Center for Government Contracting News

This webinar will focus on the top issues coming from the RFO rewrite that affect government buyers with perspective from OMB/OFPP and FAR Council leadership to offer clarity about intent behind some of the most impactful changes and how agencies should be interpreting them.

The rulebook that governs how federal agencies buy is changing and the implications for the government contracting industry will be historic and systemic.

The United States possesses extraordinary military firepower and the finest service members in the world. Yet history and current events remind us that American success in war has always depended on the strength of our industrial base. Similarly, the reliability and creativity of our industry hinge on information systems and supply chain security.

“In an era of constant change, America’s government and industry must collaborate like never before,” said Mike Derrios, executive director of the center. “The Baroni Center exists to make that collaboration possible.”

Federal acquisition is experiencing another wave of reform, aiming to boost speed, tap into commercial solutions, modernize regulations, and leverage digital tools. Both government agencies and industry want to remove obstacles and operate more efficiently. Yet one obstacle stands untouched by any rewrite of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR): requirements development. This critical step happens before actual contracting, long before solicitations are published or proposals are submitted. When requirements are poorly defined, speeding up procurement only accelerates poor outcomes. While factors like funding, contract choices, and acquisition strategies play important roles, none can make up for unclear goals, ill-defined scopes, or flawed requirements. Many supposed “acquisition process” problems actually arise from upstream design errors.

Amid the flurry of Executive Orders and other initiatives that rocked federal acquisition in 2025, the General Services Administration (GSA) began signaling a major shift in federal procurement with a Request for Information (RFI) issued late summer that sought industry input on building a unified procurement ecosystem. This effort could lead to one of the most impactful modernization efforts in acquisition infrastructure seen in decades. The Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting has analyzed what this entails and how it might affect the acquisition workforce, industry partners, and the future of federal procurement.

The Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting is pleased to announce the naming of a new executive director, Mike Derrios, MBA ‘06, an accomplished chief procurement officer with 30 years of experience across U.S. military, federal government, and private sector organizations.

Last month, the Department of Defense published a new Supply Chain Risk Management Guidebook providing best practices, recommended roles, and strategies for SCRM. A first of its kind document developed in collaboration with government, academia, AND industry.

Federal News Network, The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton with Emily Murphy, senior fellow, Baroni Center for Government Contracting

This research identifies where poor communication between DoD and industry, between DoD and Congress, and internally within DoD is hampering acquisition outcomes