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NIH NITAAC Blog

A blog by Sr Acquisition Consultant in General

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Entries in this blog

NIH NITAAC BLOG

Make sure you know the score on brand new software attestations

Late last year, the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published a memorandum, M-22-18, that required federal agencies to comply with the guidelines regarding ensuring the safety and integrity of third-party software on federal information technology systems. This memorandum applied to the use of firmware, operating systems, applications, cloud-based software and general software. The memo requires federal agencies to comply with the National Institute of Standards an
NIH NITAAC BLOG

NITAAC ramps up for more small business success

On January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden signed his first Executive Order (EO), EO 13985, which called for “a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.” At NITAAC, we are committed to advancing equity across the Federal Government and strongly believe that by leveling the playing field for all socioeconomic groups, we create a federal c
NIH NITAAC BLOG

It’s Time the Media Watchdogs Get It Right

On behalf of the team at NITAAC, let me be the first to wish you a Happy New Year! As we usher in 2023, I know there is a lot of anticipation about the Chief Information Officer-Solutions and Partners 4 (CIO-SP4) Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC). CIO-SP4 has been in the news lately, but unfortunately much of the press has covered the procurement with some incorrect information. Nevertheless, we continue to strive to serve our customers—federal information technology (IT) employees, wh
NIH NITAAC BLOG

For This I am Thankful

The end of the year often marks a period of gratitude, where many pause to take time to celebrate and reflect on what they are thankful for. From their family to good health, to their jobs, Americans across the country can be found proudly declaring, “I am Thankful For.” NITAAC is no different and as we prepare to close out 2022, I wanted to reflect on what I am thankful for at NITAAC. The NITAAC Family First, I am thankful for the many individuals who make NITAAC great.  I know it sou
NIH NITAAC BLOG

The next great IT vehicle promises far reaching change

Since NITAAC was founded in 1996 as part of the Clinger-Cohen Act, our federal acquisition program has been focused on reimagining information technology procurements with outstanding customer service. In that time, NITAAC has proudly served nearly every federal agency and department in the United States through multiple iterations of our popular technology contracts. In fact, in the last decade, since the inception of the Chief Information Officer – Solutions and Partners 3 (CIO-SP3) suite of G
NIH NITAAC BLOG

Zero Trust: Paving the Road to a Secure Network Perimeter

As Cybersecurity Awareness Month celebrates its 19th year, instituting a robust cyber posture takes on a new meaning for federal agencies. In May 2021, President Biden issued an executive order to strengthen and improve America’s cybersecurity. Known as “Zero Trust” the order called for federal agencies to wall off information technology (IT) systems behind a secure network perimeter. A year later, federal agencies are “on the clock” and actively working to integrate Zero Trust architecture into
NIH NITAAC BLOG

End of Fiscal Year Spending Made Easy With NITAAC

September 30 marks the end of the federal fiscal year and the beginning of what has become a phenomenon in federal acquisitions known as the end of fiscal year buying season. In a nutshell, at the end of the fiscal year, unspent funds expire, and agencies make plans to spend their allocated dollars to exhaust the “use or lose” funds in their budgets. In 2021, 28% of all total federal fiscal year spending obligations were spent in the fourth quarter. According to Pulse.com, for the most part
NIH NITAAC BLOG

End of Fiscal Year Spending Made Easy With NITAAC

September 30 marks the end of the federal fiscal year and the beginning of what has become a phenomenon in federal acquisitions known as the end of fiscal year buying season. In a nutshell, at the end of the fiscal year, unspent funds expire, and agencies make plans to spend their allocated dollars to exhaust the “use or lose” funds in their budgets. In 2021, 28% of all total federal fiscal year spending obligations were spent in the fourth quarter. According to Pulse.com, for the most part
NIH NITAAC BLOG

The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) lauds NITAAC for the third year in a row

Achieve End of Year Fiscal Spending Goals and Help Save the Planet with NITAAC GSS 2022 marks the third consecutive EPEAT Award win for NITAAC.  Globally recognized, EPEAT helps purchasers, manufacturers and resellers buy and sell environmentally preferable electronic products. The Global Electronics Council, which owns and manages EPEAT, also facilitates the EPEAT Purchaser Awards. The awards recognize excellence in sustainable procurement of EPEAT-registered products. NITAAC is
NIH NITAAC BLOG

NITAAC Receives CMMI Level 3 Maturity Rating

Initially developed by Carnegie Mellon University for the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the National Defense Industrial Association, the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), is a proven, outcome-based performance model and the globally accepted standard for improving capability, optimizing business performance and aligning operations to business goals. CMMI provides organizations with the essential elements of effective processes that ultimately improve their performance.
NIH NITAAC BLOG

Is Comparative Analysis Right for Your Solicitation?

Now that you have learned about oral presentations and the multiphase downselect technique, the final article in our three-part series will examine the Comparative Analysis technique. As you learn more about the different techniques for streamlining your acquisition, remember that no matter what technique you use, you should always follow your agency’s policies on procurement. What is Comparative Analysis? Comparative Analysis is a technique in which federal government evaluators compa
NIH NITAAC BLOG

NITAAC obtains 801 Certification: DoD Assisted Acquisitions Now Much Easier

NITAAC recently announced it obtained 801 certification for fiscal year 2022.  But what exactly is 801 certification and why is it so important? To answer that question, let’s start by looking at the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA is the name for a series of federal laws that determine the annual budget of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The U.S. Congress oversees the defense budget through two yearly bills: the National Defense Authorization Act and defense appro
NIH NITAAC BLOG

Streamlining Acquisitions with the Multiphase Downselect Technique

Now that you have learned about oral presentations, the second article in our three-part series will examine the multiphase downselect technique.  As you learn more about the different techniques for streamlining your acquisition, remember no matter what technique you use, you should always follow your agency policies on procurement. So…what, exactly, is the multiphase downselect technique? The multiphase downselect technique consists of evaluating responses in phases, to progressively
NIH NITAAC BLOG

Are You Curious About Oral Presentations?

