Scott AFB, Illinois, Feb. 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

The United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) currently seeks a contractor to complete transportation and storage services for privately-owned vehicles. This lengthy procurement began back in January of 2017 and is soon coming to a close.

This contract will have a two-year base period with the option to continue on with the contract until 2024. The current provider of services for this requirement is International Auto Logistics LLC (DUNS 078597284). They are a transportation company who has been awarded over $687 million in government contracts since 2014.

The provider on the new contract will be responsible for shipping multiple vehicles worldwide and storing vehicles for an average of 2-3 years. All requirements and modifications that have been posted in regards to this solicitation (Solicitation ID: HTC711-17-Z-R003) can be found on third-party, US Federal Contractor Registration’s Advanced Procurement Portal.  Reference Article

Peanut butter. Bottled water. Hygiene kits. Diesel fuel. Surgical supplies.

These are just some of the supplies and services the U.S. government has purchased through the nearly $614.3 million in contracts it has awarded since hurricanes Harvey and Irma pummeled Texas and Florida, according to the Federal Procurement Data System, which compiles government-wide contracts as of Thursday.

And that pot of money is expected to grow exponentially.

Among the recipients of these contracts are big players, including medical device maker Medtronic, aerospace and defense company General Dynamics, as well as smaller outfits, like family-owned Foster Fuels, a provider of emergency fuel.

As the government continues to assess damages, more companies can expect to get awarded contracts for office supplies, dumpsters, portable toilets and other essentials needed to help clean up and rebuild homes and infrastructure. Read Full Article.

WASHINGTON, May 18, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Small Business Administration announced today that the federal government reached its small business federal contracting goal for the fourth consecutive year, awarding 24.34 percent in federal contract dollars to small businesses totaling $99.96 billion, an increase of over $9 billion from the previous year. 

"I am pleased to report that for the fourth year in a row, the federal government has exceeded its small business contracting goal," Administrator Linda McMahon said.  "It is a win-win for federal agencies to get small business contracts into the hands of the innovative small business owners that create jobs in their communities and help to fuel the nation's economy." Read Full Article.

Dive Brief:

• President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order on "Buy American and Hire American" policies in an effort to increase the domestic share of labor and products used in federal projects.
• The new order calls upon Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to investigate current government procurement policies at federal agencies, with an eye toward disabling poor monitoring, weak enforcement and ineffective compliance efforts, Politico reported.
• In addition, the administration will assess guest worker programs and the cost-benefits of free trade provisions, allowing for national treatment of foreign contracts compared to the reciprocal access.  Read Full Article Here.

The Senate has passed a Congressional Review Act resolution disapproving the Aug. 25, 2016, “Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces” federal acquisition regulation.

Approving the CRA on March 7, the Senate now sends it for President Trump’s signature in order to officially roll back the final rule, which has not yet gone into effect because of a Texas federal court’s preliminary injunction. In addition, the CRA prevents future administrations from promulgating a similar rule.

“The Statement of Administration Policy on the resolution stated the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces regulation would ‘bog down federal procurement with unnecessary and burdensome processes,’ ” said David Berteau, president and CEO of the Professional Services Council. “PSC agrees and urges President Trump to sign the resolution expeditiously to remove this significant overhang from the acquisition process.” Full Article

With all the advances made on the LGBT front in recent years, you might think that fight has been won.

Yet closets remain in Uncle Sam’s space. Walter works in one, figuratively.

Walter is a government contractor on an Army facility. He runs a small, Florida consulting firm. He’s gay and he doesn’t want Sam to know.

“What would happen if I came out, I’m not 100 percent sure,” he said, “but I don’t recognize a lot of messages that it’s all right.”

That why Walter and the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) want President Obama to order federal agencies not to discriminate against LGBT companies. In an era in which they can marry, and openly serve in the military, Congress and high federal positions, some gay contractors still fear that they could lose federal business if their sexual orientation were known.  Read Full Article.