For most purchasing professionals in the public sector, solicitations and open bid processes are “just the way things have always been done.” Open solicitations are a way for governments to protect themselves, ensure transparency, show good stewardship of public funds and give the best value for monies spent. There is also a trickle-up benefit toRead… Read more »
“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” This common phrase can be said for a lot of bureaucratic procedures: they’re slow to change and can eventually fall into a rut. Like any change-adverse person, federal agencies have become too comfortable with an old-school procurement process. But could some simple tweaking result in smoother acquisitions?Read… Read more »
Multitasking is a reality in our lives. We check e-mail while we talk on the phone. We constantly juggle tasks, spreadsheets, documents and programs, and we do it all in a split second. Or do we? We all talk on the phone while we throw a load of laundry in the washer, chop some vegetablesRead… Read more »
Moderator Trey Hodgkins (far left) and panelists from left to right: Richard Beutel, Kevin Cummins, Aaron Wasserman and Angela Styles. “Taxpayers deserve a government that harnesses technology to better serve the people.” I would be surprised if anyone disagreed with this profound statement from former Missouri governor Matt Blunt. Citizens expect their government to spendRead… Read more »
The great truism that underlies the civic technology movement of the last several years is that governments face difficulty implementing technology, and they generally manage IT assets and projects very poorly. It can be tempting to view this lack of technology acumen as a symptom of a larger disfunction. Governments are thought to be large,Read… Read more »
It’s not new to say that technology is having a significant impact on modern life. As technology becomes smaller, cheaper, and faster, staying up-to-date can be challenging. This is especially true for public sector organizations where procurement hasn’t caught up to new ways of using or implementing technology. As government works through modernization, implementing large-scaleRead… Read more »
Drones. The word sends shivers down the spines of some Americans, but these remotely piloted aircraft are poised to make huge inroads in the national airspace. “Despite the fact that most people link unmanned aircraft systems with intelligence agencies and the military, the federal government’s drones user base extends well beyond spies and soldiers, reportsRead… 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 »
There has been a lot of discussion about how cooperative purchasing and co-ops help the public sector save time and money. One little known advantage of purchasing through a co-op is vendor and contract management. Well-run cooperative purchasing organizations are active in managing contracts and vendor performance. “We are seeing our members making contract andRead… 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 »