Here in ITS, we’re reevaluating our approach to strategic sourcing by focusing on category management, which will help transform government IT acquisition and improve the value we provide to our customers. We can’t succeed without your feedback on the best ways to improve our performance. We are counting on you—our customers and industry partners—to identifyRead… Read more »
Did you know that one of the biggest procurement programs underway is happening at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)? “The Professional and Technical Support Services Contract Vehicle (also known as Pro-Tech) will be awarded next year for a five-year, $5 billion program. It will deliver a wide array of specialty services in theRead… Read more »
By Michael Ipsaro, PMP, CCE/A At a recent conference, I attended a break out session that focused on Organizational Project Management (OPM) and project methodologies, specifically an overall approach to implementing them as a practice standard, and the benefits of doing so. The presenters spoke about today’s increasingly competitive global environment for Government and industry,Read… Read more »
We don’t have to tell you about the challenges facing public sector IT – and Healthcare.gov was just one of the more visible procurement hurdles. The Public Spend Forum has published a study, “Billions in the Balance: Removing Barriers to Competition and Driving Innovation in Public Sector IT Markets,” – and the survey found thatRead… Read more »
By Tom Colangelo Anyone who keeps up with national news is aware of a recent problematic major website deployment. Media pundits were quick to blame leadership problems. A noted information technology pundit pointed to acquisition and contracting failures and the governments’ inability to “hire” talented contractors. An Inspector General review will undoubtedly identify both functionalRead… Read more »
Public Spend Forum is excited to release our study of IT procurement in the federal government, “Billions in the Balance: Removing Barriers to Competition and Driving Innovation in the Public-Sector IT Market.” The report is the result of months of research and dozens of interviews, and can be downloaded for free. As has become commonlyRead… Read more »
Five years ago, GSA’s Integrated Technology Services (ITS) team had an ambitious vision: to create a governmentwide acquisition contract (GWAC) to meet all of the federal government’s IT services needs. But primarily ITS wanted to save time and money by eliminating the need for agencies to create their own contracts. That vision and commitment createdRead… Read more »
In my previous post, I talked about the benefits of having a skunk works of federal developers. How can this team help with your Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) software choices? Your internal development team cannot (and should not!) build every piece of software you need. They should focus on unique, mission specific processes thatRead… Read more »
On the surface it makes perfect sense. Outsource your development efforts. When the development is done, the contract developers leave and you’re not paying for their time. Makes more efficient use of your IT dollars! Better! Faster! Cheaper! However, not having skilled developers available misses out on an essential skill set to make your organizationRead… Read more »
Twenty years ago the government created the role of the Chief Information Officer. But now, two decades later, there’s still a real disconnected between procurement and IT. Procurement systems simply cannot keep up with the pace of the technology. Need proof? Just look at the rollout of healthcare.gov. Many experts say the wrong contractors andRead… Read more »