This week, we highlight three new titles from the ASPA Series in Public Administration and Public Policy.

Market disruptions, climate change, and health pandemics lead the growing list of challenges faced by today’s leaders. These issues, along with countless others that do not make the daily news, require novel thinking and collaborative action to find workable solutions. However, many administrators stumble into collaboration without a strategic orientation.

Using a practitioner-oriented style, Strategic Collaboration In Public And Non-Profit Administration: A Practice-Based Approach To Solving Shared Problems provides guidance on how to collaborate more effectively, with less frustration and better results.

Linking collaboration theory to effective practice, this book offers essential advice that fosters shared understanding, creative answers, and transformation results through strategic collaborative action. With an emphasis on application, it uses scenarios, real-world cases, tables, figures, tools, and checklists to highlight key points.

The appendix includes supplemental resources such as collaboration operating guidelines, a meeting checklist, and a collaboration literature review to help public and nonprofit managers successfully convene, administer, and lead collaboration. The book presents a framework for engaging in collaboration in a way that stretches current thinking and advances public service practice.

A guidebook through the minefield of government contracting and procurement, Government Contracting: Promises and Perils describes the dangerous practices commonly applied in the development and management of government contracts and provides advice for avoiding the sort of errors that might compromise their ability to protect the public interest.

It includes strategies for increasing profits for government contractors, rather than incurring burdensome costs, through compliance with government mandated subcontracting and financial management systems.

Drawing from his in-depth investigation of government agencies across the country, the author examines present-day scenarios that regularly lead public servants and government committees to manage contracts with tools that are less than optimal and to select contractors that may not be the best qualified. He then delineates practical processes, contracting documents, and contract management tools to mitigate detrimental outcomes and alternative approaches to supplant the imperfect methodologies.

The author includes a CD-ROM with the book that provides a number of practical tools that you can apply as well as examples of contracts and templates that are the best he discovered during his research. The book also outlines an approach for performing advance contract planning, conducting contract negotiations, and administering contracts useful when planning for the management of the contracting process throughout the contracting cycle, negotiating a contract that protects the interest of all contracting parties, and ensuring successful contractor performance.

Filling a gap in project management literature, Managing Public Sector Projects: A Strategic Framework for Success in an Era of Downsized Government supplies managers and administrators—at all levels of government—with expert guidance on all aspects of public sector project management.

From properly allocating risks in drafting contracts to dealing with downsized staffs and privatized services, this book clearly explains the technical concepts and the political issues involved.

In line with the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) and the PMBOK^® (Project Management Body of Knowledge), David S. Kassel establishes a framework those in the public sector can follow to ensure the success of their public projects and programs. He supplies more than 30 real-life examples to illustrate the concepts behind the framework—including reconstruction projects in Iraq, the Big Dig project in Boston, local sewer system and library construction projects, and software technology.

This authoritative resource provides strategic recommendations for effective planning, execution, and maintenance of public projects. It also:

• Highlights the differences between managing projects in the public sector versus the private sector
• Explains how to scrutinize costs, performance claims, and the backgrounds of prospective contractors
• Presents key safeguards that should be included in all contracts with contractors, consultants, suppliers, and other service providers
• Details the basics of project cost estimation, design and scheduling, and how to hold contractors responsible for meeting established project standards

In an age of downsized government and in the face of a general distrust of public service, this book is a dependable guide for avoiding management practices that are common to projects that fail and for adopting the practices common to projects that succeed in terms of cost, schedule, and quality.

Oliver Hart, Nobel-winning Harvard economist, and Kate Vitasek, faculty at the University of Tennessee, argue that many business contracts are imperfect, no matter how bulletproof you try to make them. Especially in complicated relationships such as outsourcing, one side ends up feeling like they're getting a bad deal, and it can spiral into a tit for tat battle. Hart and Vitasek argue that companies should instead adopt so-called relational contracts. Their research shows that creating a general playbook built around principles like fairness and reciprocity offers greater benefits to both businesses. Hart and Vitasek, with the Swedish attorney David Frydlinger, cowrote the HBR article "A New Approach to Contracts."

