"Gray pallor" to be cast over small businesses due to new certification rules...sure

The new SBA recertification rules (see my post from late last year) are creating a stir because they may make some small businesses less attractive to be purchased by large businesses. I can see where this might be a problem, especially for those folks who create a small company strictly to win a portfolio of lucrative contracts and then sell the whole thing to a large company and take the money and run.

Supporting that type of activity is really in the spirit of helping small businesses grow and expand the industrial base (isn't that the original goal of SBA preferences?)- NOT.

Is British concept to "contract for availability" an idea for BASOPS?

Based on Britain's Defence (it's spelled "defence" there) Industrial Strategy, procurement is taking a real turn for performance based contracting. In their strategic document, they state that

(they) also recognise that the bedrock of (their)procurement policy has to be long-term value for money.

This is a principle that we in U.S. federal procurement also believe in.

In fact, they are taking this to great lengths by contracting for aircraft availability, rather than for spare parts or maintenance. The outcome contracted for, then, is having each aircraft available to fly missions.

They call it "through-life support" or lifetime support. They are using it to improve their industrial capabilities. Perhaps, that is a practice we could employ with our vehicle maintenance practices- oh that's right, AMC will be taking that over. How about some of our other recurring contracts.

Let's think about how that might work out by improving our installation capabilities, as well.

It is getting to be time for political appointees to move on

Emily Murphy, the head of GSA procurement, is leaving her position to take a new private sector job. Why?

"On Jan. 20, 2009 ... I turn into a pumpkin."

I guess we will see more of that in the next 24 months. Hang on!

P.S.- [Looking at the silver lining to all of this...] Anyone want an interim position to add to your resume? Might be some short-term openings...