According to Federal Computer Week, federal agencies are becoming more aware of the important role of procurement in IT modernization, but making change will require focusing on culture and communication — not just technical knowledge — to help buy effective technologies.
Many procurement officials are already aware that incorporating agile procurement processes can help, but are running into communication barriers that make adopting new procedures difficult. Agencies can help facilitate change from within by encouraging new channels that promote more open communication, and testing out new procedures in small pilot projects. Having an executive on board to champion your efforts doesn’t hurt either.
From the article:
Acquisition officials and technical stakeholders within the government need to communicate better with each other to understand what the program office is trying to do and then work to find the right solution to make it happen. Culturally, team members need to think how they can creatively get to ‘yes’ versus being stuck on ‘no.’ Everyone knows that culture doesn’t change quickly, but we’ve seen some great examples recently across government (and from GSA) demonstrating more openness to creative acquisition solutions.
Read the full article: Effective acquisition: A key enabler for successful IT modernization | Federal Computer Week
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