Small Business Government Contracting in 2020

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It is officially the year 2020 and that means it is time to examine what the landscape looks like in the government contracting world as we head into a new year. Some trends will inevitably remain the same, while new trends and certain procedural and legislative changes may mean revisiting the old SWOT analysis for some small business government contractors. In an effort to highlight the major players affectively shaping government contracting in 2020, let’s break it down:

Technology

No surprise here, technology is continuing to force businesses to adapt as it evolves with overwhelming rapidity. We aren’t talking flying cars yet, but many groundbreaking technologies have effectively changed the way the world does business, i.e. the cloud, AI and machine learning, blockchain, etc. As small businesses hustle to stay current and weight the pros and cons of investing in the newest tech, it is important to note which capabilities the government is looking to require for contractors when making an award.

According Bloomberg Government (BGOV), cybersecurity will become essential for contractors and their subprimes competing for certain contracts and task orders. The Department of Defense’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) will set different levels of cybersecurity which must be met in order to be considered for various contracts. BGOV added that, “the CMMC program will create opportunities for firms to differentiate themselves based on their cyber defense postures and raise the demand for third-party assessment services”.

Legislation

The government is taking steps to help small businesses remain competitive in the federal marketplace. The Small Business Runway Extension Act (HR 6330) should become effective in 2020, which extends the calculation period for receipts-based size standards for small businesses from 3 years to 5 years.

Unlocking Opportunities for Small Businesses Act of 2019 (HR 5146) will potentially help small businesses break into new markets by allowing them to use past performance from which they served as subprimes.  

Expanding Contracting Opportunities for Small Businesses Act of 2019 (HR 190) eliminates the inclusion of option years in the award price for certain sole source contracts (i.e., contracts awarded without a competitive process). Under current law, option years in the award price for such contracts limit their dollar award threshold.

Wrap-Up

As the technological and legal landscape shifts, small business government contractors must be responsive and adaptable. There are many changes that are encouraging for the future of small business government contracting, and it appears that there are many more to come. Staying current is half the battle!

Author: Paul McVeigh

Sources:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/6330

https://www.sbc.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/legislation

https://www.federaltimes.com/it-networks/cloud/2020/01/08/the-5-trends-likely-to-shape-federal-contracting-in-2020/

smallgovcon.com/statutes-and-regulations/smallgovcon-year-in-review-popular-posts-of-2019/#more-15524

federalnewsnetwork.com/commentary/2019/11/gsas-schedule-consolidation-what-you-need-to-know/

Passed in the House: Unlocking Opportunities for Small Businesses Act of 2019

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Image result for unlock

For small businesses hoping to unlock more opportunities to win prime contracts with federal agencies, there may be some good news from Washington. On January 8, 2020, a bill entitled, “H.R.5146 Unlocking Opportunities for Small Businesses Act of 2019,” passed the House of Representatives, and was read in the Senate the following day.

The purpose of the bill, provided on congress.gov, is as follows: “To amend the Small Business Act to require contracting officers to take a small business concern’s past performance as part of a joint venture into account when evaluating the small business concern, and for other purposes.”

H.R.5146, sponsored by Representative Jim Hagedorn [R-MN-1] and cosponsored by Representative Dwight Evans [D-PA-3], seeks to fix a growing issue concerning the small business government contracting industry. Currently, small business contractors experience a great deal of difficulty expanding their scope of work, since the government will not yet officially consider past performance relevant if the work was not performed as the prime contractor. The current landscape is such that small businesses are joining together more frequently to form stronger, more competitive entities for entering the federal marketplace seeking to win government contracts. This bill aims to catch up to the times, requiring work done within these joint ventures to be considered for future competitive contracts.

This bill is the latest in the increased effort by the U.S. government to help small businesses remain competitive in the government contracting market. Legislation in the Senate (S-3038) seeks to help though greater use of Small Business Association programs and reducing barriers, and the President has signed into law (P.L. 116-103), which standardizes the financial data which agencies will use in the award process.

It is encouraging to observe such legislature achieving success. The economy may be doing well and employment situation figures may be impressive, but it is important the note that when small businesses thrive, everybody wins.

Author: Paul McVeigh

Sources:

www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/5146/text

www.fedweek.com/federal-managers-daily-report/house-senate-address-contracting-issues-grants-bill-signed/

Core Value Focus: Customer Service

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“The companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 have followed so many different paths to success,” says Inc. editor in chief James Ledbetter. “There’s no single course you can follow or investment you can take that will guarantee this kind of spectacular growth. But what they have in common is persistence and seizing opportunities.” Sabre88 has never tired in the pursuit of its core values, and uses them as opportunities for growth as it continues to improve upon them.

Sabre88 prides itself on our customer service. Our teamwork and open communication create a welcoming environment, while our understanding of accountability drives us. Community service is a part of our lifeblood, we aim to help the community as much as it has helped us. Our innovation-based solutions offer creative approaches to modern uses of technology and vision to reach the desired product.

Sabre88 was founded as a result of the realization of a need for innovative small businesses that can provide the government with 100% customer-focused service. Sabre88 takes pride in helping its clients improve overall business processes by tailoring best practices into replicable methodologies and by drawing on a capacity to assemble premier experts, processes, and tools tailored to its client’s individual needs. Our mission is to utilize its competitive mindset to enhance customer performance by developing new strategies after an analysis of existing organizational challenges. All of the figures that point to our growth and capabilities are second to the fact that Sabre88 provides our customers with the defined and impactful solutions to everyday problems.

Sabre88, LLC has a solid record of building strategic partnerships with the federal government to achieve mission-focused solutions. Sabre88 believes that building trusting relationships with the clients that it serves is critical to both organization’s success. Sabre88 takes a hands-on approach to serve its clients by making quarterly visits to clients and onsite personnel to identify possible problem areas and gain a deeper insight into the organizational culture. Additionally, the project managers on-site maintain crucial relationships with our customers, Project Manager Rossemery Duran exemplifies the culture we are trying to create saying, “Working in the same facility as the client has allowed my team and me to maintain constant and open lines of communication. I communicate with the client on a daily basis to ensure that they are receiving exceptional support. If any issues arise, I work with the client to rectify the issue as soon as possible”.  Sabre88’s proven ability to help government leaders manage large-scale initiatives and achieve mission goals is unsurpassed in its fervent commitment to the objectives of clients 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Far too often government requirements are fulfilled by hand- off contractors who lack the technical understanding and the management capabilities to satisfy task directives. Consequently, this leads to dissatisfied clients and growing distrust between federal agencies and contractors who attempt to support them. Sabre88, LLC has displayed a unique aptitude for bridging this gap to meet and satisfy the needs of Sabre88 clients and personnel. For Sabre88, this unique outlook in approach is the foundation of the company’s sustainability and growth which allows the organization to not just win new opportunities but develop exclusive and individualized partnerships based on a customer’s unique circumstances. We strive to maintain this company culture through our entire community, our project managers work hard to maintain strong relationships with our customers, “The client’s needs are always my top priority. I ensure that my team is aware that we need to be flexible in order to adapt to any of the changes that the client may have”. Good customer service starts with flexibility, insight, and resourcefulness. Throughout the organization, we strive to maintain and improve our skills with this core value with every experience.

Author: Bobby Cottingham

Explained: AOC Bill

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) wants companies to be “friendlier” to their employees. And she wants the federal government to reward companies for it. The New York representative introduced a series of bills Wednesday aimed at creating what she calls a “just society.” That includes bills to update the federal poverty line, expand tenants’ rights, and to extend federal programs to all immigrants and former prisoners. She also wants to make sure all taxpayer-funded government contracts go to businesses that treat their workers well. It’s called the Uplift Our Workers Act. The bill would require the federal Office of Contract Compliance to create a scoring system that ranks businesses based on “worker friendliness.” Companies with the most worker-friendly policies would get the highest score, which in turn would give them an advantage in winning a lucrative government contract. This is no small thing. More than 42,000 US businesses hold federal contracts, and all of them agree to follow certain rules to keep their deals with the government. The score is not another requirement; it’s more of an incentive. Just like the government gives preference to minority-owned or veteran-owned business, it would also give preference to businesses with the best workplace policies.

It’s a creative policy idea, and one that would certainly burden employers who are always trying to save on labor costs. But it’s comprehensive, and creates a big incentive for America’s largest companies to give workers the best benefits and perks available.

How the score works

Under the bill, the Department of Labor and the White House would develop the scoring system for contractors who do government work, which includes everything from making military uniforms to developing computer software. Contract officers would score companies depending half a dozen factors, such as whether the business and its subcontractors have been penalized for violating any labor laws and whether the company can guarantee that its workers won’t work more than 40 hours a week to fulfill the contract, and whether they pay overtime to those who do. Higher scores would be given to companies that pay all employees at least $15 an hour and provide them with at least seven paid sick days. They would also give preference to those who guarantee fair scheduling to allow “workers to effectively provide for their families financially and emotionally.” That means giving workers a monthly work schedule ahead of time, and a final schedule two weeks ahead of time.

Contract officers will also consider whether or not a company compensating employees who are “on call” and whether it offers extra work hours to current employees before hiring others. Employers would also score higher if they guarantee at least 12 weeks paid family or parental leave and if they provide high-quality, subsidized health care. Extra points if they support employee unionizing efforts and have policies in place to analyze ethical, social, and environmental risks in their supply chain. And here’s one of the most interesting things: It directs contracting officers to consider this score just as important — if not more — than the cost of the contract. That’s a dramatic shift, considering that some contractors probably cut back on labor costs to provide the lowest possible price in the bidding process. Making sure that taxpayers don’t overpay businesses for their services is a legitimate concern, but this bill would also ensure that taxpayer funds are also used to reward companies that treat workers well.

It’s a different means to the same end

Ocasio-Cortez is hardly the only member of Congress trying to get businesses to treat workers better as income inequality in the US has skyrocketed. For example, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced a bill that would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, which passed the House last month. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has sponsored the Family Act, which guarantees up to 12 weeks of paid family leave to workers. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced the Healthy Families Act, which would require businesses to provide full-time workers with at least seven days of paid sick leave. She also introduced the Schedules That Work Act, which guarantees predictable schedules for workers, or extra pay if they have to work irregular schedules. So far, Republicans in the Senate haven’t even debated these bills. What Ocasio-Cortez’s bill does is create a huge incentive for businesses to do all of this. Sure, not every business is interested in a federal contract. But the 42,000 companies that do include America’s largest corporations, which employ tens of thousands of workers — like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, AT&T, and FedEx. And most importantly, they would only get a higher score if their subcontracted employees get the listed benefits, too — meaning Google’s cafeteria workers could get paid sick days as an incentive.

It may be easy to dismiss the bill as unachievable, especially coming from such a junior member of Congress. But Ocasio-Cortez has already managed to change the conversation about what is achievable on Capitol Hill. Just look at all the presidential candidates who endorse the Green New Deal.

Author: Prasanna Haresh Patil

Reference:

www.vox.com/identities/2019/9/26/20883371/ocasio-cortez-just-society-worker-bill-explained

www.peoplesworld.org/article/aoc-bill-federal-contractors-must-obey-labor-law-and-allow-unions-or-lose/

SBA Amends and Improves HUBZone Regulations

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The U.S. Small Business Administration is making major updates to the Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Program, which comes as good news to those small business concerns who have struggled with the 1997 law. These revisions, becoming effective on December 26, 2019, are just in time for the holidays, and a wonderful present it is for the HUBZone program and all those involved.

The HUBZone program has faced a great deal of challenges since its inception in 1997. The program, which was designed to bring opportunity and growth to underutilized zones, has yet to flourish. Agencies to date have not yet been able to fulfill the government wide goal of awarding at least 3% of all contracts to HUBZone companies. This does not come from lack of effort, however.

On January 30, 2017, the executive branch issued Executive Order 13771 directing federal departments and agencies to reduce regulatory burdens and control regulatory costs. In response to this directive, SBA initiated a review of all of its regulations to determine which might be revised or eliminated, the HUBZone Program standing out as an area of improvement.  The revisions to the HUBZone Program effective December 26th clarify current HUBZone Program policies and procedures and makes changes that will benefit the small business community by making the HUBZone Program more efficient and effective.

With these new updates, many of the challenges facing HUBZone small business have been addressed and improved upon, namely the certification process. For service firms, winning contracts to perform services in another state would often require them to hire from non-HUBZone areas, disqualifying them from eligibility for future HUBZone contracts. To alleviate these problems, § 126.500(a) of the final rule requires only annual recertification rather than immediate recertification at the time of every offer for a HUBZone contract award.

Additionally, the SBA modified the process of determining which areas would be classified as HUBZones and when the qualifications would change. HUBZones previously would shift based annually based on the most recent income and unemployment numbers.  This made it extremely difficult to maintain compliance. The Final Rule solves this problem, offering a public online tool that depicts HUBZONEs and is update every five years rather than updating annually.

The current trend in HUBZone contract awards reported shows 1.65% in FY2017 and 2.05% in FY2018. Look for these numbers to increase in the coming years.

Author: Paul McVeigh

Sources:

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/11/26/2019-24915/small-business-hubzone-program-and-government-contracting-programs

Microsoft’s Pentagon Cloud Contract Controversy: Why It’s a Big Deal

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Microsoft just won a huge cloud contract from the Pentagon, outbidding Amazon and a handful of others. But the Pentagon contract, which is valued at $10 billion over 10 years, isn’t a done deal.

Amazon, which was favored to win the contract, isn’t going away quietly. The company has vowed to protest the decision, claiming bias on the part of the government and unfair intervention on the part of President Trump.

Ever since the Pentagon announced the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) cloud contract, the leading cloud players had been pulling out all the stops to win it. JEDI is one component in the Pentagon’s efforts to modernize. The initiative relies on artificial intelligence, Internet of Things devices, and data analytics to enable the Pentagon to be more agile.

Pentagon contract mired in controversy from the start

Through JEDI, the Pentagon wants to be able to access data from the cloud, whether it’s on the battlefield or in a remote corner of the world. As it stands, the Pentagon’s systems are antiquated, making it hard to access and share data. Given the size and scope of the contract, it was expected that Amazon and Microsoft would go head to head to win it.

Bidding for the contract had been mired in controversy from the start. Some of the bidders — including IBM, Microsoft, and Oracle did not like that the Pentagon wasn’t splitting the contract across vendors. The Pentagon wanted a single vendor because it believes that it’s the best approach to enhance security, improve data access, and make it easier to incorporate more cloud computing technology in the future. Microsoft argued that approach was the opposite of the one the cloud industry was taking but was all in with its bid nonetheless.

Oracle and IBM emerged as vocal critics of the process, crying foul over Amazon’s unfair advantages. After all, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the undisputed leader in the sector, even if Microsoft is chipping away at its dominance.

Despite all the pushback in August, it appeared Amazon would be the eventual winner. Then President Trump stepped in. According to media reports, the contract decision was placed on hold as the Trump White House began an examination of Amazon’s bid. Trump was already a critic of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and told the press during a meeting with the prime minister of the Netherlands that his administration was receiving complaints about the bidding process. A few months later, the Pentagon decided to award the contract to Microsoft, sending its stock higher and prompting Amazon’s warning that it will challenge the decision.

Amazon is not going away quietly

Amazon’s move will likely draw out the final awarding of the contract, which has already been delayed. And landing it would be important for both Amazon and Microsoft, which is why the e-commerce giant is willing to fight. Both companies are aiming to expand their cloud businesses by getting more government work. The JEDI contract will be a huge selling point when bidding on other government contracts. The military takes security seriously when working with vendors, and if one already has a proven track record, it’s likely to get more business. It doesn’t hurt that the federal government is reportedly gearing up to spend $40 billion on cloud computing initiatives in the coming years. Losing the contract also hurts Amazon’s reputation more than it would Microsoft’s. AWS is the leader in the cloud market, having entered it earlier than its rivals. Sure, Microsoft has been slowly chipping away at AWS’s dominance, but it still remains a distant second-place player. Amazon has also shown it is serious about winning government contracts, recently beginning to hire for its second headquarters, which will be located just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., and near the Pentagon.

