Emptor Cautus Blog

Critical commentary on federal acquisition.

• Finding a Home for “Acquisition Reform and the Golf Ball—A Baker’s Dozen”

  At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2008 John Krieger and John Pritchard, two professors at the Defense Systems Management College, Defense Acquisition University, were kicking around the topic of Acquisition Reform. They reflected on what Jim Nagle wrote in the Epilogue to A History

  Emptor Cautus · Jun 2, 2021

• Acquisition Reform ― It’s Soylent Green!

  In the 1973 futuristic mystery thriller Soylent Green there’s an exchange between Detective Thorn (Charlton Heston) and Hatcher (Brock Peters):

  Emptor Cautus · May 21, 2017

• April Fools’ Day in Federal Acquisition

  Had you ever speculated on why April Fools’ Day seems to be such an important day for federal acquisition? After all, consider some of the regulatory and policy issuances on that day:

  Emptor Cautus · Apr 28, 2016

• Misunderstanding the Missing Words

  This post is not really so much about misunderstanding the missing words, but the misunderstanding that is created by the missing words when read or hear "All contractors must be treated the same" or "All offerors must be treated equally", or such similar sentences. It is the par

  Emptor Cautus · Jan 23, 2015

• FAR Eliminates Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA)

  Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-73, effective May 29, 2013, eliminated the Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA).

  Emptor Cautus · Jul 10, 2014