#government-contracts-and-policy

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fromFortune
1 day ago

The Trump administration is blurring the public and private sector workforce, and OPM director Scott Kupor won't rule out conflict of interest risks | Fortune

One of the things that I'm hoping to do a better job on is getting people from the private sector-who've been in the private sector their whole career-who also spend a couple years in government at some point in their career, and learn something.
Non-profit organizations
Remote teams
fromLos Angeles Times
1 day ago

Two days in the office a month? L.A. city attorney candidates tussle over telework

Los Angeles City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto and challenger Marissa Roy have opposing views on office attendance policies for city attorneys.
#corruption
NYC politics
fromCity Limits
2 days ago

Councilmember Investigated Over Possible Bribes In Shelter Contracting, And What Else Happened This Week in Housing

Councilmember Farah Louis is under federal investigation for allegedly steering shelter contracts in exchange for benefits.
fromSFGATE
5 days ago
Non-profit organizations

Former executive director of San Francisco city department arrested

NYC politics
fromCity Limits
2 days ago

Councilmember Investigated Over Possible Bribes In Shelter Contracting, And What Else Happened This Week in Housing

Councilmember Farah Louis is under federal investigation for allegedly steering shelter contracts in exchange for benefits.
fromSFGATE
5 days ago
Non-profit organizations

Former executive director of San Francisco city department arrested

Brooklyn
fromGothamist
2 days ago

Nonprofit at the center of federal corruption probe still has a $94M city contract

BHRAGS Home Care Corp faces federal bribery and embezzlement charges while holding a $94 million city contract set to begin this summer.
Washington DC
fromNextgov.com
2 days ago

Civilian agencies face 10% cuts in Trump's 2027 budget

President Trump proposed a $2.2 trillion fiscal 2027 budget with increased defense spending and cuts to non-defense agencies.
SF politics
fromMission Local
3 days ago

S.F. Ethics Commission will weigh in on Lurie-Trump phone records

Mayor Daniel Lurie faces scrutiny for not disclosing records of his call with President Trump regarding federal agent deployment.
New York City
fromwww.amny.com
3 days ago

Op-ed | A responsible path forward for New York City's budget | amNewYork

New York City's budget process is a complex negotiation that impacts community investment and addresses fiscal challenges.
US politics
fromAxios
4 days ago

Exclusive: Trump's DOJ says he's not required to turn over official records

The Presidential Records Act mandates that presidential records belong to the U.S. government, a law Trump has challenged by retaining documents.
fromKqed
5 days ago

Court Orders California Sheriff to Release Personnel Records in Watchdog Investigation | KQED

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office must comply with subpoenas issued by the county's civilian oversight board as part of a whistleblower investigation into alleged misconduct, a state appeals court ruled Thursday.
California
fromCalifornia Post
5 days ago

Lefty SF Supervisor had been absent for several weeks before her leave of absence was made public

"She wants to regain stable health so she can thoughtfully and responsibly consider her options," her office told ABC7 Eyewitness News in a statement announcing her leave of absence and addressing the condition of her mental health.
Mission District
Public health
fromArs Technica
6 days ago

Water utility announces it's ditching fluoride-then reveals it did so years ago

Birmingham's lawsuit against CAW seeks to restore fluoride in water, citing public health risks from its removal.
fromAllthingssmitty
1 week ago

You probably don't need to lift state - Matt Smith

Keep state as close as possible to where it's actually used. Lift it when multiple components need it or you need to coordinate behavior between components.
React
fromInvestigative Post
2 days ago

Investigative Post event on reforming Buffalo and NY government.

