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Cost Estimating NewsBrief: November 15, 2024
GSA is cooking up a new, comprehensive procurement data source
(Federal News Network) The government both creates and runs on data. Given that agencies spend hundreds of billions of dollars on goods and services the more procurement data it has, the better it can understand trends and ‘manage’ procurement. That’s the idea behind a data source effort known as Hi-Def. GSA’s assistant commissioner for the office of strategic innovation, Charlotte Phalen, joined the Federal Drive with Tom Temin for more details. Read More
At CBP, automated software testing is integral to the mission
(Federal News Network) Automated software testing, the continuous process of validating the functionality of software and ensuring it meets required standards is easier said than done. For Customs and Border Protection, a misguided software update could wreak havoc on its operations, potentially bringing screenings and port operations to a halt. Ken Oppenheimer, deputy executive director of the passenger systems program directorate at Customs and Border Protection, said the agency’s software encompasses all systems from the trusted traveler program and Global entry kiosks that allow visitors to move through the lines faster to more comprehensive traveler safety examination systems using biometric technology. Read More
EXCLUSIVE: How the Pentagon (quietly) spent $1 billion of inflation relief money
(Breaking Defense) When inflation soared in the wake of the pandemic, the defense industry emphatically warned the Pentagon of a problem: Climbing prices had begun pushing key projects across the military well past their planned budgets, raising the risk of those programs coming up short. So industry turned to Congress for a bailout, and lawmakers obliged. As part of the fiscal 2023 spending deal, Capitol Hill earmarked approximately $1.05 billion to offer relief to a range of projects across the Pentagon for “revised economic assumptions.” Read More
Effort to Block Return of Schedule F Down to Its Last Chance
(FEDweek) The effort by the Biden administration and congressional Democrats to change the law to block the return of Schedule F is down to its last—and very slim—chances as Congress wraps up the legislative year in post-election session projected to end December 20. President-elect Trump is expected to promptly act to restore that provision, created by his late-2020 executive order that the Biden administration quickly revoked, to require agencies to identify competitive service positions involved with advising on, writing or carrying out policy and shift them into the excepted service. Read More
ICEAA’s NewsBrief is a collection of articles relevant to the cost estimating and analysis community that is delivered weekly to current ICEAA members. To advertise in NewsBrief, contact iceaa@iceaaonline.org.