

Digital Government

Federal Contract Law: Know what your software rights are'and are not

With government IT spending on the rise, it's a good time to remind federal customers and vendors that, before signing development contracts, they should review the Federal Acquisition Regulation clauses that dictate the government's rights in software'and follow them.

Digital Government

Federal Contract Law: Why doesn't new safety agency use its buying power?

The 6-month-old Transportation Security Administration faces a daunting array of tasks. It has six more months to assume operational responsibility for screening all airport passengers and checked baggage, hire and train a new federal security work force, and deploy and manage the air marshals program and other on-board security measures.

Digital Government

Federal Contract Law: If you make a contract mandatory, you better use it

Imagine an agency plans to award multiple indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contracts to provide IT for field offices. The typical contract minimum of $1,000 won't even cover the costs of a proposal. But the agency's multi-million-dollar annual IT budget looks very attractive. Several companies will decide to compete, and some will receive awards.

Digital Government

FEDERAL CONTRACT LAW

The Service Contract Act of 1965 (SCA) requires government contractors to pay their nonexempt employees working on service contracts no less than the prevailing wage and fringe benefit rates applicable in the locale where the work is performed. Unionized work forces must be paid consistent with any applicable collective bargaining agreement.