John Kaehny has written and successfully lobbied for the passage of state and New York City laws related to government transparency and accountability, including the first open data law in the world in 2012.
NYC politics
EU data protection
fromFast Company
1 week ago

The most important defense regulation you've never heard of

CMMC mandates new cybersecurity standards for the defense industrial base, impacting thousands of businesses and transforming the defense supply chain.
#lobbying
SF politics
fromThe Atlantic
3 days ago

Trump's Cozy Transportation Secretary

Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein have lobbied to reverse trucker work hour restrictions, influencing policy and political donations significantly.
SF politics
fromThe Atlantic
3 days ago

Trump's Cozy Transportation Secretary

Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein have lobbied to reverse trucker work hour restrictions, influencing policy and political donations significantly.
fromNextgov.com
5 days ago

Agency CIOs must supply top-down IT contract information, OMB memo states

What we want to do is make sure that CIOs are fully empowered to be there at the beginning of conversations, that they are part of the formulation of budget and policy from liftoff.
Privacy professionals
fromwww.bbc.com
1 week ago

Campaigners celebrate after new town plans dropped

Campaigner Aysha Hawcutt stated that residents were 'not anti-homes', but believed the Adlington plan was 'the wrong proposal in the wrong place'. She expressed pride in the community's resilience against the development threats.
London politics
fromPadailypost
1 week ago

Want government records? This California lawmaker wants you to pay more for them

This bill is intended to address a narrow set of high-cost, resource-intensive requests that can delay agencies' ability to respond to other records requests. The goal is to ensure that agencies can continue to respond to all requests in a timely manner.
California
fromNextgov.com
1 week ago

Agency data leads worry about staff capacity to tackle statutory requirements, survey finds

Among the 189 CDO and other data leader respondents to the annual survey conducted by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Data Foundation, about 40% said they had lost six or more employees last year.
EU data protection
New York City
fromFOX 5 New York
1 week ago

NYC Council launches public dashboards for budget expenses, projected revenue

The city council launched public budget dashboards to enhance transparency in budget expenses and revenue expectations.
Agile
fromBusiness Matters
2 weeks ago

How to Avoid Construction Delays and Stay on Schedule

Construction delays can derail projects due to poor planning, resource shortages, and communication breakdowns, but can be mitigated with effective strategies and technology.
Artificial intelligence
fromNextgov.com
2 weeks ago

Safe AI pathfinding is essential for government adoption, officials say

Federal agencies should adopt AI through experimentation and fit-for-purpose deployments, using centralized platforms like USAi.gov to safely evaluate tools and determine when AI solutions are actually needed.
E-Commerce
fromThe Verge
2 weeks ago

Amazon doesn't want the blame for the Post Office going under

Amazon plans to reduce USPS shipments by two-thirds after contract expiration, citing the postal service's abrupt withdrawal from negotiations that could have generated billions in revenue.
Business
fromHarvard Business Review
2 weeks ago

The Shifting Relationship Between Business and the U.S. Government

Business leaders face a changed relationship with government, requiring new strategies to navigate political uncertainty affecting tariffs, trade, and military decisions.
US news
fromThe Washington Post
3 weeks ago

Did Trump cuts slow access to public records? We found 26 cases that say yes.

Federal workforce reductions have severely impaired agencies' ability to comply with Freedom of Information Act requests, with at least 13 agencies citing staffing cuts as reasons for missing FOIA deadlines in court.
New York City
fromwww.amny.com
1 week ago

NYC BUDGET: City Hall approves first round of savings after Mamdani told agencies to tighten belts | amNewYork

Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration identified over $1.7 billion in savings to address NYC's budget gap through various efficiency measures.
Washington DC
fromwww.mediaite.com
2 weeks ago

DHS Contractors Were Asked to Pay Corey Lewandowski Success' Fees: Report

DHS contractors expressed concerns about requests to pay Corey Lewandowski while he worked at the department, with tensions arising between Lewandowski and GEO Group founder George Zoley over compensation arrangements.
East Bay (California)
fromThe Oaklandside
3 weeks ago

Police oversight board needs more resources and authority, Oakland auditor says

Oakland's Police Commission is severely understaffed, preventing it from fulfilling its oversight responsibilities and delaying the police department's two-decade federal reform program.
fromNextgov.com
3 weeks ago

GSA proposes sweeping changes to Multiple Award Schedule program, including new AI terms and conditions

The changes to transaction data reporting, or TDR, will apply to all MAS special item numbers by adding 112 SINs that were previously exempt. GSA will require contractors to report detailed sales transaction data to GSA on a quarterly basis. Once finalized, current MAS contract holders will receive a mass modification for the TDR requirement and must accept the change within 90 days.
Marketing tech
Law
fromAbove the Law
3 weeks ago

