In my own research into using social media and social networking to streamline Federal R&D management, the people I've talked to in government agencies describe a process where there is great emphasis on speeding up the communications between the public sector and the private sector. The basic idea is that better communication about public requirements will lead to more creative efforts by the private sector to develop useful products and services.
However, the system of bureaucratic controls put in place to monitor and control the procurement process keep the two sides apart. This contributes not only to the decreasing job satisfaction of procurement officers but also to an overall failure to get the private sector involved in key policy areas requiring improved agility and innovation.
Dennis McDonald Alexandria, Virginia http://www.ddmcd.com/program.html
April 17, 2008 at 8:11 AM
I haven't spent as much time reviewing the blogs over at FCW or the other 1105 government IT publications. Between all the other verticals I try to keep an eye on (software, wireless, satellite, security, networking, telecom) and well as keeping up to speed on the fast moving changes in my own industry (PR), the goings on the government IT and contracting market sometimes slip off my radar.
But an issue that was gurgling to the surface a couple of months ago seems to be gaining speed, how the regulations and red tape around the contracting process are going to choke off the government's ability to contract beneficially with the private sector. Check out this blog post from Steve Kelman at Federal Computer Week to get a flavor.
posted by Straight to the Point at 7:29 AM on Apr 17, 2008
"The Fear Industry?"
1 Comment -
Jeff, thanks for this link and article.
In my own research into using social media and social networking to streamline Federal R&D management, the people I've talked to in government agencies describe a process where there is great emphasis on speeding up the communications between the public sector and the private sector. The basic idea is that better communication about public requirements will lead to more creative efforts by the private sector to develop useful products and services.
However, the system of bureaucratic controls put in place to monitor and control the procurement process keep the two sides apart. This contributes not only to the decreasing job satisfaction of procurement officers but also to an overall failure to get the private sector involved in key policy areas requiring improved agility and innovation.
Dennis McDonald
Alexandria, Virginia
http://www.ddmcd.com/program.html
April 17, 2008 at 8:11 AM