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.
Ravinder Singh, Managing Partner at Deosi LLC, spoke with us about his predictions for 2013.
WashingtonExec: What will next year hold for Government Contracting?
Ravinder Singh: In December, I would have thought that I would be able to answer this question by early January. I can’t. My industry friends agree—it’s more difficult to project now than at any time in the past than I can remember.
The date Congress has given themselves to figure out whether or not we have sequestration has been extended.
WashingtonExec: More M&A Activity? More IT budget cuts?
Ravinder Singh: One of the big company responses to uncertainty about business growth is likely to be growth through M&A. Yes, I think you will see more M&A activity, particularly with larger small businesses being swallowed up. I hope this will open up more opportunities for small companies like mine.
The sequestration law requires spreading the pain equally across all programs, project and activities, so if it happens, IT budgets in the short term are very likely to be cut. I think that’s regrettable, because it’s like the transportation network; if you neglect it now, it will cost more to fix later.
WashingtonExec: What shape will collaboration take between industry and government in addressing tough issues: Healthcare, Defense, Big Data, Mobility, Cloud, etc.?
Ravinder Singh: Collaboration is a big buzzword for me. The best solutions will come in those companies and agencies that have a culture that encourages collaboration. Every company that has employees understands that healthcare costs are rising. Collaboration might not be able to stem the growth, but it can be a significant factor. Collaboration between industry and government is only a part of the solution; we also need cross-agency collaboration.
The volume of data in the world grows every day. If we don’t address it collaboratively between industry and government, we run the risk that we will lose control. Open communication will become an essential factor.
The old model of living exclusively in one place and working exclusively in another is going by the wayside. So is the idea of data exclusively in one location. Mobility is rapidly becoming an essential capability of everything in the IT world, not just a nice-to-have add-on. Industry and government need to be able to solve problems collaboratively in the office or remotely, around the corner or around the world.
The Cloud is certainly a major enabler in the shape of collaboration between industry and government. In some respects, it’s a chicken-or-egg situation; because we’ve got the Cloud, we can collaborate; because we need to collaborate, we need to have the Cloud.