The Justice Department Is Lowering Its Ethical Guardrails - Above the Law

The Justice Department eliminated a policy classifying senior political appointees as 'further restricted' under the Hatch Act, removing safeguards requiring election law enforcers to maintain strict political neutrality.
SF politics
fromMission Local
2 weeks ago

S.F. supes plan to ignore vast majority of commission streamlining recommendations

San Francisco supervisors will pursue only non-controversial commission reforms, avoiding politically costly changes despite a streamlining task force report with dozens of recommendations.
fromNextgov.com
3 weeks ago

Vought takes aim at GAO in new guidance

Doing so has failed to prioritize agency internal control processes to adequately protect American taxpayer dollars, leading to documented examples of widespread abuse. Prior versions of OMB's guidance have overly deferred to the direction and priorities of external entities whose views are not binding on the Executive Branch, such as the Government Accountability Office.
Washington DC
New York City
fromwww.amny.com
2 weeks ago

Editorial | NYC spends too much money. It's time to get things under control. | amNewYork

New York City faces a $7.3 billion budget deficit over two fiscal years due to chronic overspending relative to revenue, with structural imbalances threatening municipal bond ratings.
SF politics
fromMission Local
2 weeks ago

Months and millions later, maybe few changes to city commissions after all

San Francisco's Commission Streamlining Task Force recommendations to cut or weaken dozens of city commissions face minimal board support and will likely result in only minor, non-controversial changes like eliminating inactive bodies.
#government-transparency
fromNBC New York
3 weeks ago
NYC politics

Mamdani pledged a 'culture of transparency.' But he's not ready to hand over these gov't records.

fromNBC New York
3 weeks ago
NYC politics

Mamdani pledged a 'culture of transparency.' But he's not ready to hand over these gov't records.

Careers
fromEntrepreneur
1 month ago

Pay Transparency Is Changing the Rules for Employers - Here's What You Need to Know

Pay transparency laws are expanding across states and cities, requiring employers to disclose compensation ranges in job postings and promotions to combat wage discrimination and create equitable hiring practices.
fromBloomberglaw
3 weeks ago

Punching In: Labor Department Watchdog Pressed on His Future

I'm here on this panel today answering your questions as the inspector general. I hope if you are indeed doing this that you do resign. I am well aware of the Hatch Act. The inspector general is currently heading an investigation into both Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who is accused of committing travel fraud and having an affair with her bodyguard, and the secretary's husband Shawn DeRemer, who allegedly assaulted at least two female department employees.
US politics
Public health
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Lobbyists send legal threats to councils over anti-wood burner campaigns

UK wood-burning stove industry lobbyists threatened legal action against councils for public health campaigns warning of air pollution harms from wood burners.
Intellectual property law
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

What rights do AI companies have in government contracts?

Government AI procurement involves multiple acquisition pathways that determine contractor rights to restrict technology use, making the Anthropic-Pentagon dispute a contractual matter rather than a novel policy question.
Artificial intelligence
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

Agencies begin to shed Anthropic contracts following Trump's directive

Multiple federal agencies are phasing out Anthropic tools following President Trump's directive, citing national security concerns over the company's refusal to support certain defense applications.
US politics
fromTruthout
1 month ago

Documents Expose Ties Between Trump Officials and Industries They Help Regulate

Stephen Feinberg, now Deputy Secretary of Defense, maintains financial ties to Cerberus Capital Management, which owns companies awarded billions in Pentagon missile defense contracts he oversees.
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

These former government tech leaders are prepping day-one plans for a future administration

Watching how much the team was able to get done quickly was "astonishing," said Mikey Dickerson, a senior advisor for the Tech Viaduct. Those behind Tech Viaduct say that Elon Musk's team caused harm that will take years to undo, but it also showed how much can get done in government when you have the force of political will behind you.
US politics
fromEntrepreneur
2 months ago

How to Win Big With Public-Sector Partners

Understanding the difference in purpose Unlike private businesses, which exist to make a profit, public institutions are designed to create impact - especially social and economic outcomes that benefit everyone, not just paying customers. A public agency doesn't measure its success in revenue or margins, but in how much it improves lives, builds equity and maintains public trust. This doesn't mean budgets and spending don't matter - they absolutely do - but money is not the goal. It's the tool.
World politics
Fundraising
fromBusiness Matters
2 months ago

Which Grant Management Tools Are Best for Government Agencies?

