Skyway Wire
Nothing Personal: How To Determine Personal vs. Non-Personal Services
In a previous blog post, we briefly touched upon the term personal services. What does that term mean, and why is it generally considered to be a bad thing in Federal contracting? Overview: FAR...
Kevin Jans Featured on The RFP Success Show Podcast
Skyway Acquisition President Kevin Jans recently joined The RFP Success Show, hosted by Lisa Rehurek of The RFP Success Company, for a conversation focused on how government acquisition decisions...
The Anti-Deficiency Act (ADA)
During the recent Government shutdown, a law commonly associated with Federal contracting was thrust into the spotlight when the Executive Branch discussed using appropriated funds to cover other...
Crossing Fiscal Years: The Why and How
If you monitor contract awards and look at their periods of performance, you will sometimes see contracts that cross fiscal years. From what we know about appropriations law, funds should be used...
Requests for Equitable Adjustment or Claim? A Short Guide
As contractors begin to resume performance from stop-work orders or other delays brought by the shutdown, it’s important to know what kind of contractual relief is available. This article will focus...
Meeting of the Minds: Post-Award Conference Tips
FAR 42.5, Post-Award Orientation gives the option to use either a letter or a conference, but conferences are considered the “industry standard” by most Contracting Officers (including myself). It...
Cost-Share Contracts Accelerate Technology Innovation in Government R&D
The government needs technological innovation at the speed of relevance—or, in my community, at the Speed of SOF (Special Operations Forces)—yet the acquisition system still funds research at the...
The Ground Truth: Differing Site Conditions for Contracting Officers (CO) and Contractors
The Ground Truth: Differing Site Conditions for Contracting Officers (CO) and Contractors Differing Site Conditions, How We Get There Simply put, the term “differing site conditions” in construction...
52.232-39, Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations: The Counter-EULA Clause
End User License Agreements/Terms of Service, Part of Everyday and Professional Life If you’ve used a piece of new computer software or a new electronic device, there’s a good chance you have been...
September 2025 Update
Well, September was a busy month indeed. I managed to not get the final version of the Skyway Wire done in time #fail. I suppose I can take some relational solace in the fact that Congress could not...
The Growing Role of Other Transaction Authority (OTA) in Government Contracting
In recent years, Other Transaction Authority (OTA) has emerged as a powerful acquisition tool for U.S. federal agencies, particularly the Department of Defense (DoD), NASA, and the Department of...
Growing as a Contracting Officer
Being a USG contracting officer is a tremendous responsibility. Becoming a warranted contracting officer entails the responsibility of obligating the government to purchase products and services....
Navigating the SOW Process: A Guide to Collaboration Between Program and Contracting Offices
The Statement of Work (SOW) serves as the cornerstone of acquisition success. It is, in essence, the Government’s detailed guide to contractors on how to fulfill the required services....
Targeting Federal RFPs? Don’t fish with a net.
Fishing with a cast net here in Florida is fun. In the right place, at the right time of day (and tide), the net is full of surprises: bait fish, a crab or two, a stingray, or even a mullet....
What the US Government Buys – Part 3
Buying Services The Government buys many types of services. Examples of services include facility support services (e.g., janitorial or food service), administrative support, engineering, and...
What the US Government Buys – Part 2
Previously, I discussed the four basic things the government purchases: Research and Development (R&D), Services, Hardware, and Construction. Purchasing products, from pencils to nuclear...