It’s the problem that won’t seem to go away: for decades, government agencies, academics and industry associations have identified a lack of expertise and training among acquisition personnel as a key challenge for the acquisition workforce. Frank Kendall, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, acknowledged the problem, adding a new goal to …
Continue reading “Is It Time to Professionalize Contract Management?”
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 …
Continue reading “Procurement Planning – An Important Spoke in the Wheel”
Integrity Management Consulting and GovLoop are proud to present a 12-part series called “Conscientious Contracting: A Thoughtful Approach to Acquisition and Program Management,” that aims to address common challenges and achieve new efficiencies in government procurement. Integrity Matters will bring you occasional posts written by GovLoop’s Andrew Krzmarzick, featuring the expertise of Integrity subject matter experts and other professionals in acquisition. …
Continue reading “The Struggle With the Juggle: How to Master the Trick of Contract Transition”
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 …
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 …
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 …
Continue reading “Widening the Aperture of Acquisition & the Acquisition Team”
Imagine this scenario. Your acquisition lead time is quickly slipping. Time is running short to develop your solicitation documents, which could jeopardize meeting the target project completion date. What do you do? It’s likely that you don’t start entirely from scratch on a completely blank page. Do you pull the last electronic version of the …
Continue reading “Avoid Risk by Using Solicitation/Contract Templates”
The latest in our Health and Wellness series of yoga classes for employees started last week and I began thinking how some of the fundamentals we’ve been learning in yoga can be applied to managing during an unexpected or challenging situation, such as the government shutdown. The implications of the shutdown have been far-reaching – …
Continue reading “Breathe! How a Holistic Approach Helped Us Survive the Government Shutdown”
Imagine a college football game day – large crowds of fans, student colors, marching bands, and the cacophony of noise. Once the last touchdown is scored and the crowds leave, the crew that remains behind has the important job of ensuring things are brought to a close and all is in place. Representatives who contribute …
Continue reading “Successfully Quarterbacking Government Contract Closeout Files”
In this time of tight budgets and mandates to do more or the same with less, the need for innovation is greater than ever. This is the case wherever you add value to your organization, including acquisition. Frans Johansson, author of The Medici Effect, talks about intersections as “the place that ideas from different groups …
Continue reading “Does Your Organization’s Roadmap Have Enough Intersections?”