Cloud-based grant management software helps government agencies organize workflows, track metrics, run reports, improve recordkeeping, and support implementation through configurable products and vendor support.
#no-bid-contracts
Data science
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

FPDS looks old and clunky but that only masks its power

FPDS.gov retains a 1990s-era, clunky interface but remains a powerful, complex federal procurement data repository that requires skill to navigate.
Philosophy
fromFast Company
1 month ago

Are you morally obligated to pay taxes?

Obeying laws and paying taxes is morally justified by civic duty, tacit consent, prevention of social harm, and benefits received from legal order.
fromThe Oaklandside
2 months ago

Oakland fails again to publish contract transparency reports

City law requires the council to approve all contracts above $250,000. But Oakland's city administrator, Jestin Johnson, has the power to issue contracts up to that amount without informing the council and the public. The mandatory annual report is meant to provide transparency into these purchases. The report also requires Johnson and his team to explain if any contracts were issued without a competitive bidding process, and how many awards went to local businesses.
East Bay (California)
UK politics
fromwww.bbc.com
2 months ago

Can a council do five days' work in four?

South Cambridgeshire District Council adopted a 32-hour, four-day week and reports improved retention, higher applicant numbers, agency savings, and maintained or improved most service metrics.
Miscellaneous
fromIndependent
2 months ago

Watchdog hits out at 'cartels' that are rigging their bids for big state projects

Law is too weak and detection risk too low to deter bid-rigging that fixes prices on publicly funded projects in Ireland.
Marketing
fromThe Drum
2 months ago

Can agencies pick up more business with a changed approach to procurement teams?

Agencies that proactively engage procurement teams can win more business by treating procurement as strategic partners rather than adversaries.
US politics
fromNextgov.com
1 month ago

Contract reviews continue at OMB, official says

OMB is leading a government-wide review to cull and reform IT contracts, emphasizing commodity IT and empowering CIOs in procurement and budgeting.
Law
fromwww.amny.com
2 months ago

Op-Ed | A strong anti-fraud agenda will support a more affordable New York amNewYork

Insurance fraud in New York is rapidly increasing, becoming more elaborate and raising insurance costs for legitimate residents.
US news
fromwww.npr.org
2 months ago

Treasury cancels Booz Allen contracts over leaks about wealthy taxpayers

Treasury canceled 31 Booz Allen contracts totaling $21 million after a contractor leaked confidential IRS taxpayer data exposing wealthy taxpayers' tax-minimization strategies.
Artificial intelligence
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

Agencies are prioritizing flexibility and cost savings in AI purchases, GSA official says

Federal agencies prefer competitive-market acquisition of generative AI for operational tasks, valuing choice, flexibility, discounts, embedded compatibility, productivity, security, and responsible use.
California
fromThe Mercury News
2 months ago

Letters: If polluters paid for damage, state's deficit would be less

Fossil fuel companies should be held financially responsible for climate-driven damages to reduce taxpayer burdens and accelerate the transition to renewable electricity and all-electric buildings and vehicles.
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

GSA wants answers from resellers about markups and equipment maker relationships

GSA also wants information on factors that drive the range of markups such as volume, product category, support levels and business size. The questions also wants to know if sourcing hardware through a distributor versus directly with the OEM drives variations in the markups. GSA wants to identify ways to reduce the cost on items that are not purchased directly from OEMs.
US politics
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

Purge the Public Servants

In this new season, I'm asking how the Trump White House is rewriting the rules of U.S. politics, and talking to Americans whose lives have been changed as a result. Today's episode examines the destruction of the civil service: the removal of professionals, and their replacement with loyalists. I've seen this kind of transformation before, in other failing democracies. Everyone suffers from the degradation of public services.
US politics
US politics
fromLos Angeles Times
2 months ago

Charter Reform Commission, L.A. City Council look to impose transparency rules

Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance requiring Charter Reform Commission members to disclose private communications with elected officials and staff to boost transparency.
US politics
fromAxios
1 month ago

"The subpoenas are coming," bipartisan firm warns corporate America

Congressional Democrats will intensify oversight of large corporations, supplementing administration probes with piercing corporate investigations and targeting AI, healthcare, crypto, utilities, trade, and pricing.
#federal-workforce
fromAxios
1 month ago
US politics

Trump admin green lights rule making it easier to fire thousands of federal employees

fromAxios
1 month ago
US politics

Trump admin green lights rule making it easier to fire thousands of federal employees

US politics
fromThe Atlantic
2 months ago

I Tried to Be the Government. It Did Not Go Well.

