Integrity

5 Ways to Improve Your Federal CPIC Process

Recently, the Integrity Matters blog asked the question, “Are You Making the Business Case for Federal Cybersecurity?” in an article about why and how to develop a business case through the Capital Planning Investment Control (CPIC) process in order to justify return on investment in cybersecurity programs. Now we ask the question, “Are You Making …

Is Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) Always The Best Deal?

In the current fiscal environment, there is an even stronger focus on being a good steward of taxpayer dollars. That is certainly commendable and definitely what is expected by John Q. Public. The recent trend to uphold that trust placed in the Government has been toward awarding contracts on a lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) …

How Integrated Product Teams Can Improve Performance and Save Money

In this time of tight budgets and mandates to do more or the same with less, the need for innovation through greater communication and cooperation is greater than ever.   The intelligent use of Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) that foster an organizational climate of cross-functional collaboration can drive innovation throughout your processes. This is accomplished by …

Procurement Planning – An Important Spoke in the Wheel

  With the recent uncertainty over further sequestration and a possible second government shutdown, many agencies and components of the federal government have been asked to identify those procurement actions that are critical and have the potential to cause major operational dysfunction if delayed. While this drill is important, it’s also a reminder that procurement …

May the Source Be With You!

In a business environment where the government is expected to do more with less, the strategic sourcing process has become a resourceful approach in helping agencies reduce spending and clearly define requirements while also improving mission delivery. Strategic sourcing can be defined as a standard and formal process that incorporates rigorous analytics, tools and techniques …

What We’re Thankful For at Integrity

We took a pause from our normal hectic workday schedules to gather here at our headquarters for a potluck Thanksgiving lunch.  It was nice to slow down, enjoy a meal together and talk about peoples’ families, holiday plans and traditions.  It is the people, after all, who make our company and any company succeed. We …

Widening the Aperture of Acquisition & the Acquisition Team

Today’s fiscally constrained environment is being felt in many places, including acquisition.  The Federal Government spends billions to execute its missions through acquisitions.  After talking with one of my colleagues about the impact on the acquisition discipline, she astutely said “though resources may be narrowing, the way you approach acquisition shouldn’t”. In fact, to face …

What Elements of BBP 2.0 are Important to IT Programs and Why?

As we move further into an unprecedented era of tighter budgets and post war downsizing, it makes sense to implement Better Buying Power 2.0, the directive published by Frank Kendall, Undersecretary for Acquisition at the Department of Defense (DoD), in April 2013. Bottom line – if you are a program under Acquisition Technology &Logistics (AT&L), …

How to Get Buy-In on the Value of the Business Case

You don’t have work in the federal budget field to know that agencies are closely reviewing every budget line item to see where they can streamline to reduce costs.  It is vital that government Program Managers (PMs) understand the importance of building and reporting on sound business cases for their investments – the OMB300 process. …

The Three C’s Of CPIC Success at TSA

With budgets and resources stretched more than ever, portfolios are under fire to demonstrate the value of their investments through sound business cases.  One way to show soundness is to demonstrate the business cases are compliant and coherent.  But how is this accomplished? Based on my experience supporting teams through many Capital Planning and Investment …