Managing risk in contracting is about taking the downside into account. Both the agency and the vendor need to have a healthy understanding of what the worst outcomes are for their respective sides and to write the contract to address those outcomes. What happens if the vendor is unable to provide the service? How canRead… Read more »
DO YOU THINK YOU CAN’T GET FIRED? Don’t tell me that it’s never crossed your mind. When you become a tenured government employee, after around five years of service in most agencies, it’s natural to heave a great sigh of relief that you won’t be cashing unemployment checks any time soon. Urban legend says it’s impossibleRead… Read more »
This series began discussing fostering relationships through contracting. This idea underpins all discussions about contracting because if you keep the relationship in mind while conducting contract negotiations, where both sides are heard and concerns are addressed, then there is a greater likelihood that the outcome will be beneficial to both parties. In the previous post,Read… Read more »
Next-gen air sensors can provide a network of affordable, portable devices that relay data in real time. But the science and application of these sensors needs an equivalent human network. We’ve found that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a played a significant role in convening the community. A wide-ranging collaboration resulted in a parkRead… Read more »
Job descriptions are one of the most shared documents among organizations. Have you ever wondered how complex organizations with unique needs and circumstances can all require basically the same job duties? Fact is, they can’t. Take a good look at your organization and you will find that many of the employees work in the “otherRead… Read more »
I’m a data geek. I’ll own that. I love what data can do, what it can inform, what it can tell me. I constantly find myself mentally connecting conversations I’m in and meetings I’m part of to the data that could best inform the discussion or the decisions. It’s a bit of a problem. AsRead… Read more »
Every person aspires to their career choice based on a past positive internship, a favorite relative, movie or TV show. For example, the USA Network TV show “Suits” provides business lessons for everyone to use while exploring the world of corporate lawyers and their legal endeavors. While the program is set in a fictional law firmRead… Read more »
“The only thrill worthwhile is the one that comes from making something out of yourself.” – William Feather In order to succeed in business and in life, you have to be willing to change. Without change, there can be no growth. In order to get what you’ve never had, you have to become someone you’veRead… Read more »
Two things I really enjoy: critical thinking and unique experiences. Generally when I find opportunities that include both, the conversation goes something like this: Me: Do you want to do something really unique? My fiancée: Oh gosh… what is it? Me: I need you to agree first. It is a critical thinking exercise, but it’sRead… Read more »
We’ve all heard the phrase, “There are no dumb questions, only dumb answers.” That is patently false, as any one who has been the victim of a terrible question at a public event can attest. Participation is important, whether at an internal brown bag or plenary at an annual convention. Asking a question is aRead… Read more »