COMMUNICATION 101
industry is something we should encour- age, not discourage.”
Joanie F. Newhart, Associate Administra- tor for Acquisition Workforce Programs, - ment and Budget, agreed. Newhart, in Acquisition of Services” (see Page 134), noted that open communication with allows more input from more sources, giving government contracting personnel a better understanding of industry solu-
It will also foster healthy competi- tion, Newhart said. “Let industry know you’re interested in a good competition. Issue a draft solicitation for information to get industry comments or [hold a]
pre-solicitation conference, anything like that. Get their input. You may think you know what you’re buying, but you can always have it improved. A lot of times industry just knows better than we do.”
Also, she said, “I would really encourage you to make sure that the vendors under- stand that you want competition, because they get mixed signals sometimes. And if they are not sure, they may err on the side of not bidding because it may cost them some resources.” The more govern- ment communicates with the vendors about its requirements, the more likely it is that potential vendors who cannot deliver a good product will decide not to bid, Newhart said.
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVES In an industry panel discussion on “Changes Needed to Improve Acquisition
of Services,” representatives of
several
communication between government and industry.
Communication used to be better, said - ing Systems and Services
in Boeing
Defense, Space, and Security’s Global Services and Support business unit.
“I have felt that the level of communication, especially in the acquisition community, years. And I think that’s where you really want
to have good communication, so
everybody understands the requirements, everybody understands what the different industry bidders are offering.”
FY11 Army Goods Vs. Services Goods:
$43.4 Billion 35%
Total: $123 Billion
Services: $79.6 Billion 65%
(SOURCE: Office of the Senior Services Manager, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Procurement.)
Lack of communication can only encour- you’re seeing more and more protests because people haven’t had the communi- cation and don’t feel they were necessarily treated fairly,” he said.
Panel moderator Stan Z. Soloway, Presi- the Professional Services Council, the national
trade association of ernment professional the gov- and technical
to changes in the government practice of
Lisa Akers, President, ASI Government Consulting Division, blamed acquisition professionals’ heavy workloads. “When it comes to the front lines, people who have huge workloads, they have more to lose than gain by having communication if they take a misstep. … I would say one of my experiences is that sometimes people take baby steps and do it in a safer envi- ronment and set the scope for what the conversation can be: Here are the things you can’t talk about, here are the things you can.”
132
Army AL&T Magazine
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