While the saga of the JEDI deal won’t end anytime soon, one thing is for sure: Winning the contract would be in the best interest of both cloud players and their investors now and in the years to come, especially as the government gears up to spend tons of money modernizing its vast computer systems.

Author: Prasanna Haresh Patil

Reference: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/25/technology/dod-jedi-contract.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/31/microsoft-wins-pentagons-jedi-contract-and-the-cloud-wars-heat-up.html

https://www.fool.com/investing/2019/11/22/microsoft-pentagon-cloud-contract-controversy-why.aspx

Sabre88 Supports Small Business Saturday

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It is that time of year again, folks! As we round the Thanksgiving corner and break into one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year, don’t let Black Friday and Cyber Monday distract you from the opportunity to support our country’s small businesses on Small Business Saturday, observed on Saturday, November 30th this year.

What is Small Business Saturday? Simply put, it is a day to support small businesses and communities throughout the country. The idea is that, as consumers, we play a key role in facilitating the success of our nation’s small businesses.

Small Business Saturday was the brainchild of the credit card giant American Express, who set out to promote this idea to help our communities thrive and stay vibrant. According to their website, since it started in 2010, consumers have reported spending an estimated $103 billion across all Small Business Saturdays combined.

Sabre88 is proud to be a small business supporter. Sabre88 believes that in order to be a member of a sustainable community both locally and globally it is important to participate in and contribute to ongoing activities within that community.

As a small business, we at Sabre88 are tremendously thankful for the support of our customers and clients. The successes and achievements we have made over the last ten years would not have been possible without said support.

Pass on the support this Saturday, as it goes beyond the material goods or services purchased. Whether dining at a local café or finding a new niche clothing shop in town, any contribution will be felt by the families and communities in which those small businesses reside. Join the movement and Shop Small!

Author: Paul McVeigh

Sources:

https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/shop-small/faqs

Federal Government Launches Online Scam Reporting System

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The Social Security Administration and Inspector General launch an online form to report Social Security-related scams.

These scams—in which fraudulent callers mislead victims into making cash or gift card payments to avoid arrest for purported Social Security number problems—skyrocketed over the past year to become the number one type of fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission and the Social Security Administration.

Social Security and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) will use the new online form to capture data that will be analyzed and used to identify the source of the scams. Officials said the end goal is to disrupt the scammers and reduce the number of scam victims reported.

“We are taking action to raise awareness and prevent scammers from harming Americans,” Social Security Commissioner Saul said. “I am deeply troubled that our country has not been able to stop these crooks from deceiving some of the most vulnerable members of our society.”

You can report any type of phone scams, including live calls, robocalls and text scams. You can also report email, mail and in-person scams.

“Awareness is our best hope to thwart the scammers,” said Inspector General Ennis. “Tell your friends and family about them and report them to us when you receive them, but most importantly, just hang up and ignore the calls.”

Social Security employees do occasionally contact people–generally those who have ongoing business with the agency–by telephone for business purposes.  However, Social Security employees will never threaten a person, or promise a Social Security benefit approval, or increase, in exchange for information or money.  In those cases, the call is fraudulent and people should just hang up.

 Generally, the agency mainly calls people who have recently applied for a Social Security benefit, someone who is already receiving payments and requires an update to their record, or a person who has requested a phone call from the agency.  If a person is not in one of these situations, they normally would not receive a call from the agency.

Social Security will not:

·       Tell you that your Social Security number has been suspended.

·       Contact you to demand an immediate payment.

·       Ask you for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

·       Require a specific means of debt repayment, like a prepaid debit card, a retail gift card, or cash.

·       Demand that you pay a Social Security debt without the ability to appeal the amount you owe.

