Jonah Cunningham

Hope these practical tips I shared down in Charleston last month help someone out!

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THREE IDEAS THE NEXT ADMINISTRATOR AND COMMISSIONER SHOULD CONSIDER TO IMPROVE GSA’S FEDERAL ACQUISITION SERVICE: With Congress out of town we thought we’d share our ideas now on changes GSA’s next political appointee management team may want to focus on for the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS). 1.              Create A True Schedules Management Office: The GSA Schedules program realizes over $40 billion a year in business, yet its operation is so highly decentralized that there is little continuity throughout the program. The current Schedule Program Management Office (PMO) is a step in the right direction but does not have the resources or authority that are actually needed. The Schedules program is simply too important to the efficient running of government to not have an SES-led PMO. Indeed, it is likely that officials in DOD, the largest Schedule customer agency, would be surprised to learn that the program they rely upon doesn’t already have one.     2.              Set a Sunset Date for the Technology Transformation Service (TTS): TTS seemed like a good idea when it was created: a government agency to help others in government to maximize use of new technologies and maybe help develop them. It’s never worked well, though. The well-documented problems with Login.gov are only one example. This relatively small office tied up considerable agency resources to try and straighten the problems out. Worse, in an agency where most operations are supposed to be self-supporting, TTS continues to operate in the red. While TTS may be a pet project for some, it’s tough to justify spending taxpayer dollars on a service few agency customers seem to want. Give TTS 18 months to turn itself around or let it sunset. 3.              Understand the Role of the IG and the Role of Operations Offices: It is important to have a professional and well-organized Office of the Inspector General (OIG). OIG offices play an important role in ensuring that government operates properly. That said, GSA and FAS leadership need to understand that it is the role of the OIG to find problems. Some uncovered problems are legitimate. Others, such as the OIG’s opposition to the agency’s legislative request to make a commonsense change to the Competition in Contracting Act, seem more rooted in a fear that their own role will diminish, rather than a legitimate policy disagreement. Similarly, the OIG is not, and should not be, a de facto co-program manager. GSA and FAS management should remember that the OIG’s goal is to second guess the decisions they make. Looked at through that lens, the agency could really implement innovative acquisition ideas, saving time and money. We certainly have additional ideas on GSA and the Federal Acquisition Service. We’d like your feedback, though. Send us a not-for-attribution email at [email protected].

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What the Heck is a GSA Schedule? Explained Simply In 1949, President Harry Truman established the General Services Administration (GSA) to streamline the federal government's acquisition process. The GSA is a self-funded agency that operates independently even during government shutdowns. It manages government building real estate, federal procurement, and develops policies and regulations. GSA Schedule contracts are part of the GSA's Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) program, allowing commercial firms to establish long-term contracts with the government and offer their products and services at discounted pricing.Approximately $36 billion is procured through GSA Schedule contracts each year, with over 12,000 contractors participating.The GSA Schedule is essentially a contract vehicle that permits companies to offer https://is.gd/ZpnRcB #BusinessOpportunities #ContractingProcess #Federalprocurement #GovernmentContracts #GovernmentServicesAdministration #GSASchedule #ProcurementStrategy #SimplifiedExplanation

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Lisa M. Sherwin Wulf and I follow up our recent discussion on B2G marketing with a dive into branding in GovCon on #AmtowerOffCenter https://lnkd.in/eQCBSXaX

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