Did you know … that many industry proposal writers take on proposal development duties on top of their 40-hour work week? that written proposals are sometimes created by updating the last response, bearing the uncaught typos and prior agency names? Imagine a real time solicitation response tailored to your requirement. With a properly developed solicitation, this could be exactly what you get.   I’ve yet to see a successful one-size-fits-all approach to contracting. Of
NIH NITAAC BLOG

NITAAC Strategic Priorities for FY22

NITAAC Strategic Priorities for FY22 The New Year brings resolutions and a renewed emphasis on change. In fact, data from YouGovAmerica suggests that about a quarter of Americans will make resolutions, and 20% think they'll accomplish them. In the spirit of New Year traditions, I wanted to share with you the NITAAC strategic goals and priorities for FY2022.  Priority #1: Accept No Substitutes: Nobody Does Federal IT Acquisition Quite Like NITAAC Although many things change, custo
NIH NITAAC BLOG

Navigating Current Supply Chain Challenges—The NITAAC Promise to Our Federal Partners - An open letter from the NITAAC Acting Director

Dear Federal Partners, Information technology manufacturers and suppliers across the country are struggling with significant supply chain disruptions that are impacting their ability to meet customer and market demands. The supply-chain bottlenecks -- around the world -- have caused record shortages of many products that American consumers are used to having readily available, such as household goods, electronics and, most importantly to NITAAC, information technology (IT). As one of t
NIH NITAAC BLOG

NITAAC helps federal agencies with a deep dive into DITAP Certification

The current push for modernization is not just about updating or replacing old technology. It’s about “creating the platform for change”— that is, finding more cost-effective, innovative approaches to delivering IT and improving service to the citizen. A common component of the push for IT modernization is delivering data, information and transactional services across multiple platforms to enhance how citizens engage with the government. Unfortunately, buying digital services is not a skill that
NIH NITAAC BLOG

Our DITAP Certified Contracting Officers are making waves so you don’t have to.

There are many reasons an agency might decide to use an assisted acquisition.  Oftentimes, agencies use assisted acquisitions simply because they do not have the time, or manpower, to complete the acquisition in-house. In other cases, an agency may not have the expertise needed to complete the procurement.  In the case of information technology, a lack of in-house expertise is increasingly a driver as there is now a requirement for contracting officers who deal predominately in information techn
NIH NITAAC BLOG

Keeping the Federal Government #Cybersmart

Now in its 18th year, Cybersecurity Awareness Month builds interest in the importance of cybersecurity and the resources needed for all Americans to be safer and more secure online. The theme for Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2021 is “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.” The theme empowers individuals and organizations to own their role in protecting cyberspace because if everyone does their part, cyberspace will be more resilient for everyone. The federal government is not immune from the need to
NIH NITAAC BLOG

Federal News Network 2021-2022 NITAAC Contract Guide

At NITAAC, we not only are fueling information technology (IT) modernization across the government, we are also leading by example. As one of the federal government’s top sources for ‘everything IT,’ NITAAC has taken the message of modernization to heart and has reimagined how agencies acquire IT. NITAAC’s three easy-to-use, easy-to-understand, Best in Class (BIC) Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) – CIO-SP3, CIO-SP3 Small Business, and CIO-CS – provide any federal agency, govern
NIH NITAAC BLOG

NITAAC Government-Wide Strategic Solutions Program Positions Federal Agencies to Meet End-of-Year Laptop and Desktop Buying Needs

The federal buying season begins in August and runs through September. During this time, many agency procurement officers will make their final selections to meet end-of-year spending requirements, as most government allocated funds are often “use-it-or-lose-it,' meaning they won't carry over until the next fiscal year. Laptops and desktops continue to be among the most purchased items year-over-year during the federal buying season. In fact, every year the federal government spends more th
NIH NITAAC BLOG

Meeting Fair Opportunity with NITAAC

Level the playing field on your next IT procurement. In 1996, Congress passed what is now known as the Clinger-Cohen Act (CCA), which eliminated the General Services Administration (GSA) as the sole source for acquiring information technology (IT) and allowed other federal agencies to assume a lead contracting role. The Act was created with one mission in mind: To speed up IT purchasing so that by the time technology got to the buyer, it wasn’t obsolete. To achieve this, the CCA introd
NIH NITAAC BLOG

Getting Cloud Smart with the NITAAC CIO-CS GWAC

Many federal agencies lack an understanding of the various types of cloud services available on Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs).  As a result, agencies are still purchasing cloud services as an add-on to other contracts, something that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) worries could lead to security challenges. What’s more, many federal workers lack the skillsets to effectively transition to a cloud-first environment. While the benefits of cloud computing may be obviou
NIH NITAAC BLOG

Meeting Socioeconomic Goals with CIO-SP3 Small Business

According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), small businesses are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy. In fact, small businesses create two-thirds of net new jobs and drive U.S. innovation and competitiveness. The contributions of small businesses are so great that federal legislation has been enacted to ensure that small businesses have fair and equitable access to federal spending. This legislation includes the requirement that federal agencies meet goals for small business and es
NIH NITAAC BLOG

Federal agencies get smart with cloud smart

The 2019 Federal Cloud Computing Strategy — Cloud Smart — is a long-term, high-level strategy to drive cloud adoption in Federal agencies. This is the first cloud policy update in seven years, offering a path forward for agencies to migrate to a safe and secure cloud infrastructure. This new strategy will support agencies to achieve additional savings, greater security and faster services. In the update, the office of Management and Budget (OMB) is looking to accomplish a few key things: