Federal buying season can be chaotic. Each September, as the end of the federal government’s fiscal year looms large, there’s an intense pressure to spend every last dollar in the budget to avoid losing funding in the following year’s budget allocation from Congress. But while it can be tempting to spend those remaining dollars on nearly anything to ensure they are spent, agencies should be making the most of remaining funds to keep moving essential modernization projects forward.
With more than half of federal agencies prioritizing IT infrastructure modernization from now until at least 2030, taking the opportunity to direct all funds into this vital endeavor is essential for success. However, under the pressure of deadlines it can be easy to spend valuable dollars on technology that doesn’t align with priorities.
Under normal circumstances, federal agencies are diligent about aligning spend with mission. After all, technology is rarely the end goal for federal agencies; technology is the means to deliver on the mission. For example, a modernized network infrastructure enables civilian agencies to scale service delivery at the speed of AI and the Department of War to build resilient networks to fuel decision superiority and survive a first strike by the enemy.
The challenge is turning those priorities into action before fiscal year-end deadlines. Agencies need to know which procurement paths are available, which options align with their requirements, and how to move forward without adding complexity. That’s where Lumen’s Federal Buying Guide can help. The guide is uniquely positioned as its goal is not to identify what to buy but how to navigate and simplify the acquisition process by finding procurement paths and contracting vehicles that align with agency requirements. In short, the guide helps agency IT teams find the fastest path to procurement of mission aligned solutions and optimize every dollar left in the budget.
As FY26 draws to a close, federal agencies will continue looking for ways to make responsible use of taxpayer dollars while procuring the technologies needed to support modernization. By understanding the procurement vehicles that can simplify the process teams can move faster, minimize complexity, and make more confident decisions about the technologies their missions depend on. Lumen’s Federal Buying Guide is designed to help agencies take that next step, keep moving their modernization programs forward and get a jump start on the next fiscal year.
Ready to get started? Download the How-to-Buy Guide here.