The U.S. federal policy landscape has become increasingly intertwined with the products and services the U.S. government needs to operate. Today’s federal contracting officers must specialize in negotiating contract terms and conditions, but also award contracts that facilitate important socioeconomic, cybersecurity, public health, sustainability, and other government-wide policy priorities.
While the challenges facing today’s policymakers continue to grow, so does the market for obtaining innovative products and services—especially emerging commercial technology solutions—that are designed to help address these challenges. For example, zero trust architecture, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, and other innovative technologies provided by members of the ITI are key to helping the federal government achieve its data management, automation, and security goals.
To recognize the vital role federal contracting officers play in ensuring the U.S. government has access to the innovative technology solutions necessary to meet these challenges and mission performance, ITI created the Public Sector Government Recognition Program in 2021. Now in its second year, this program celebrates and honors U.S. government employees and programs that promote the innovative acquisition solutions needed to modernize and secure IT infrastructure. We’re thrilled to announce this year’s winners:
ITI’s 2022 Outstanding Government IT Acquisition Program of the Year: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Data Support Services (DSS) Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA)
The federal government is just beginning to explore the use of information technology to address its ever-expanding data management needs resulting from the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policy Making Act of 2018 (Evidence Act), the Federal Data Strategy (FDS) Action Plan, and other agency-specific data requirements. Collectively, these provisions push the federal government to increase transparency and data accessibility by publishing machine-readable data online and establishing best practices to promote secure and effective data sharing among federal agencies.
It is imperative for government acquisition professionals to develop flexible contracting strategies to leverage technology and help their agencies meet these goals. Enter the inaugural Data Support Services (DSS) Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA), established by the Data Governance Division and Acquisition Services Division within the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This potentially 10-year, $112 million BPA will provide services to FERC to modernize the agency’s data management processes. It will advance the agency’s ability to use external and internal data assets to improve consumers’ access to secure and cost-effective energy. FERC’s approach is especially innovative because it establishes a data-focused acquisition vehicle that will benefit all agency work streams, rather than considering data requirements on a piecemeal basis through individual IT contracts. Because the DSS BPA reflects a forward-thinking acquisition strategy that will leverage innovative technologies to solve one of the government’s most complex problems, we are proud to honor the acquisition team behind the FERC DSS BPA with ITI’s 2022 Outstanding Government IT Acquisition Program of the Year award.
ITI’s 2022 Outstanding Government IT Acquisition Professional of the Year: United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The acquisition team behind the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ServiceNow Professional Services Initiative—a five-year, $49 million enterprise indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for innovative technologies—leveraged creative approaches to prioritize industry engagement and streamline the award process. Just 94 days after releasing the solicitation, the FDA completed a phased evaluation of offerors using techniques such as advisory down-selects, brief proposal submissions with targeted evaluation criteria, on-the-spot consensus evaluations, interactive oral presentations, and more. Additionally, by setting aside this acquisition for 8(a) Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), the government created a significant business opportunity for offerors representing underserved communities. Finally, the FDA team prioritized transparency by conducting extensive debriefings with unsuccessful offerors, which will ultimately improve these offerors’ ability to compete for future contract opportunities. The FDA team plans to share lessons learned from this acquisition across the agency’s Office of Acquisitions and Grants Services to help other contracting officers streamline the acquisition process and revolutionize industry engagement. We are thrilled to honor the this team of contracting professionals with ITI’s 2022 Outstanding Government IT Acquisition Professional of the Year award.
ITI’s Public Sector Government Recognition Program highlights best practices in the government’s acquisition of technology—exactly what was reflected in the FERC and FDA acquisitions honored this year. Our 2022 awardees were selected based on careful review by our independent advisor panel, consisting of recognized and highly experienced acquisition subject matter experts across the public, private, and academic sectors. All award nominees were evaluated based on how well they met the award criteria which included prioritizing interdisciplinary and/or interagency coordination while contributing to modernizing U.S. government IT in line with commercial best practices for technology, cybersecurity, and competition.
To our outstanding awardees, thank you for all that you do to help keep the United States secure, competitive, and prosperous.