The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued new certification requirements to ensure the quality of data entered into the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS). The administration believes that complete, accurate, and timely procurement data is essential for ensuring proper contract awards.

A recent hearing before the House Small Business Subcommittee on Economic Growth discussed the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) proposed changes to small business size standards in scientific, technical, and professional services (76 FR 14323). Subcommittee Chairman Joe Walsh (R-SC) opened the hearing by pointing out that small businesses constitute nearly one-third of all prime professional service awards, and that even a minor tweak to size standards could have major impacts.

DoD has officially entered the era of “do more without more” and Defense Undersecretary for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Ashton Carter has publicly emphasized the department’s many efforts to streamline the defense budget—most notably by making the most of the money it spends on buying goods and services. In an April 20 speech before the Heritage Foundation, Carter emphasized that DoD organizations and contractors must adapt to a leaner environment.

DoD is scaling back on insourcing, according to a March 15 memo from Under Secretaries of Defense Ashton Carter and Robert Hale. While the department still plans to increase the acquisition workforce by about 10,000 civilian full-time positions by Fiscal Year 2015, the memo cautioned that component budgets must be adjusted to sustain the positions in the long term.