Twenty Minutes!

Looking over the previous posts made me realize that I haven't updated the blog on Configuration Management stuff. That's going great. The board I helped start is now the heart of the decisionmaking process in my organization. That "Big Boss" I referred to was promoted, and her replacement takes his job more seriously--he actually attends. After the first year, I was replaced as secretariat, which was fine with me. I've since helped start a "Configuration Management Library" that serves as the CM database for our documents. It's a start. I'm heartened by events in this area, not just in my organization but in the IRS as a whole. We're making progress.

Over Two Years?!?

I'm not sure what I was thinking to start this blog. It probably involved improving government procurement practices. What a moron I can be! I had to go back to TIGTA recently with a complaint about the very same contract I went to them about seven years ago. Three months later, all I got from TIGTA was a form email acknowledging they got my complaint. Essentially, we paid over $3M more than any sane honest customer would pay for the right to use some software on a slightly bigger mainframe. I laid it on the line with my bosses, told them I was going to report it if they did it, and they went ahead anyway. They were more scared of their executives than they were of getting rapped on the knuckles in an investigation they weren't sure was going to be conducted. So far, their judgment has been vindicated.

I could have retired a year and a half ago. I'm hanging on until my kids finish college, I get a few more things done on the job, and I can make a positive difference on procurement policy. I may be working until I drop dead, an event that some in management would celebrate. I'm sick of those people...what is so great about rising in the ranks of govt if all you're going to do is bully people and make bad decisions? Then they scheme to land a job with one of the vendors they've been dealing with. It's not an easy sell, because most of them are worthless except as influence peddlers, and as soon as they walk out, they've lost their influence.

I'm not sure when the next post will be. But if an investigation results from my complaint, I'll let you know.