·       Promise a Social Security benefit approval, or increase, in exchange for information or money.

If there is a problem with a person’s Social Security number or record, in most cases Social Security will mail a letter.  If a person needs to submit payments to Social Security, the agency will send a letter with instructions and payment options.  People should never provide information or payment over the phone or Internet unless they are certain of who is receiving it.

 The Social Security OIG will also continue to take reports of fraud, waste, and abuse in Social Security’s programs and operations.  A separate online form for those reports remains available at their website.

Author: Prasanna Haresh Patil

Reference: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/one-ring-phone-scam

https://www.usa.gov/common-scams-frauds

Federal government launches online scam reporting system

NEWARK’S SABRE88 LLC NAMED ONE OF NATION’S FASTEST-GROWING INNER CITY BUSINESSES

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Company included in Initiative for a Competitive Inner City Ranking; list to be published in Fortune

Newark, November 15, 2019 – The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) announced that Newark’s Sabre88 LLC has made the 2019 Inner City 100 list of the fastest-growing inner city businesses in America based on revenue growth.

The list was revealed at the 2019 ICIC National Conference in Boston on November 13. The full list is available on Fortune’s website here. Sabre88, led by CEO Robert Cottingham Jr., was ranked 52 based on its five-year growth rate of 113.82%. Its 2018 revenue was $27,730,226.

“It is a great honor to be included on the IC100 list,” said Robert Cottingham Jr. “It is gratifying and rewarding to be recognized alongside national leaders from so many industries.” 

ICIC is a national Boston-based nonprofit created by Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter in 1994 on the premise that under-resourced communities have vast, untapped potential, purchasing power and labor markets, which can only be realized by small business owners who are growing and creating high-quality jobs. Over the past 25 years, ICIC has built a foundation for inclusive economic prosperity, proving Porter’s theory time and again.

“Inner City 100 companies are forces of economic opportunity, optimism and transformation in their communities, and Sabre88 LLC is a shining example,” said ICIC CEO Steve Grossman.  “It leads the way in innovation, job creation and economic revitalization and it’s an honor to recognize the company’s leadership.  In addition to excellence in business, these pioneering entrepreneurs have demonstrated a deep commitment to and passion for their local communities, which significantly impacts the well-being of their local economies.”

ICIC’s Inner City 100 list has long celebrated entrepreneurship in under resourced communities. Since its inception, ICIC’s list has recognized over 1,000 companies. The 2019 winners employed 8,743 people as of 2018. The Inner City 100 program opens doors for other budding entrepreneurs from under resourced communities and stimulates inclusive economic prosperity through recognition, networking and learning.

2019 Inner City 100 by the numbers:

  • Average growth rate of 227% between 2014 and 2018
  • Represent 47 cities in 25 states
  • Created 4,299 new jobs in the last five years
    • 86% of those jobs are full-time
  • On average, 33% of employees live in same neighborhood as the company
  • Average company age:  17 years
  • Average 2018 revenue:  $12.2 million
  • 31% of companies are women-led
  • 38% of companies are minority-led
  • Represent 19 industries

2019 Inner City 100 and Sabre88:

This year, Sabre88 celebrates its sixth time being recognized on the ICIC’s Inner CIty 100 list. In fact, having been on the list 5+ times, Sabre88 is recognized in the ICIC’s Hall of Fame. This is no small feat, as Lauren Cataldo of the ICIC states, “being part of the Hall of Fame is truly an impressive achievement! We were so happy to recognize Sabre88 during the National Conference for its continued growth, and for being on the list six times!”

As of 2019, 1,023 Inner City 100 winners have been recognized. Of those winners, only 92 have been recognized as Hall of Fame winners.

To add perspective to the gravity of this achievement, only 46 companies have ever been recognized on the Inner City 100 list six times. Fewer than 4.5% of companies to make the list have done so six times as Sabre88 now has.

CEOs from the winning companies were invited to the 2019 ICIC National Conference. The event provided an opportunity to network and learn from current ICIC program participants, small business alumni and other high-growth small business owners. Past winners have reported connecting with multi-million-dollar investors as a result of appearing on the Inner City 100 list and attending the conference.

