Accelerating Acquisition in the Dynamic Workplace (S1E13)

2020 will be remembered as a time of federal professionals getting accustomed to working from home. Many will talk about the flexibility exhibited by systems managers in responding to an 80% increase in remote users. Behind the scenes were the acquisition professionals who enabled the tech experts to accomplish that herculean task.

Today, we will begin a three-part discussion from federal and technological leaders on how they worked to make sure the work-at-home transition was possible. We have innovators from the Department of Homeland Security, the GSA, the EPA, and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs balanced with a technology champion from Smartsheet.

You may not realize the DHS is responsible for a $23.9 billion purchasing program; Soraya Correa explains her goal is frictionless acquisition. During the interview, Jeff Koses from GSA agrees that more emphasis should be placed on the value of speed in the acquisition process.

Kimberly Patrick shares her experience with acquisition during COVID, remarking that her department at the EPA reduced their backlog from 570 to under 90 and hit their targets 95% of the time. Dr. Angela Billups joins the discussion with her observation that they accomplished the transition at the GSA with a focus on proven commercial business practices and building meaningful partnerships with industry.

One of the commercial solutions is from Smartsheet. Chris Aherne ends the interview by observing that companies can gain a better understanding of federal acquisition challenges by participating with the Centers of Excellence program at the GSA and gleaning transformative ideas from a wide range of federal clients.

To view this webinar: Accelerating Acquisition in the Dynamic Workplace.

Featured Speakers:

• Soraya Correa, Senior Procurement Executive, Department of Homeland Security
• Jeff Koses, Senior Procurement Executive, General Services Administration
• Kimberly Patrick, Senior Procurement Executive & Director, Office of Acquisition Solutions, EPA
• Dr. Angela Billups, Executive Director, Office of Acquisition & Logistics, Department of Veterans Affairs
• Chris Aherne, Vice President, Federal Smartsheet