The pressure is on for federal agencies to use it or lose it as federal buying season hits its peak. IT buyers and procurement teams must use their remaining budgets in the next 3 weeks but do so in a way that provides real value and aligns with their agency’s long-term goals. Effectively managing the pressures of federal buying season while maximizing the return of investment doesn’t, however, need to be as stressful as it may at first appear.
According to Heather Lacroix, President of Chronos Operations, an 8(a) Alaska Native Corporation (ANC) has a lot of experience helping federal agency procurement teams successfully navigate the end of the fiscal year. “It seems daunting to make strategic investments quickly to avoid losing funds, while ensuring these investments are aligned with strategic goals and provide real value to the organization,” she shared.
Lacroix went on to explain that while the natural inclination might be to purchase durable goods, while these might have a long-term value, they rarely support the strategic goals of the agencies. What she suggests instead is investing in IT services. “IT services are an excellent investment for federal agencies because they can significantly enhance operational efficiency, cybersecurity, and mission effectiveness.” IT services, which include cybersecurity solutions, cloud migration and management, managed IT services, and digital transformation initiatives, can be implemented quickly and scale at speed and provide both immediate impact as well as supporting long-term modernization efforts. Additionally, IT services help agencies adapt to the ever-changing technological landscape and address critical needs without the long-term commitments that are often common with hardware purchases.
While investing in services over hardware and durable goods is the first way to effectively manage the pressures of federal buying season, Lacroix also recommends working with an 8(a) ANC partner; and it’s not just because she works for one. “Working with an 8(a) ANC partner with a proven track record enables rapid procurement of IT services because of the streamlined contracting process that exist under the 8(a) program and taking advantage of pre-existing contract vehicles,” she shared. “8(a) ANC partners bring with them the ability to scale resources rapidly to meet project needs and diverse skill sets that enable companies like Chronos Operations to navigate the procurement process efficiently, often completing it in must 4 weeks.”
As the clock ticks down on this year’s federal buying season, there’s still time to make smart investments in solutions that will deliver strategic value to the agency. By understanding the unique challenges of federal buying season and being able to bring innovative solutions using verified and vetted contracting vehicles to overcome them makes an experienced 8(a) ANC partner the key to effectively managing the pressures of federal buying season and optimize returns on investment each September brings.