Contract Management, a monthly, full-color magazine, is NCMA’s number-one member benefit. Not only do members receive this publication each month, they also can access past articles of interest in our archives. (Please note that articles only go back to 2002.)
Written and edited specifically for contract management professionals, and established in 1977, CM is NCMA’s flagship publication, providing comprehensive reporting on current issues and trends relevant to both public and private sectors.
Editorial is presented from both government and commercial viewpoints. CM articles keep readers on top of late-breaking developments. Editorial "departments" present opinion pieces, information for beginners and for legal scholars, information for small businesses, as well as rich and varied feature material.
Inside the May 2013 issue...
Learning and Leading in Vendor Communication 
Where do we go from here? Next steps and best practices in communicating during the acquisition process.
By: Al Munoz
Contractor Purchasing System Reviews: Not So Different From 1991
A review of the current guidance about contractor purchasing system reviews (CPSRs), who might be audited, and what the significant parameters for an audit are; as well as a comparison to how CPSRs used to be conducted based on an article written in 1991.
By: Philip G. Bail Jr.
12 Steps to Better Government Contractor Selections
The federal government's process for selecting its contractors can be improved by establishing a comprehensive, integrated system focused on getting the best products and services at a fair and reasonable price. This article describes 12 key steps that can be taken to achieve this result.
By: M. Brent Armstrong
Compliance Programs for Counterfeit Parts Avoidance and Detection
Thoughts to consider when adjusting compliance programs for counterfeit parts avoidance and detection as regulations are developed, industry standards mature, and implementation approaches evolve.
By: Henry Livingston
Procurement Technical Assistance Centers: Bridging Business to Government Sales
For nearly three decades, PTACs have been walking small businesses through the aisles of government contracting. This free assistance has not only paid off for small business owners, but has delivered capable suppliers to government contracting officers and federal primes.
By: Deana I. Vitale
Driving the Right Business Behaviors Using Team-Based Bonus Compensation Plans: Lessons Learned and Best Practices
There is an old saying: "I do best what the boss checks." However, it should be: "I do best what the boss pays a bonus for."
By: Gregory A. Garrett
Streamlining the Commercial Off-the-Shelf Request for Proposal Process
The aerospace and defense market has accepted commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) from a technical standpoint, but the corresponding programmatics have not kept pace. This article features some ideas of how to have the programmatics catch up and save both buyers and sellers time and money.
By: Mark Grovak
Professional Development
The Four Stages of Effective Decision-Making
By: Timothy Bednarz
Legal Forum
An Increasingly Important Shield Against Claims: The Contract Dispute Act's Statute of Limitations
By: Jack Horan and Patrick J. Stanton
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