There is a great opportunity for government contractors to save on sales or use taxes paid for consumables used on government contracts. The U.S. Government is not subject to sales/use tax, however, government contractors typically pay tax on their consumable purchases. Government contractors may be paying tax on many of their overhead purchases needlessly. Sales...

The post Reverse Audits for Government Contractors appeared first on Anders CPA.

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Electrical Contractors Association, David Long, issued a statement on being named to the Great American Economic Revival Industry Group for Construction/Labor/Workforce.

The past few years, off-seasons in particular, have been met with frustration and anger from MLB players and the Major League Baseball Players Association over the free agent market and the compensation structure/control currently in place. Yes, the Bryce Harper’s… Read More

The post How the Rise of Overseas Contracts Could Impact the MLB appeared first on Anders CPAs.

Manufacturing companies that sell equipment to the federal government or government contractors could be eligible for a tremendous tax benefit. The opportunity can help reduce sales/use taxes paid for consumables purchased in support of such government contracts.
The federal government… Read More

The post How Manufacturers Can Save on Sales/Use Tax for Government Contracts appeared first on Anders CPAs.

This week in government affairs: NECA opposes bill to raise top tax rate for pass-throughs, NECA member testifies before the house small business committee and NECA Wins in NDAA.

On March 26, 2020, the Senate passed “Phase III” of the Coronavirus Response Package, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in a 96-0 vote.

Paycheck Protection Program Helping Contractors aconstanza Mon, 05/04/2020 - 12:47

This is the phase two of the Modernisation of Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI) programme, the ministry said, adding that airfields of the Indian Air Force were upgraded in the first phase.

The highway ministry is examining the issue faced by the contractors and could unveil steps for their resolution soon, two senior officials told ET. Toll road operators will also be compensated for loss of business on account of fall in traffic and toll exemption, they said.

The third auction "is being undertaken by PFCCL (PFC Consulting) as per the IMC (Inter-Ministerial Committee) decision. The CIL's role is limited to making available the source-wise availability of coal which it has already provided to PFCCL. Therefore, other issues need to be taken up with PFCCL, being the agency responsible for conducting the auction," CIL told APP.

The former Director of Procurement for the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and the president and chief executive officer of a government contracting firm pleaded guilty today to conspiring to bribe a public official.

Assistant Attorney General Stephen E. Boyd issued the following statement in support of efforts to streamline payments under the Public Safety Officer Benefit Program (PSOB) to public safety officers fatally injured while working during COVID-19:

South Korea-based company Jier Shin Korea Co. Ltd., and its president, Sang Joo Lee, have agreed to pay $2 million to the United States for civil antitrust and False Claims Act violations for their involvement in a bid-rigging conspiracy that targeted contracts to supply fuel to U.S. military bases in South Korea, the Department of Justice announced today.

https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/national-park-service-announces-award-of-contract-to-operate-grand-canyon-visitor-transportation-system.htm

The National Park Service (NPS) recently awarded the contract for construction of Phase II of the improvements called for in Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim Visitor Transportation Plan to Fann Contracting, Inc. of Prescott, Arizona.  https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/news_2010-02-08_phase_ii.htm

https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/concession-contract-awarded-for-guided-trail-rides-on-the-north-rim-of-grand-canyon-national-park.htm

https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/5aug10_news.htm

Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent David V. Uberuaga today announced the award of a concession contract for a "grab and go" food service and bicycle rental operations located at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/national-park-service-announces-award-of-new-contract-for-grab-and-go-food-service-and-bicycle-rental-operation.htm

Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga has announced the availability of two prospectuses for business opportunities in the park, to provide lodging, food services, grocery stores, retail, transportation, mule rides, an RV campground, a service station and other services on the South Rim. The two prospectuses released today outline these business opportunities, describe the existing businesses, and provide details on how to submit responsive proposals for either or both. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/business-opportunity-announced-for-two-hospitality-contracts-on-south-rim-of-grand-canyon-national-park.htm

Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga has announced the availability of a prospectus for a business opportunity in the park, to provide lodging, food services, retail, transportation, mule rides, and other services on the South Rim. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/business-opportunity-announced-for-hospitality-contract-on-south-rim-of-grand-canyon-national-park.htm

