Week Ahead reader J. Gruden asks, “I’m concerned that my employer may fire me. I suspect they’re committing fraud by putting out a substandard product each week. Is there a way I can make money from blowing the whistle?” Good news, J. Whistleblowers routinely recover between 15-25% of any False Claims Act recovery the government collects from your whistleblower suit. Just this week, in fact, a disgruntled whistleblower cleared $300K. Read more

If you been feeling nostalgic lately for the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, or a 25 cent postage stamp, there may be a good reason:  There are more rules governing federal commercial item acquisitions now than at any time since 1989.  The Department of Defense has already expanded its desire for cost data on commercial prime and sub-contracts.  Environmental rules, mandatory ethics disclosures, and human trafficking laws make the Drug Free Workplace seem counter-intuitive.  Coming soon are minimum wage laws, new counterfeit parts rules, and workplace safety rules. Read more

It should not be news by now that GSA is setting up a “prices paid” comparison tool so that buyers and others can have near-real-time pricing information when purchasing from GSA Schedule contracts.  Where is GSA going to get this data?  From you, the contractor.  GSA is moving toward requiring all Schedule contract holders to provide information on all Schedule transactions to populate its database.  A mere 20 years after getting away from the need for transaction-based information, GSA is coming full circle and is poised to demand it, at least for Schedule transactions, again. Read more

New Office of Federal Procurement Policy Administrator Anne Rung released her three-pronged approach to acquisition reform last week.  While there are few surprises, the framework does provide a look into OMB thinking on acquisition and can serve as a general guide to contractors trying to anticipate “What will the government do next?” Read more

Congress is poised to pass funding for at least most of the federal government next week.  Are you ready?  Your company needs to be prepared for the new trends and budgets that will shape the next 9 months.  Did you know IT procurement methods are changing?  How about your favorite agency’s budget?  Are you prepared for the zealotry that comes with anything more than the most benign contract compliance problems?  If you’re not sure, you need help from Allen Federal.  Allen Federal knows FY’15 budget trends and can help keep you from being the target of the next DOJ investigation.  Contact Allen Federal today to schedule your training at info@allenfederal.com.