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DoD’s micropurchase threshold just increased to $10,000

The Department of Defense has issued a class deviation raising the micro-purchase threshold to $10,000, effective immediately.

The increase implements Section 821 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law last month.

The memo explains that there are a few exceptions to the standard $10,000 threshold.

Keep reading this article at: http://smallgovcon.com/statutes-and-regulations/dod-increases-micro-purchase-threshold-to-10000-effective-immediately/

To see a handy table of current purchasing thresholds, click here: Purchasing Thresholds – September 2018

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GSA to close down reverse auction platform after 5 years

Look back over the last say 25 years and see if you can remember the last time an agency publicly admitted defeat with a program or project and decided to move on.

Don’t think about a contract that failed or even an act of Congress ending a specific program, but focus on a service offering that just couldn’t make it.

It’s hard to find one. Right?

This is why the General Services Administration’s decision to shut down its reverse auction tool on Dec. 31 is significant.

GSA is pulling the plug after just over five years.

Keep reading this article at: https://federalnewsradio.com/reporters-notebook-jason-miller/2018/08/gsa-to-close-down-reverse-auction-platform-after-5-years/

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GAO clarifies competition standards for simplified acquisitions

A recent GAO decision has shed light on the question of what an agency must do to adequately promote competition during a simplified acquisition.

There is still no bright line for determining which agency actions meet this threshold.  However, the recent decision in Bluehorse Corp., B-415641 et al. (Feb. 6, 2018), established that merely inquiring about a solicitation, without taking further action as recommended by the procuring agency, is not enough to force an agency to include a company in a limited competition.

To promote contracting efficiency, the FAR allows for special simplified acquisition procedures to be applied to certain procurements that do not exceed the regulatory threshold. An agency is not required to use the ordinary full and open competition standards to conduct these simplified acquisition procurements. However, what exactly is required of a federal agency under a simplified acquisition procedure has yet to be clearly defined by the applicable provisions of the FAR and the relevant GAO case law. The FAR requires the agency to “promote competition to the maximum extent practicable” and establishes that this standard can generally be met through the solicitation of at least three sources. See FAR § 13.104.

Keep reading this article at: http://smallgovcon.com/gaobidprotests/gao-clarifies-competition-standards-for-simplified-acquisitions/

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Higher limits on micropurchase, simplified acquisition thresholds okayed by CAAC

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council (CAAC) has authorized federal agencies to issue class deviations from the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to raise the dollar thresholds on micropurchases and simplified acquisitions.

The higher thresholds are $10,000 for micropurchases (up from $3,500) and $250,000 for simplified acquisitions (up from $150,000).   Authority for these changes stems from the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The CAAC’s memorandum can be downloaded here: Class Deviation – Micropurchase and Simplified Acquisition Threshold – CAAC Letter 02.16.2018

The CAAC memorandum “is effective immediately, and remains in effect until the increased thresholds are incorporated into the FAR or is otherwise rescinded.”  The FAR Council has opened FAR Case 2018-004 to address what the 2018 NDAA has to say about these thresholds, and the CAAC memo authorizes civilian agencies to adopt their own class deviations while the FAR Case is pending.

CAAC members are senior procurement professionals within 15 departments and agencies:

  • Department of Agriculture
  • Department of Commerce
  • Department of Energy
  • Department of Health and Human Services
  • Department of Homeland Security
  • Department of the Interior
  • Department of Labor
  • Department of State
  • Department of Transportation
  • Department of Treasury
  • Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Environmental Protection Agency
  • General Services Administration
  • Small Business Administration
  • Social Security Administration

The Council is responsible for: Assisting the General Services Administration in developing and maintaining the FAR System by developing or reviewing changes to the FAR; Soliciting the views of agencies, associations, and other interested parties on those proposed changes to the FAR; and Coordinating its activities with the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (DARC).

GSA, itself, has already issued a class deviation raising the micropurchase and simplified acquisition thresholds on GSA contracts.  It can be seen here: GSA Class Deviation 2018-01 MPT and SAT Increase

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How to fight big contract bloat

Have you ever hired a management consultant and said, “We have this problem and just want to know what we should to do next”?

Maybe your employees are unhappy, your systems are vulnerable, or you’re drowning in data. Maybe you’re struggling to get agreement among the managers about the best path forward. In theory, an experienced, objective third-party such as a management consultant can help. Right?

But when the consultants show up, you are left with one of two reactions: “That was a complete waste of money” or “We couldn’t have done it without them.”

Those leaning toward the “complete waste of money” end of the spectrum might say things like, “They told us what we already know.” This simple statement frames the problem with management consultants.

Too often, the work consultants are assigned is too broad in scope to be reasonably focused on and completed. They do hours of research, interviews and analysis only to deliver recommendations that underwhelm federal managers instead of sparking action.

Keep reading this article at: https://federalnewsradio.com/commentary-analysis/2017/11/how-to-fight-big-contract-bloat/

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