Supply Chimp participated in the 2017 Federal Acquisition Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama, April 25-26, 2017. The show was a valuable opportunity to learn more about government acquisitions, procurement, and contracting directly from acquisition experts at the GSA, DoD, and other agencies.
Why Huntsville?
Huntsville, Alabama was a prime location to host this educational event due to the high number of federal government employees who reside in or near the region. Redstone Arsenal, which employs 35,000+ employees, is located adjacent to Huntsville. By choosing to host the Symposium there, the GSA made it possible for a higher number of federal acquisitions professionals to attend. With that said, vendors and federal employees from all over the country made the trip to Huntsville in order to participate, engage, and connect with others in the industry.
The Warfighter
The Symposium opened with a keynote speech by James Johnson Jr. Deputy to the Commander, USASMDC/ARSTRAT. Mr. Johnson’s speech was a powerful way to kick off the Symposium, reminding attendees that behind all the policies, procedures and procurements is a very real need to support our military’s mission.
The speech provided a high level view of the challenges our military is facing today. Challenges include the current DoD budget decline and sequestration along with the ongoing need to keep pace with other countries, including China and Russia, militarily and technologically. The enduring goals have been and will continue to be defending the homeland, supporting and equipping the Warfighter and preparing for the future.
Supporting the Mission
The second day’s keynote speech was delivered by Ms. Claire Grady, Director of Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy. Ms. Grady outlined current objectives, obstacles and goals for acquisition professionals. She stated that acquisition is about getting things done for the Warfighter while also being good stewards with the taxpayer’s dollar.
Acquisition is a tough job, and rules are changing constantly, but in the end, each agency is working toward the common goal of ensuring the Warfighter has everything they need. Even in the midst of challenges regarding funding and resources, the goal should continue to be developing diverse skills and growth.
Two Days of Extensive Training
In order to make the most efficient use of the taxpayer’s dollar possible, federal acquisitions professionals are required to participate in a certain number of professional development hours per year. The workshops at the Symposium counted toward those hours. Trainings on various topics were available to attendees looking to deepen their knowledge regarding many aspects of federal acquisitions.
Members of the Supply Chimp team attended several of these workshops during the two day event.
“It was invaluable for me to take classes from some of GSA’s top Contracting Officers.” says Mike, Supply Chimp’s Strategic Account Manager. “To be able to listen to their insights and have a face to face conversation where they answered my specific questions, made the whole trip worthwhile for me.”
One of the workshops Supply Chimp team members attended was the AbilityOne workshop, lead by Jason Endicott with NIB. The workshop provided an overview of the employment opportunities created by the AbilityOne Program as well as an overview of the wealth of available products. SKILCRAFT may be known for their legendary pens, but they create so much more. It’s vital for government purchasers to be aware of the solutions available from AbilityOne.
nother workshop, How to Integrate Green Into Acquisitions, was lead by Brennan Conaway. That workshop detailed the importance of green acquisitions, predicted a future with a continued focus on green and eco-friendly purchasing, and provided an overview of the current eco-friendly designations in the marketplace.
Our team members left these workshops and several others with a clearer understanding of the obstacles and challenges our federal customers face. This knowledge helps us better anticipate and meet the needs of our government customers.
“I enjoyed going to a workshop, coming back to our booth and then discussing the workshop with federal purchasers afterward.” says Kris Colt, President of Supply Chimp. “To have those discussions and get that interaction and insight wouldn’t have been possible anywhere else.”
The Exhibits
Supply Chimp
Supply Chimp had a booth at the Symposium in order to give their federal customers a chance to get to know them, face-to-face.
Supply Chimp’s goal is to solve problems for government purchasers, and knowing exactly what those problems are is a critical piece of the puzzle. Connecting, discussing and engaging with their federal customers was an invaluable opportunity, and Supply Chimp would like to thank everyone who stopped in at their booth.
NIB
The National Industries for the Blind booth showcased the many essential products AbilityOne non-profits are creating. All AbilityOne and SKILCRAFT branded products are built specifically to meet the needs of the government customer.
As Jason Endicott stated during his AbilityOne workshop, AbilityOne is a mandatory source for purchasing, but they also strive to be the government’s preferred source.
They want to be the government’s #1 choice, and they make this happen by providing the right solutions for their federal customers. You can see this customer-centric focus in the high-quality items they create.
NIB has made it their mission to support the mission of the Warfighter and the Federal government. They are empowering the blind to build a better future for themselves through this worthwhile employment.
Krueger International (KI)
KI brought some of their innovative and functional furniture solutions to the GSA Symposium. Attendees were particularly impressed with their Connection Zone Privacy Booth and Ruckus Chair.
The Connection Zone Privacy Booth features a unique cylindrical shape and sound-absorbing material that makes it possible to hold a conversation in a loud, busy environment in relative privacy. The booth drowned out the ambient noise of the show nicely so that attendees could communicate while speaking in a fairly low tone.
The Ruckus Chair supports a typical sitting position along with reverse sitting and side sitting, and it even doubles as a standing chair. Its firm center of gravity prevents tipping for stability. The Ruckus Chair is suitable for use in schools due to this impressive flexibility. The chair allows students to sit in a variety of positions throughout class periods for comfort and improved focus.
Federal Supply Services International
Attendees also stopped by Federal Supply Services International‘s booth and took a look at their impressively durable, reusable shipping containers. Typical cardboard shipping containers must be replaced if they get wet, and they aren’t very durable. G-Pak Reusable Containers, by contrast, are waterproof and reusable with a substantial 5 year lifespan, making them a cost-saving and green alternative. They fold down small when not in use for easy storage, too.
It’s easy to see why. Varidesks are incredibly simple to adopt and use since they require no assembly. Most models from Varidesk sit on top of a standard desk, making them a wise choice for those who want all the benefits of standing during the day without investing in a brand-new desk altogether.
Varidesks also switch from sitting to standing positions with ease, making it possible to both sit and stand throughout the workday.
In Summary
The GSA Federal Acquisition Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama was a valuable opportunity for learning, sharing and communication between the federal acquisition workforce, government employees and vendors. It was a worthwhile experience that enabled attendees to deepen their knowledge of the acquisition process.
“This year’s Symposium was larger, with more attendees and vendors. It was nice to learn about where some of the GSA contracting vehicles are headed and where they have to go, and to see that info being passed on to purchasing agents.” Kris says. “The organizers of the event were very accessible and they openly asked for feedback. They wanted to know the things we liked, the things we didn’t like. They are really looking for opportunities to learn and grow this event to its full potential. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year.”
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