Posts By Matt Langan

Contractors Hold Onto Their Desks as Sequestration Looms

Monica Mayk Parham, Marketing Director, Market Connections, Inc. The Professional Services Council (PSC) recently hosted an event on the topic of sequestration and, for many, it was a sobering reminder that challenging times lay ahead – even if sequestration never comes to light. So what are contractors doing to prepare for these new budget realities?Read… Read more »

Open Government Data Conference: Research Should Drive All Open Data Initiatives

Monica Mayk Parham, Marketing Director, Market Connections, Inc. I’ve been attending the International Open Government Data Conference, sponsored by Data.gov at the World Bank this week. We’ve seen quite a few advanced uses of open data in both domestic and international contexts. Kenya shared their open data initiative, which has steadily gained interest since itsRead… Read more »

Political Leaders (Sort of) Address Changing Face of Government Business

Last month, I had the pleasure of attending a Tech Town Hall hosted by the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) and Microsoft. The event brought together Virginia U.S. Senate candidates George Allen and Tim Kaine, along with a number of business leaders like Jim Sheaffer, President, North American Sector, CSC; Dendy Young, Managing Partner, McLeanRead… Read more »

Is the Sky Falling on Government Contractors?

In many ways, the government contractor community is in a state of uncertainly with pending budget cuts in this austere environment. When reading the news, it often feels like Henny Penny is doing all of the reporting and the outlook is very dire. But is the sky actually falling? Market Connections will be releasing thisRead… Read more »

Q&A: Robert Derby of Sage Communications Discusses Why Agencies Like GSA Need Targeted Marketing to Save Taxpayer Dollars

As government agencies are continually under the microscope when it comes to the most effective use of taxpayer dollars, it is critical to make sure that all marketing efforts are targeted and offer the most ROI. The editorial team of FedConnects recently connected with Robert Derby, Senior Vice President, Branding and Marketing Communications at SageRead… Read more »

Are Government Contractors Doing Enough to Differentiate Themselves?

Without a doubt, the next 12 to 24 months will be a period where government contractors need to be even more competitive – chasing after fewer and smaller contracting opportunities. Many are already seeing this as a particularly challenging time. As the market for winning new contracts and holding on to existing ones becomes moreRead… Read more »

Agencies Developing More Comprehensive Mobile Strategies and Policies

Monica Mayk Parham, Marketing Director, Market Connections, Inc. The rise of mobile technology in the government sector has allowed government employees to be more nimble and effective. Though with increased mobility comes greater challenges for those in charge of implementing mobile applications, such as Roger Baker, CIO at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). TheRead… Read more »

When Government Agencies Receive High Klout Scores, Does it Really Mean They Have More Clout?

IBM Center for the Business of Government recently issued a report that provides some very interesting social media insights for federal agencies: which agencies have the highest Klout rankings. If you are not familiar with Klout, it essentially measures your overall social media influence. For example, when you create content or engage through social networks,Read… Read more »

OMB’s Push for Evidence-Based Budgeting Reinforces Value of Program Performance Research

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) just issued a memo calling for all federal agencies to submit evidence-based budgets that will prove program performance. According to the memo, “Agencies should demonstrate the use of evidence throughout their Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 budget submissions. Budget submissions also should include a separate section on agencies’ mostRead… Read more »

Q&A: Mary Phillips, Sr. Manager, Communications, Lockheed Martin, Discusses Value of Targeted Media Relations in Government

Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 123,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. Lockheed Martin is also a highly communications-focused organization when it comes to building overall brand awareness. Mary Phillips, Sr. Manager,Read… Read more »