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Who’s Your Federal Customer?

In the federal market place, the buyer is not one person. The buyer is a constellation of people and committees who live and work among three rings of influence: 1) within the agency 2) within the respective industry; and 3) in Congress.

That’s right—every single federal dollar spent on contracts is first authorized and then appropriated by Congress.

Within the industry ring are prime and sub-prime vendors, suppliers, associations and service providers. To a degree, each has a voice about your offering that is being communicated into the buying environment. At a minimum, interests within the industry ring have influence. A person writing your purchase order from a prime vendor to you may appear to be your customer. He or she is at the very end of a lengthy process. There were several steps along the way where you might have made an indelible impact on an outcome favoring you.

The agency ring includes myriad individuals, committees and review panels, each of which has the ability to function as a gatekeeper, influencer or enabler to an actual buying decision. Appreciating that there are people above, below and alongside the program office that may budget for and fund your product is critical. To some degree, each of these people or committees can play a part in shaping your most preferred outcome.

The Congressional ring needs to be in your plan because appropriations bills are what funds government. Many individuals and committees have a hand in this process—and you have access to all of them. After the executive branch forwards a budget request via the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Congress has a chance to put its own stamp on the budget request.  Only after appropriations bills are reconciled between the House and Senate, and signed by the President, are funds allowed to flow back to the agencies and put on contract.

Every department of government has committees in the House and Senate that exercise oversight. Examining the flow of funds, making adjustments where they deem appropriate, is central to how Congress exercises its oversight. Knowing the who, when and how of those decisions can prove helpful to your business. The corollary should appear obvious: failure to engage in this part of the process can leave you out in the cold.

Many companies focus their effort only on the acquisition phase of the process, the period when Congress has approved funds and a contract appears more likely. The most egregious form of engagement at the tail end is waiting and watching for a public announcement of a contract opportunity—the RFP announced on FedBizOps (www.FBO.gov). The serious flaw in this method of prospecting is that the critical “must have” elements of the contract, the requirements, were assessed, debated and evaluated long before.

There are at least three fiscal budgets in motion simultaneously. They are at different places relative to one another in any given year. However, when companies get properly aligned to this perpetual process, they can clearly see near-, mid- and long-term opportunities. Understanding the three rings, the constellation of customers and the three-year timeline can strengthen your federal outcomes.

Participating along the entire spectrum of the federal funding and policy process does not require you to take up residence or even have a field office in Washington, DC. It does require that you invest some time in understanding the process. Despite the political energy that can dominate the news and headlines, the federal funding and policy process never stops.


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Strategic Planning Workshop

1:00 - 5:00 pm

Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process

Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:

  1. Lack of systematic approach (70%)
  2. Laundry lists without prioritization (68%)
  3. Decisions based on personalities rather than facts and information (65%)

 

Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns.  They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning.  Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process.  This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented.  If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form.  The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

2:00 - 5:00 pm

Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

Limited space available.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

Golf Outing

10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS

General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.