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How MACs can increase your bottom line
Brenda Crist Civil & GovernmentWhat are multiple-award contracts (MAC) and why should they matter to you? Simply put, a MAC is a basic contract awarded to multiple contractors against which they compete for task order awards. MACs are also referred to as indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) and governmentwide acquisition contracts (GWAC). Federal acquisition regulations (FAR) govern how government agencies use MACs to procure goods and services. MACs should matter to every government contractor for five reasons.
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Atlanta’s initiative to bridge police-locality divide is paying off
Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityMuch has been said about bridging the gap between police and the public. One program delivering positive results is the initiative taken by the Atlanta Police Department. The program seeks to have cops to live where they work and help them become a part of racially diverse neighborhoods. Eventually, they will become the neighborhood cop that everyone knows.
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Should the K-12 model be based on competency?
Bambi Majumdar EducationA new report released by iNACOL, "Levers and Logic Models: A Framework to Guide Research and Design of High-Quality Competency-Based Education Systems," shows an urgent need for a competency-based framework for K-12 ed. It presents logic models to help practitioners understand how competency-based education (CBE) can impact education. There is a rising awareness of CBE. Schools and district administrators are realizing that they need to equip students better for the digital business world.
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Parts of Obamacare deemed unconstitutional by DOJ
Joan Spitrey Healthcare AdministrationEver since the 2010 Affordable Care Act went into effect, it has been entrenched in court battles. One controversial provision in the law was that if Americans chose not to get health insurance, they faced a potential penalty. In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Congress' ability to fine those who did not get health insurance as it deemed the financial penalty basically a tax. However, on June 7, the Justice Department said that the requirement for people to have insurance — the individual mandate — was unconstitutional.
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Right-to-try: Cause for hope or just hype?
Jason Poquette PharmaceuticalA 2010 movie entitled "Extraordinary Measures" starred Harrison Ford and was based on the real-life story of the parents of two children with a rare, terminal disorder known as Pompe’s disease. It was a good movie and an amazing story. The kids got the medicine during the trial phase and it worked. I wonder if the supporters of "right-to-try" measures for new, experimental drugs expect that the newly signed legislation will produce many more stories like this. Maybe it will.
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HHS delays 340B program rule — again
Scott E. Rupp PharmaceuticalThe Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has pushed back a decision on the 340B Drug Pricing Program to July 2, 2019. If the proposed rule goes through, it would impose civil monetary penalties for drug manufacturers that knowingly and intentionally overcharge hospitals for outpatient drugs. According to the HHS' Health Resources & Services Administration, the 340B program enables covered entities to stretch scarce federal resources as far as possible, reaching more eligible patients and providing more comprehensive services.
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Dealing with changes in management styles
Frank R. Myers Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityEveryone at some point in their careers will have to deal with the change of a supervisor. In the fire service, especially at the station level, this is an intimate working relationship unlike other careers where the supervisor stays predominantly in their office and only confers with upper management. We need to realize that everyone has their own management style and we either need to accept it or move on to a different position. We are somewhat fortunate in the fire service because we can transfer and/or bid to go to another station.
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10 essential elements for effective arbitration agreements
D. Albert Brannen Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that employers may require employees to sign class-action waiver provisions without violating the National Labor Relations Act. This decision has prompted employers to reconsider whether to require employees to sign binding arbitration agreements. If you are considering requiring employees to sign such agreements, this article outlines 10 essential elements to include in such agreements.
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State, city efforts address US exit from Paris climate agreement
Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & EnvironmentalWhen President Trump announced the U.S.' exit from the 2015 Paris climate agreement on June 1, 2017, committed state governments, cities, businesses and organizations initiated or continued carbon-reducing projects. As it turns out, positive demand for alternative energy sources competes with federal inactivity and economic growth demands that still use readily available and traditional energy. What will steer the path of climate change initiatives in the years to come? That has yet to be decided.
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5 tips for proposal professionals going through mergers and acquisitions
Brenda Crist Civil & GovernmentEvery year, mergers and acquisitions impact the positions of many proposal industry members. For example, this year, General Dynamics acquired CSRA, a $4.3 billion company. Like many proposal professionals, I have gone through several acquisitions and mergers. In one five-year period, I worked for three companies that were acquired by larger companies. If you find your company is being acquired or merging with another company, here are five tips to consider.
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