The National Park Service has selected DNC Parks & Resorts at Grand Canyon, Inc., a subsidiary of Delaware North Companies, Inc., to provide a variety of visitor services at Grand Canyon National Park for the next 15 years. This is one of two concessions contracts that are expected to be awarded this year. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/nps-awards-concession-contract-to-dncpr.htm

Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga has announced the availability of a prospectus for a business opportunity in the park, to provide lodging, food services, retail, transportation, mule rides, and other services on the South Rim. This business opportunity is very similar to solicitation CC-GRCA001-15A, announced on March 11, 2014, with the exception that the initial leasehold surrender interest has been reduced to approximately $57 million, and the franchise fee has been adjusted to 14%. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/business-opportunity-south-rim-august-2014.htm

Grand Canyon National Park announced the award of the contract for operation of the South Rim’s shuttle bus services to Paul Revere Transportation, L.L.C. The five-year contract is in effect from December 1, 2014 through November 30, 2019. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/20150113-gc-award-shuttle-services.htm

Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga has announced the award of a concession contract to Xanterra South Rim, L.L.C. Xanterra will provide lodging, food services, retail, transportation, mule rides, and other services on the South Rim. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/award-of-hospitality-contract-on-south-rim-of-grand-canyon-national-park.htm

The National Park Service announces a solicitation for award of up to three contracts to provide logistical services in support of administrative river trips along the Colorado River within Grand Canyon National Park. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/2017-07-05-grand-canyon-seeks-river-contracts.htm

Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Christine Lehnertz has announced the availability of a prospectus for 16 business opportunities to provide guided whitewater tours on the Colorado River. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/river-running-prospectus.htm

Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Christine Lehnertz has announced the availability of a prospectus for a business opportunity in the park to provide lodging, food and beverage, retail, and other visitor services on the North Rim. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/business-opp-announced-for-hospitality-contract-on-n-rim-of-grand-canyon-nat-pk.htm

As part of the 10-year socioeconomic monitoring of the Northwest Forest Plan, this report evaluates changes in Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) procurement contracting between 1990 and 2002 by asking, (1) How much and what kind of work did the Forest Service and BLM contract during this period, and (2) who received economic benefits from this procurement contracting? Procurement contracting is a particular focus of the socioeconomic monitoring because one expectation of the Northwest Forest Plan was that the Forest Service and BLM would create high-skill, high-wage private sector jobs in public land restoration through contracting to partially offset job losses in timber production, harvesting, and processing. This report finds that, to the contrary, the Forest Service reduced its contracting of land management activities on national forests in the Northwest Forest Plan area from a high of $103 million in 1991 to a low of $33 million in 2002. By contrast, BLM spending was fairly constant at just under $20 million annually. Both the Forest Service and the BLM changed the type of activities that they contracted, shifting from activities associated with intensive forest management such as tree planting in clearcuts to activities associated with ecosystem management. Contractors located near national forests and BLM lands and rural communities captured a similar proportion of contracts in both the earlier and later parts of the study period. However, the significant decline in Forest Service contract spending resulted in considerable decline in the amount of money flowing to rural communities through contracting. Thus, it is unlikely that federal land management contracting created a net increase in jobs to replace jobs lost in mills and logging operations in public lands communities.

NHS England announced that 207 more people died after testing positive for Covid-19 taking the total death toll in hospitals in England to 22,972

He made his debut in August 2018 and has gone on to make 52 appearances for the Reds.

Embargoed until 8 a.m. CT/9 a.m. ET, Tuesday, March 17, 2020   DALLAS, Tuesday, March 17, 2020 – As the global impact of COVID-19 rises, the scientific community continues to evaluate the clinical impact and health care needs of patients with...

Manny Machado inked a 10-year, $300 million deal with the Padres, the biggest free-agent contract in MLB history. Here's the Top 10.