Government staffing cuts and institutional disruptions have weakened regulatory oversight, prompting individuals to perform personal safety checks such as buying Geiger counters.
US politics
fromPortland Mercury
2 months ago

Councilors Want City to Move Faster on Enforcement of New Detention Center Fee

Portland councilors demand swift enforcement of a new code banning chemical emissions from detention facilities and investigations into tear gas deployments at the ICE site.
fromwww.mercurynews.com
2 months ago

Letters: Fight over gate raises questions of government service

The current issue is whether Fremont controls the road that the Alameda County Board of Supervisors ceded to Christopher George, who has now blocked access with a gate. But it is part of a longer battle that has included the board considering George's request for the land after his company donated $10,000 to Supervisor David Haubert's campaign. The board granted his request ostensibly to save maintenance costs, but at the expense of constituents who have used that section of road recreationally for decades.
US politics
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

Treasury cancels all Booz Allen contracts

The Treasury Department has moved to cancel all contracts with Booz Allen Hamilton, two years after a former company employee pled guilty to leaking President Trump's confidential tax information without authorization. Treasury currently has 31 contracts with Booz Allen that average roughly $4.8 million in annual spending and have totaled $21 million in obligations. In a statement issued Monday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cited inadequate data protection safeguards as driving the decision and specifically the disclosure of sensitive taxpayer information accessed through IRS contracts.
US politics
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

GSA reaches latest OneGov agreement with Broadcom

GSA and Broadcom agreed to offer federal agencies discounted access to software, including AI-ready VMware Tanzu products, with discounts up to 64% through May 2027.
US politics
fromPortland Mercury
1 month ago

Former City Hall Staffer Files Discrimination Complaints Against Councilor's Office

A former Portland council aide alleges retaliation and wrongful firing after requesting ADA workplace accommodations for a seizure disorder and filed city and state complaints.
US politics
fromKVPR | Valley Public Radio
2 months ago

Former Fresno councilmember used $30K in taxpayer funds for Facebook ads during election year

Former Fresno councilmember Luis Chavez used taxpayer-funded city contracts and consultant services to boost his 2024 supervisor campaign, including social media ads and attack mailers.
US politics
fromStreetsblog
1 month ago

This Bill Would Give Your Community More Money To Build Its Own Transportation Future - Streetsblog USA

The BASICS Act shifts federal transportation funding toward metro regions, enabling human-centered projects and preventing state DOTs from monopolizing funds for highways.
US politics
fromFresnoland
2 months ago

Did a Fresno policy lead to $30K in taxpayer-funded Facebook ads during an election?

Luis Chavez used $31,042.36 in taxpayer funds for Facebook ads promoting his Fresno City Council work while campaigning for Fresno County supervisor in 2024.
fromNextgov.com
2 months ago

NITAAC finally pulls the plug on CIO-SP4

In a filing with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims on Friday, NITAAC explained that cancelling the contract is in line with President Trump's executive order, Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement. "As a result of these efforts, HHS has shifted its focus away from re-evaluation of existing offers," the agency told the court. NITAAC also plans to extend CIO-SP3 for another year, which would push its expiration date until April 29, 2027.
US politics
US politics
fromThe New Yorker
1 month ago

Is There a Remedy for Presidential Profiteering?

Trump and his family leveraged the presidency for large profit, including a secret Emirati payment and an A.I. chip sale, raising emolument and secrecy concerns.
US politics
fromNature
1 month ago

Trump team's new rule could make firing government scientists easier

US OPM finalized a rule creating a 'Policy/Career' class to reclassify and ease firing of roughly 50,000 federal civil servants, including scientists.
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