WashingtonExec 2013 Government Contracting Outlook Series:
The new year brings big changes for the Federal IT industry, and WashingtonExec is back with its Government Contracting Industry Outlook Series.
We are giving local executives the opportunity to share their thoughts on where they see our industry headed this year and beyond. Leaders were asked a series of questions focused on cloud computing, healthcare IT, defense, mobility, and more.
Harry Martin, CEO of Intelligent Decisions (ID), gave us his predictions for the new year.
WashingtonExec: What will the next year hold for government contracting?
Harry Martin: Government fiscal constraints are driving greater efficiency within the government, as well as through the contractor community. Increased use of Multiple Awards Contracts (MACs) and Lowest Price, Technical Acceptable (LPTA) are driving contractors to become more streamlined and efficient in their internal practices. Ultimately, this is good for all of us as taxpayers, but contracting officers need to develop methods to ensure that lpta represents the best value for the tax payer. The cheapest does not always represent the best value.
In 2013, more than any other year, it will be paramount for us to collaborate with our customers to develop efficiencies that save real money, realize real value and not just kick the can of true cost down the road.
WashingtonExec: What shape will collaboration taken between industry and government in addressing tough issues: Healthcare, Defense, Big Data, Mobility, Cloud, etc?
Harry Martin: Technology is only valuable when it has a positive effect on the real world. In the real world, people have issues with silo’s and barriers that are inefficient and costly. There are geographic barriers, as well as data silo’s and the physical limitations of legacy computing, both at the desktop and the server room. Cloud, Big Data, and collaboration are all methods for breaking down these barriers and reducing the inefficiencies from which poor communication, disparate data and staid systems have traditionally suffered.
