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Tag: federal acquisition

What’s Next for Federal Acquisition? David Berteau’s Parting Insights for Government Contractors

As David Berteau steps down from his role as CEO of the Professional Services Council (PSC), federal contractors would be wise to pay close attention to the lessons he leaves behind. With over four decades in federal acquisition, from the Pentagon to PSC, Berteau has seen the full arc of government contracting’s evolution and knows exactly where the industry needs to go next. (Federal News Network April 29, 2025)

From Inputs to Outcomes: A Call for Smarter Procurement

“The government used to buy results. Now it buys labor hours and storage capacity,” Berteau said in a farewell conversation with Federal News Network’s Tom Temin. His message to contractors is clear: success in the coming era will depend on shifting the conversation with agencies back to mission outcomes—not just technical specs or cost ceilings. (ibid)

For firms competing in a crowded, compliance-heavy space, being outcome-focused is more than a strategy—it’s a differentiator. “We need to help the government define what success looks like, and tailor solutions to achieve that,” he emphasized. (ibid)

Tech Innovation Has Left the Building—and That’s an Opportunity

Gone are the days when the Pentagon seeded cutting-edge technology. Today, Berteau said, commercial markets drive innovation, and contractors must be fluent in adapting those tools for government use, securely, affordably, and at scale. (ibid)

“Most new technology now comes from the global commercial space. The government’s role is still critical, especially for defense but the dynamic has flipped,” he noted. (ibid)

Contractors that understand how to integrate commercial tech into mission-specific architectures, from cloud platforms to edge computing, are already outpacing those still anchored in legacy systems. (ibid)

The Competitive Edge: Culture and Mission Alignment

For government service providers, Berteau stressed that culture is the real competitive advantage. “You can’t sustain success in this market without a commitment to the mission,” he said. “The red tape is real. If your people aren’t motivated by public service, they won’t last.” (ibid)

This alignment is especially critical in today’s talent market, where attracting and retaining cleared, capable professionals remains a top challenge. Contractors who invest in a strong mission-driven culture, Berteau argued, will win, not just the next bid, but long-term relevance. (ibid)

Politics Matter, But Execution Wins

While policy shifts and partisan changes affect contracting conditions, Berteau reminded industry leaders to stay focused on execution. “The best companies in this space don’t get distracted by politics. They stay grounded in what matters: delivering value, staying compliant, and helping agencies succeed.” (ibid)

With a new wave of acquisition reform always around the corner, staying agile and compliant remains essential. “You can’t perform if you’re not compliant. And if you don’t perform, you won’t be around for long,” he said bluntly. (ibid)

Still in the Fight—Just Not Full Time

Though Berteau is stepping back from day-to-day operations, he made it clear he’s not exiting the federal contracting world entirely. “I’ve got a lot left to say and do. I’ll keep writing, advising, and staying connected.” (ibid)

For government contractors navigating increasing complexity, Berteau’s departure marks the end of an era, but not the loss of insight. His advice to the industry: stay competitive, stay compliant, and above all, stay aligned with the mission. (ibid)

Questions concerning the changing federal acquisition landscape? Give us a call.

Biden’s Management Agenda Vision includes Acquisition Priorities

The Biden Management Agenda was released last week. The Agenda includes the critical areas of strengthening the federal workforce, upgrading the customer experience, and administering the business of government. Government CIO Media and Research, November 19, 2021

The goal of the Agenda is to restore Americans’ faith in the government. The Agenda has three main objectives:

  • Strengthen/empower the federal workforce.
  • Deliver secure, equitable, and outstanding federal services as well as customer experiences.
  • Manage the business of government to “build back better.”

To achieve this, cybersecurity and IT modernization will be foundational tools for government management and mission delivery. (ibid)

According to the Agenda vision statement, “Agencies will continue to work together to enhance and secure government information technology as vital support and a catalyst for mission delivery. The COVID-19 pandemic showed us how critical IT investments are to supporting mission delivery and the essential work of government.” (ibid)

The vision statement reads, “OPM and OMB also will continue to build out tools to support agency human resources professionals in data-driven strategic workforce planning and decision-making related to employee engagement, inclusion, and organizational performance.” The focus will be to ” make every federal job a good job.” The plan is to accomplish this through competitive compensation, enhanced engagement, and mission delivery, and union opportunities. (ibid)

The second objective is to make the delivery of improved customer service, a priority. The Biden administration wants to meet people where they are rather than ask the public to navigate through the many, and often hidden, government services areas. (ibid)

The vision statement reads, “Human-centered design research will drive the management of federal programs to develop a comprehensive understanding of how individuals interact with federal services. Through this process, agencies will identify barriers to service delivery and how those barriers create undue burdens on those the government serves, in particular for underserviced communities.” (ibid)

The third objective is improving federal acquisition and financial management systems. The Biden administration plans to prioritize US manufacturing as a way to stop future supply chain disruptions. The Administration plans for upcoming major acquisitions to support a reduction in carbon output. (ibid)

The agenda vision statement reads, “accomplishing these collective and activities will also require continuous improvements in our procurement, financial assistance, and financial management ecosystems. This shift will require new measures and processes, new training for the federal workforce, and new tradeoffs that agencies will need to address going forward.” (ibid)

The “next steps” within the Management Agenda are set to be released in early 2022. (ibid)

 

Questions about how this will affect future procurements? Give us a call.

 

 

 

GSAmazon

GSA recently asked for feedback on proposed requirements for the upcoming e-commerce portals program. (Fedscoop, July 2, 2019)

The 2018 National Defense Authorization Act requires GSA put into place a multiple-award proof of concept site similar to those of Amazon and other large online commerce sites. This will update the way agencies purchase products outside of existing contracts. (ibid)

An estimated $6 billion is spent on open-market purchases through government-issued credit cards. The e-commerce portals program pilot will launch with hand-picked agencies and a spending limit of $10,000 on any one order. GSA is asking Congress to raise the threshold to $25,000 for the five-year pilot to better evaluate the program. (ibid)

“During the initial proof of concept, GSA will encourage robust competition through the implementation of multiple e-marketplace platforms,” said a deputy assistant commissioner at the Federal Acquisition Service within GSA. “We are looking to leverage business-to-business terms whenever practicable, to allow for streamlined buying while obtaining a more transparent and centralized view of the type of government-wide spend.” (ibid)

The goal of the Commercial Platforms Program is to start small and refine. The Commercial Platforms Initiative is just one of four Federal Marketplace Strategy projects. The draft solicitation was issued on July 2nd and is open for public comment for 30 days. (GSA interact July 2, 2019)

Interested in how you might fit into the e-commerce portals program? Give us a call.