6 Lessons From 2020 Federal Leaders Should Apply in the Months to Come

Source: govexec.com

As the embers of the dumpster fire that was 2020 burn away, important lessons provide light for the way forward in 2021.

I haven’t talked with anyone pining for the good old days of 2020. But as we collectively stagger into 2021, it’s worth remembering six morals from the outgoing year that we’ll want to follow in the months to come.

1. The debate about telework is over. There was a time—actually, a year ago—when some managers looked skeptically at telework. The EPA, for example, found itself in the middle of a squabble when top officials tried to limit the telework time of their employees, and Social Security had actually decided to end its telework program.

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Commentary: CMMC - Tips for Bidding on Government Contracts

Source: nationaldefensemagazine.org

The Defense Department released on Sept. 29 its highly anticipated interim rule, which amends the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement by including three new clauses that implement a mandatory DoD Assessment Methodology and adherence to the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program.

The purpose of the new rule is to give teeth to DFARS 252.204-7012 “Safeguarding Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting,” which requires that contractors protect certain controlled unclassified information. The interim rule was to take effect Nov. 30 and is likely to be issued as a final rule with some tweaks based on comments submitted and experience with it in practice.

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5 Common Questions about Federal Procurement Answered

Source: nextgov.com

Small business owners can take steps to try and make the process of selling to the government more successful and efficient as the new year nears.

Eighty-five percent of small-to medium-sized businesses believe government procurement is difficult. Complex processes, poor communication with buyers or difficult regulatory requirements can all prevent vendors from selling to the public sector. Further compounding procurement challenges, small business owners now have the unanticipated impact of COVID-19-on certain government contracts as buyers reprioritize critical needs.

But small business owners can take steps to try and make the process of selling to the government more successful and efficient as the new year nears—from solidifying an e-commerce strategy to highlighting diverse qualifications.

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