Tag Archives: OMB

Energy Department advised to keep a closer eye on contractor travel

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Originally posted by Charles S. Clark on GovExec

The Energy Department should strengthen monitoring of its contractors' foreign travel, which in the past six years has cost more than $300 million for 90,000 trips, according to a recent management alert the department's inspector general issued.

IG Gregory Friedman noted about 85 percent of Energy's travel costs were incurred by contractors on projects such as inspecting nuclear weapons and visiting Japan in the aftermath of the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear power disaster.

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Convention industry in the post-GSA scandal world

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Originally posted by TIM MAK and LEIGH MUNSIL on Politico

This isn't your granddaddy's Army convention.

In the post-GSA-scandal environment in which the very industry of convention organizing is under siege, the annual U.S. Army association's exposition at the Washington Convention Center is aiming to be a "gold standard" for military trade shows -- without the emphasis on gold.

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DoD bans entertainment, swag at conferences

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Originally posted by Jolie Lee on Federal News Radio

No more motivational speakers, musicians or promotional swag. The Defense Department is banning entertainment-related expenses at its conferences.

The Pentagon memo on conference oversight also prohibits conference participants from receiving gifts, such as tickets to recreational events outside of the conference. And DoD conference organizers can't use funds to produce videos not related to the conference.

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Sequestration worries speakers at defense forum

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Posted by Thomas Gnau on Dayton Daily News

The specter of sequestration loomed large over the 2012 Dayton Small Business Defense Procurement Summit on August 29.

The possibility of automatic, across-the-board budget cuts to the Department of Defense was a hot topic as entrepreneurs and DoD officials gathered at the Dayton Convention Center to discuss how small businesses can land contracts with the U.S. Air Force and other military departments.

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GSA freezes per diem rates at 2012 levels

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Originally posted by Kellie Lunney on Government Executive

Government travel per diem rates will not change in fiscal 2013, according to the General Services Administration.

GSA announced Tuesday that it will freeze fiscal 2013 travel reimbursement rates for lodging and other related expenses at fiscal 2012 levels. The move is part of the Office of Management and Budget's directive to agencies to reduce all travel spending in fiscal 2013 by 30 percent compared to fiscal 2010.

"By keeping per diem rates at current levels, we are supporting federal agencies in controlling costs and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used wisely," acting GSA Administrator Dan Tangherlini said in a statement.

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