Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
IG: Army is lax in overseeing issuance of contractor ID cards
An Army contractor - KBR - conducted only cursory background checks on personnel in the Middle East before issuing electronic identification cards that allow access to Defense Department computer networks and facilities, auditors said in a recent report.
Friday, October 17, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
Defense bill includes major contracting reforms
The House and Senate have approved a sweeping set of contracting reforms. The House passed the bill on Sept. 24 and the Senate approved it over the weekend, sending it to the White House. President Bush is expected to sign it soon.
Thursday, October 2, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
DOD tests contractors’ ID cards
The Army is testing a program that allows contractors to use an identification card approved by the Defense Department to gain access to the service’s facilities and computers. “The ultimate goal is to give us visibility to the contractors in the battlefield,” said Col. Archie Davis.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
Where McCain, Obama stand on key federal issues including contracting
When it comes to government reform, the agendas of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and GOP rival John McCain have a few things in common.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
17 countries agree on recommendations to control private military and security companies.
State experts representing 17 countries have agreed on a new set of recommendations to enhance State control over private military and security companies. The document was finalized today by governmental and other experts who had been meeting since 15 September in Montreux, Switzerland, at the invitation of the Swiss government.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
Acquittal of Former Marine in Landmark Case Expected to Cause Change in Legislation that affects Contractors
The recent landmark case of United States of America vs. Jose Luis Nazario, Jr. tested the power and scope of the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act of 2000 (MEJA), and the swift acquittal underscores flaws in the law that could lead to legislative changes to the Act, said the team of lawyers who represented the former Marine. MEJA was designed to permit the prosecution, in U.S. district court, of Department of Defense contractors, subcontractors, and the civilian dependants of active-duty military personnel who commit crimes on foreign soil.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
Contractor accountability gains ground
New reports show that oversight and accountability over contractors are much improved. And, considering how much money is being spent on them, one would expect nothing less.
Sunday, August 31, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
Contractors Face Loss of Immunity in Iraq
Contractors operating in Iraq on behalf of the U.S. could be forced to reorganize the way they do business after a deal with the Baghdad government stands to strip them of immunity from local laws.
Saturday, August 23, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
Udpated: KBR Bans Cell Phones in Entire Middle East and Central Asia
A clarification was issued by KBR management regarding the ban on personal cell phone use by its OCONUS deployed employees.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
New Website for Overseas Voters
We encourage you to visit the newly redesigned Federal Voting Assistance Program website at www.fvap.gov, the official U.S. government website for overseas voters. The updated website features an automated Voter Registration and Ballot Delivery tool that will greatly improve the vote-by-mail process.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
Inspector General Questions Blackwater Small Business Contracts
In response to a request from Chairman Waxman, the Inspector General of the Small Business Administration released a report concluding that Blackwater may have “misrepresented” its small business status in order to win 39 government contracts worth more than $100 million.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
Parsons, Military Wasted Millions in Iraq, Inspector Bowen Says
Parsons Corp., one of the largest construction contractors in Iraq, and the Pentagon wasted millions of U.S. tax dollars because of poor oversight and building practices, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction said in a new report.
Monday, July 28, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
Revised Rules for Battlefield Contractors
The expansion of the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act of 2000 (MEJA) and the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) has complicated the legal environment for U.S. contractors co-located with military forces abroad.
Friday, July 25, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
Gates questions combat training by contractors
Defense Secretary Robert Gates wants to know why his military uses private contractors for combat and security training, and how widespread the practice is.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
The Candidates’ Positions on Private Security Contractors
Senators Barack Obama and John McCain have both criticized private security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, while they've also acknowledged that they don't see a way to guard government officials without the services of companies like Blackwater.
Friday, July 18, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
Dogs of War: Immunity hype
Last week the media reported security contractors working in Iraq no longer will receive immunity from prosecution in that nation under a deal being brokered by Iraqi and U.S. officials. The contention that foreign contractors working in Iraq were granted blanket immunity from any and all crimes has long been closer to fiction than fact.
Sunday, July 13, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
Contractors oppose move to end immunity from Iraqi law
Contractors working for the U.S. military in Iraq say a move to end their immunity from Iraqi law would make many leave their jobs instead of face a justice system they do not trust.
Monday, July 7, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
Overseas contract loophole is closing
A multibillion-dollar loophole that would have let contractors escape reporting abuse of taxpayer dollars spent abroad is being closed. Lawmakers ordered it closed as part of a $162 billion war-spending plan. It was signed into law this week by President Bush.
Friday, July 4, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
US 'to scrap' contractor immunity
The US has agreed to scrap immunity for foreign security guards in Iraq, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari says. The US embassy in Baghdad has not confirmed the announcement, which comes as the US and Iraq are negotiating a controversial security pact.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Industry News : Regs, Laws, Oversight
KBR tax loophole raises new questions
When it comes to paying federal taxes on its workers in Iraq, KBR says it was exempt because they were foreign hands hired through subsidiaries in the Cayman Islands. But when it comes to job-related injuries, including those at an Iraqi water plant, the Houston-based defense contractor says those same workers are Americans who must file their grievances with the U.S. government.
Monday, June 23, 2008