Karyn Runstrom

Are you engaged in government contracting? Keep your finger on the pulse of the GovCon sector. Read about the latest news, explore updates across major industries, and thrive in government contracting: https://lnkd.in/eqqgAQDr ______ #GovCon #Innovations #Trends

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Unveiling Olympus: A game changer in cloud service management by the Defense Information Systems Agency. This platform harnesses technology to facilitate defense agencies in evolving their cloud environments at ease, minus the hassle of enterprise network connectivity. With integration to DISA’s Vulcan DevSecOps, Olympus brings to fore capabilities unseen before! Click here to learn more 👉 https://bit.ly/3wFYGvz #cloudmanagement #defenseagencies #DISA #Olympus

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Watch Maj Gen Gregory J. Gagnon, Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Intelligence, United States Space Force discuss threats and opportunities – Click link https://lnkd.in/e5pbPHeE. My key takeaways: Adversarial Threats: PLA’s 550% increase in space capabilities since 2015. Over 200 remote sensing satellites launched by China in the last two years. Their focus is on reconnaissance and surveillance in the Western Pacific and globally. US Space Force's Response: Development of specialized squadrons like the 75th ISR. Emphasis on maintaining space superiority and enhancements in space intelligence operations. Commercial and Allied Integration: Utilizing data from over 600 commercial apertures. Unified Data Library for comprehensive monitoring. Partnerships with over 22 countries for data sharing. Our goal should be to deny adversaries the use of space in conflict by having the appropriate trained personnel on both military and commercial organizations. Let us collaborate and leverage #data to create an #overmatch. #SpaceForce #NationalSecurity #MilitaryIntelligence #MilitaryInnovation #NDTA #USTC

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What😕does Price to Win (PTW) mean? #PTW helps #govcon companies win🏆contracts and focus on opportunities where their probability of win (Pwin%) is highest! PTW is an early and iterative ⚙process where a company studies customers, competitors, industry tendencies, and competitive best practices. PTW captures #competitiveintelligence and leverages customer intimacy insights from capture activities with a wide array of tactics and strategies that are constantly evolving to develop #pricing options ⚖that maximize your #proposal success! PTW helps determine what the customer truly values and understands their willingness to pay 💵a premium for certain capabilities and where they will likely make tradeoffs in the name of “best value” for a specific offering. PTW clients learn 💡which opportunities to focus on, which ones to disregard, and how to maximize their resources and 💰profits. What PTW 🟢is: All things being equal, PTW means being $.01 less expensive than your competitor where quality (technically acceptable) is not a deciding factor and is evaluated equally in the eyes 👀of the customer. This is certainly true with lowest-price, technical acceptable (LTPA) procurements but also in best-value technical tradeoff (BVTO) ones when offerors are evaluated📃on equal technical footing during source selection. Where a company offers a superior product or service, determine that appropriate 💸premium where the customer is willing to make a higher investment to ensure mission success. What PTW 🟥isn’t: PTW does NOT mean being the lowest price 📉offer in all situations. No one has a crystal ball🔮 and PTW cannot predict how all competitors will respond to a given opportunity. Yet it will narrow down opportunities to a competitive range 🎯 and help an offeror determine a precise pricing target that maximizes their Pwin% and expected profits by focusing on the perceived 🔭value of their capabilities and not solely on price. PTW ✔summary: A PTW 📝process will assist companies to make a bid / no bid decision earlier in the process. This process helps determine the opportunities that maximize return on investment (ROI), are worthy of pursuit, and which ones to discard from their pipeline. PTW blends art 🎨and science 🔬 disciplines to find the right balance to effectively leverage resources and maximize return on investment, providing a strategic advantage to companies who engage in PTW activities. PTW enables companies to focus on the opportunities where their Pwin% is greatest and that will grow 🌱a profitable and sustainable 📈business. Contact me📧 at Jon.Barker@stratgrowthadvisors.com or Strategic Growth Advisors for help on your next bid!