A dynamically expandable and contractible fault-tolerant storage system employs a virtual hot spare that is created from unused storage capacity across a plurality of storage devices. This unused storage capacity is available if and when a storage device fails for storage of data recovered from the remaining storage device(s). On an ongoing basis, the storage system may determine the amount of unused storage capacity that would be required for the virtual hot spare (e.g., based on the number of storage devices, the capacities of the various storage devices, the amount of data stored, and the manner in which the data is stored) and generate a signal if additional storage capacity is needed for a virtual hot spare.

An apparatus and method to install contraction joints in concrete slabs. The method uses a device, which inserts a strip of plastic or paper tape into freshly laced concrete, as the device is driven across a concrete slab. The tape is folded immediately prior to being inserted into freshly placed concrete, and functions to weaken the slab at the contraction joint location for the purpose of causing a crack to form in the slab. Plastic tape can be used, which functions as a moisture vapor retarder, and thereby, protects floor coverings from moisture damage, such as mold and mildew, at contraction joint locations.

Bradley and Karen discuss Conservancy's ContractPatch Initiative that will help Free Software developers negotiate their agreements with employers.

Show Notes:

Segment 0 (00:38)

• Software Freedom Conservancy has two blog posts and a mailing list to discuss the Contract Patch initiative (02:40).
• Bradley searched for the NPR story he mentioned but just couldn't find it, but he did fine a similar one covering terms of service agreements (08:30)
• Karen mentioned the the Outreachy Project of Conservancy. (09:30)
• The Google Map API ToS states that you have to pay for it after a certain amount of usage (17:30)
• Bradley mentioned the book, What Color Is Your Parachute? (24:30)
• The “put it in writing” commercials from AT&T and MCI. (46:44)

Send feedback and comments on the cast to <oggcast@faif.us>. You can keep in touch with Free as in Freedom on our IRC channel, #faif on irc.freenode.net, and by following Conservancy on on Twitter and and FaiF on Twitter.

Free as in Freedom is produced by Dan Lynch of danlynch.org. Theme music written and performed by Mike Tarantino with Charlie Paxson on drums.

The content of this audcast, and the accompanying show notes and music are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike 4.0 license (CC BY-SA 4.0).

King County Metro bus driver Samina Hameed, 59, died on Thursday, Metro confirmed. She is the first Metro driver to die from the coronavirus.

Samina Hameed, 59, died Thursday from complications due to COVID-19, the first Metro driver who is known to have died after contracting the illness.

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s process for awarding a highly lucrative cloud computing contract to Microsoft instead of Amazon was in line with legal and government purchasing standards, a government watchdog agency said Wednesday. The Defense Department inspector general found no evidence of White House interference in the contract award process. But the report said investigators […]

Boeing, typically among NASA's key contractors but whose space program has experienced setbacks and delays, submitted a bid but was not selected.

HOUSTON (AP) — The U.S. government has awarded a $275 million border wall contract for construction that would begin in South Texas in January, at the start of President Donald Trump’s second term if he is re-elected. Caddell Construction Company, based in Montgomery, Alabama, won the contract to build 14 miles (22.5 kilometers) of barriers […]

The Philippine economy contracted for the first time since 1998 as coronavirus containment measures weighed heavily on investment and shipments, official data showed Thursday. Gross domestic product fell 0.2 percent on a yearly basis in the first quarter, in contrast to fourth quarter's revised 6.7 percent expansion, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported.

The corporate regulator is taking the Bank of Queensland (BOQ) and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank to court for imposing "unfair" contract terms on their small business customers.

Private contractors tasked with guarding a violent serial offender broke an "absolute principal of looking after prisoners" when they allowed him to escape and go on the run in Perth, WA's Corrective Services Minister says.

Western Australia's second largest timber mill is stripped of a major native timber supply contract after being caught on-selling at least 165 tonnes of marri logs overseas.

A judge finds BOC Limited is not responsible for the actions of a "disobedient" contractor involved in a gas mix-up at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital that left a newborn baby dead.

The number of coronavirus related fatalities at the Newmarch House aged care facility in Western Sydney rises again, putting the death toll at 15.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's final report into the wine grape sector makes 10 recommendations to improve the efficiency and fairness of Australia's wine grape markets.