SmallGovCon Week In Review: April 3-7, 2017

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It’s been a rainy spring here in Lawrence, but the sun is finally out today.  And speaking of sunshine, I’ll be in sunny San Diego on Monday to speak at the APTAC Spring 2017 Training Conference.  I am looking forward to catching up with many of my favorite “PTACers” next week.

Before I head to the West Coast, it’s time for our weekly rundown of government contracting news and commentary.  In this week’s SmallGovCon Week In Review, a contractor has agreed to pay nearly $20 million to resolve accusations of overcharging the VA, the GSA is considering removing a mandate requiring industry partners to participate in the new Transactional Data Reporting pilot, the GAO concludes that DoD’s buying power is on the rise, and much more.

  • Public Spend Forum offers tips on how to bridge the gap between public procurement and government contracting. [Public Spend Forum]
  • After being accused of overcharging the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for drugs under two contracts, Sanofi-Pasteur has agreed to pay $19.8 million. [The United States Department of Justice]
  • As the GSA approaches a transition to its new communications effort, it has promised to learn from its past mistakes by listening more to its agency customers and industry partners and simplifying its efforts. [Federal News Radio]
  • In its annual assessment of the Defense Department’s major weapons systems, the GAO calculated that over the past year the DoD has seen a $10.7 billion increase in its “buying power.” [Federal News Radio]
  • UnitedHealthcare has filed GAO bid protests challenging DoD’s decision to award two large contracts in military health care to rival insurers. [StarTribune]
  • The Pentagon is ending a seven-year drawdown of acquisition spending after the Defense Department 2016 fiscal contract obligations increased by 7% over the previous year. [Government Executive]
  • The GSA is considering whether to remove a mandate requiring industry partners seeking or renewing a schedule to participate in its Transactional Data Reporting Pilot. [Nextgov]