Author Archive

Neil Fox

Neil Fox is the former assistant commissioner for commercial acquisition at GSA's Federal Supply Service, and is now principal at Neal Fox Consulting.
Digital Government

Neal Fox | The Age of Oversight

Commentary: The age of oversight is upon us, and the era of reform is dead. The acquisition reforms of the previous decade are being systematically wiped out.

Digital Government

Neal Fox | SBA goes activist

Commentary: SBA has sided with perennial small-business activists, in opposition to GSA, and at the expense of government interests.

Digital Government

Neal Fox | IGs eclipsed by Sun

IT Contracting: Commentary: Will the government's equivalent of the gang that couldn't shoot straight never learn?

Digital Government

Neal Fox | Alliant GWAC open for business

IT Contracting | Commentary: GSA has finally awarded Alliant, its flagship IT services contract. So what's new about Alliant, and will it live up to GSA expectations?

Digital Government

Neal Fox | IT and telecom: Converging opportunities

Commentary | Government contracting for these technologies is stuck in the old contracting molds, generally trying to buy IT and telecom separately. So what's a government CIO to do?

Digital Government

Neal Fox | Trade Agreements Act disagreeable

The Trade Agreements Act, designed to protect U.S. companies, could be doing more harm than good.

Digital Government

Neal Fox | See GSA to meet small-business goals

The government needs to improve its small-business contracting. GSA is the place to start.

Digital Government

Neal Fox | GSA Networx: Can you hear me now?

Networx is finally ready to provide telecom and networking solutions to the government. Or is it?

Digital Government

Neal Fox | IGs have been hoist with their own petard

The recent flap between the General Services Administration's inspector general and GSA officials over IG procurement audits highlights a disturbing trend: Sensationalism has become a primary goal for IGs.

Digital Government

Neal Fox | Contracting in Perspective: Does the IG matter?

The recent flap between the General Services Administration's inspector general and GSA officials over IG procurement audits highlights a disturbing trend.

Digital Government

Neal Fox | GSA & DOD: New agreement, old mistakes

The agreement between GSA and DOD for procurement of shared services will do more harm than good.

Digital Government

Neal Fox | GSA and DOD: new agreement, old mistakes

I wish I could say that the newly signed procurement agreement between GSA and the Defense Department will help bring DOD business back to GSA, but it won't. In fact, it will do the opposite.

Digital Government

Neal Fox | Contracting in Perspective: Will GSA Eat SEWP?

So GSA wants to absorb NASA's SEWP GWAC contract vehicle. Would this enhance governmentwide procurement, and has anyone asked SEWP's customers? I doubt it.

Digital Government

Neal Fox | GSA: Incubator for change

There are a number of important initiatives GSA needs to undertake in its new role as an incubator for change. Ultimately, this is not about GSA but about the customers.

Digital Government

Neal Fox | Contracting in Perspective: GSA'Why It Works

When discussing governmentwide contracting, GSA is clearly the standard by which all others measure their own success. Will that continue, or has GSA had its day in the sun?

Digital Government

Neal Fox | Contracting in perspective: Seaport'Can it stay afloat?

The history of the Navy's Seaport contracting vehicle began with innovation and agility in meeting customer needs. But one needs to ask, can that continue and are they going in the right direction?

Digital Government

Neal Fox | Contracting in perspective: GSA Networx ' Will it connect with users?

GSA Networx, the next-generation telecom and networking contract from the GeneralServices Administration, has garnered its share of news. That's good for magazine sales but bad for GSA, which announced a surprising eight-month delay inthe contract award shortly after proposals were received in October 2005.

Digital Government

Neal Fox | Contracting in Perspective: GSA's Networx'Will it connect with users?

GSA Networx, the next-generation telecom and networking contract from the General Services Administration, has garnered its share of news. That's good for magazine sales, but bad for GSA, which announced a surprising eight-month delay in the contract award shortly after proposals were received.

Digital Government

Neal Fox | Contracting in Perspective: Will Eagle fly?

One of the most highly anticipated new contracts scheduled for award in 2006 is Homeland Security's Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading Edge solutions (Eagle). DHS views Eagle as its premier procurement vehicle for agencywide consolidation of IT services, replacing the numerous legacy contract vehicles now used by DHS component agencies.

Digital Government

Neal Fox | Contracting in perspective: DHS' Eagle'Will it fly?

The Office of Federal Procurement Policy grants governmentwide acquisition contract authority to agencies annually but does not closely regulate agencywide contracts, which Eagle is purported to be. It remains to be seen whether OFPP continues to agree that Eagle is not a de facto GWAC once it is up and running.