Director's Corner

For more than 30 years, NITAAC has served as a trusted acquisition partner to the federal government, helping agencies acquire the technology solutions they need to fulfill critical missions.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way the federal government engages with constituents. From answering questions using virtual assistants, or chatbots, to directing requests to the appropriate agency within the government to filling out forms, AI is revolutionizing the way the federal government does business. The path forward for AI is critically important. And, because the technology can be so pervasive, it is imperative that there are established standards to ensure constituent safety and security. The recent Executive Order (EO) attempts to do just that.

Joint Proposal Calls for Amendment of the FAR to Support Environmental Concerns.

A joint proposal requesting to amend the current Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to focus on the environment and sustainability and to implement a requirement for agencies to procure sustainable products and services to the maximum extent practicable was issued on August 3, 2023, by the Defense Department (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

According to Bloomberg, information technology (IT) continues to be a large source of federal market growth, accounting for more than $76.4 billion dollars. Most of these dollars are typically spent through commodities, solutions, and services purchased from a myriad of companies operating within the United States. But, with so many vendors competing for federal dollars, how can government agencies ensure fair opportunity in government contracting? Before we answer this question, let’s first examine what fair opportunity is and why it is important.

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.

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 contracting experience that benefits everyone.

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.

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 their existing IT environment.

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.

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.