Presentation: Steps to Building a More Innovative Acquisition Culture
Abstract: The federal acquisition community supports some of the government’s most critical priorities—from advancing racial equity and modernizing our infrastructure to addressing climate change. To deliver on these priorities, federal leaders and agencies must develop new ways for government to procure—or buy and acquire—the goods and services it needs.
The government has quite a different set of challenges than the commercial sector. For example, the nature of the government-contractor relationship and other unique federal policies and processes make it difficult to replicate a pure commercial innovative environment. However, these challenges should not dissuade a program from considering an innovation strategy. Increased acquisition innovation can dramatically change how the agencies deliver capabilities when used in the right environment, with active stakeholder support and strong government-contractor relationships. It will take time to integrate innovation effectively into acquisition environments. It will take strong leadership to champion the cultural changes needed to enable innovative practices, active support and collaboration across all the major acquisition disciplines, and a strong program management office empowered to break from traditional practices.
This presentation will outline ways that agencies can support this goal. Building on emerging innovations in federal procurement and acquisition, these strategies encourage acquisition leaders to take smart risks and balance compliance with experimentation to help the government fulfill its mission more effectively.
PMI Talent Triangle: Technical Project Management (Ways of Working)
Biography: Arleen A. Wilson is the Founder and Principal Consultant of AW Enterprises and AWE Training School, where she draws from over twenty-five years of experience to help business owners meet and exceed their goals. Specializing in small business development and conducting business in the federal marketplace, Arleen’s diverse skill set and intuitive business acumen continually keep her at the forefront of her industry.
Arleen is widely recognized for her ability to identify areas where small businesses can improve and implement new procedures that inevitably lead to growth. Her background includes proposal management, development and coordination, technical writing, contract administration, program management, and business coaching. As a result, she can see analyze everything from the big picture to the smallest details, and use that knowledge to set businesses on the path to prosperity. Arleen is one of her generation’s leading thinkers in business growth and is looking forward to embracing whatever challenges the business world presents to her and her clients.