Inner City 100 Methodology: The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) defines inner cities as core urban areas with higher unemployment and poverty rates and lower median incomes than the surrounding metropolitan statistical areas. Every year, ICIC identifies, ranks, and awards the 100 fastest growing businesses located in America’s inner cities. In 2019, companies were ranked by revenue growth over the five-year period between 2014 and 2018.

About ICIC:

ICIC is a national nonprofit founded in 1994 by Harvard Business School professor Michael E. Porter. ICIC drives inclusive economic prosperity in under-resourced communities through innovative research and programs to create jobs, income and wealth for local residents.

Through its research on inner city economies, ICIC provides businesses, governments and investors with the most comprehensive and actionable information in the field about urban market opportunities. Now in its 25th year, the organization supports urban businesses through the Inner City 100, Inner City Capital Connections, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, and Santander Bank’s Cultivate Small Business program.

Learn more at www.icic.org or @icicorg. 

Government Agencies Need “Data Hunters” to Improve Performance

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Faced with exponential data growth, stakeholders in both the public and private sectors struggle to effectively sort, analyze and leverage data to improve systems and services. In this new ecosystem of big data, many IT pros are turning to advanced analytics solutions, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, to help offload some of this data analysis burden and fundamentally change the way we interpret and use data. 

For the federal government, though, in order for these AI capabilities to be effectively implemented, agencies will require additional resources to locate the data most relevant to improving services and advancing missions. This is where data hunters can play a key role.

What is a data hunter?

Data hunters look for external sources of data that can be combined with internal information to generate new insights and optimize processes for the federal government. Often disguised under several different job titles including data acquisition specialists and data scouts, data hunters are those who have a firm grasp of agencies’ needs or challenges and then move to analyze that data accordingly.

Hunters use their knowledge of both the agency and the external environment to identify which new—often external—data sources could be helpful in addressing a particular issue. They then apply their practical skills to get the data and/or develop the new data streams and make them available to the organization, making them an upstream partner of data scientists and analysts.

Data hunters also play a critical role in data governance and management. Because of their role making data discoverable, data hunters can provide the feedback required to make sure that data is maintained securely, which is a primary concern for most government entities. They also need to be able to explain these issues to others to ensure that data quality is maintained. Finally, they need the skills to manipulate and manage data themselves to the required standards.

Data hunters are already an important part of many data enterprises in the private sector. A recent webinar from Forrester explored experience with data hunters among IT professionals and found that nearly one-third of those on the webinar said that their organization already had at least one data hunter role. Almost half (44%) said that they had a formal process for sourcing external data. Though this sample is not likely to be representative of the entire IT industry, it certainly demonstrates early adoption of the new job role in the private sector and is likely indicative that the trend will soon move to the federal government, if it has not already.

The Path Forward for Advanced Computing in Federal Government

Following the executive order on artificial intelligence and the launch of AI.gov, the federal government is in a position to leverage cutting-edge technologies to keep pace with citizens’ needs. To effectively incorporate AI and ML technologies, however, agencies will require data hunters to look beyond their traditional boundaries for data insights.

Data hunting can also help solve challenges for federal benefits programs such as eligibility verification. The government can take a “recipient-centric” approach that incorporates contextual information from outside sources, in accordance with privacy regulations, to understand when changes in a recipient’s life may have altered their needs. Or in social services for example, child welfare caseworkers assigned to families with children at risk of abuse or neglect can make better-informed decisions when data external to the agency—like school records, birth records and law enforcement/emergency services—can be brought to bear to augment their internal data.

The ability to combine internal and external data to glean deeper insights has myriad applications in the public sector and will shape the way that the federal government’s services are delivered moving forward.

Author: Prasanna Haresh Patil

Reference: https://tdwi.org/articles/2016/02/09/mastering-the-big-data-challenge.aspx

https://www.nextgov.com/ideas/2019/11/federal-agencies-need-data-hunters-enhance-performance/161173/