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Stepping into the future with #DISANext - a comprehensive 5-year blueprint from the Defense Information Systems Agency. Spearheading industry change through its 4 fundamentals: Secure Capabilities, Strategic C3, Modernization, and Data. Hear from the visionary himself, Lt. Gen. Robert Skinner about the strategic imperatives of this plan: https://bit.ly/3WcCrb2. Paving the way for advanced #Cybersecurity and #strategy!

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I was thrilled to learn that the U.S. Department of State plans to establish three Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (#FFRDCs): public-private partnerships that conduct innovative R&D for their USG sponsors on topics that cannot be effectively met by the government or the private sector alone. FFRDCs are required to have a long-term strategic relationship with the agency that supports them, allowing the FFRDC to recruit and retain scientific and technical expertise, conduct R&D to meet the needs of the sponsoring agency; and offer independent scientific and technical advice. From my days as an FSO at State and as a consultant on national security and technology for the past five years, I’ve strongly advocated for State to join its Executive Branch brethren – Commerce, NIST, DOD, NSA, Energy, HHS, DHS, NIH, Treasury, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, NASA, NSF, the Social Security Administration, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission – in establishing an FFRDC. This was a recommendation I encouraged the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence to include in its 2021 Final Report to the White House and Congress, so it’s heartening to see State finally proceed.  Better late than never! State wants to create three FFRDCs to conduct R&D on: (1) Operational support for acquisition planning and development for new technologies; and operational analysis to identify institutional and capability gaps and how to fill them; (2) Emerging threats, concept exploration, and experimentation and evaluation, developing new concepts, models, prototypes, and proof-of-concept demonstrations, and test-beds, and (3) #IT and #Cyber Operations. I hope this important step, when implemented, will facilitate two more steps that State should take to be a global leader on technology for diplomacy for the rest of the 21st century: (1) Establish an in-house “Technology for Diplomacy” R&D lab that builds off of the FFRDC's work, to conduct internal R&D, prototyping, scaling, and deploying of #AI and other emerging technologies that empower American diplomats, and (2) Fund "Small Business Innovation Research" (#SBIR) Grants to leverage the innovative and entrepreneurial talents of U.S. small technology companies to offer their own innovative tech ideas to bolster US diplomacy and build a private sector constituency for the State Department in America’s vibrant tech startup ecosystems. All of this in due time. The immediate next step is for innovation stakeholders (like FedTech) to give feedback on the proposed scope of the work to be performed by the FFRDCs and on already-existing capabilities in these areas that the Department should consider. Exciting to see State make a long-term commitment to #innovation #technology #entrepreneurism #startups #diplomacy #natsec #leadership.

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Looking forward to presenting 3 Easy Steps to Federal Government procurement

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Exciting update! As we've always believed, prioritizing people and nurturing a team—rather than just managing employees—can elevate a company to unprecedented heights. This achievement is living proof of that philosophy! Stay tuned as we continue to grow and reach new milestones together. #TeamSuccess #PeopleFirst #GrowthMindset #MBSE #VETS

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Excellent testimony and yet another great reminder that when we focus so much time and effort on such a small percentage of the entire #federalworkforce (I.e. only 15% of the entire government who lives and works in the National Capitol Region… and from that only 50% of those (at best) who are in positions that are even eligible to participate in #telework at all… let alone from that tiny percentage (approx 7% of the entire government) who does so with regularity and at rates between 20-70% of their duty hours… it makes you wonder WHY we are trying to legislate and mandate and force restrictions in a one-size fits all approach for how we will apply workplace flexibilities like #remotwork and #hybridwork when these efforts don’t apply to the vast majority… not a sermon just a thought… 🤷‍♀️

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Modernizing Army Software Acquisition: With DASA (SAR) Margaret Boatner and PEO IEW & S BG Ed Barker Center for Strategic & International Studies 19 Apr 2024 The Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group (DIIG) will host a roundtable discussion with Ms. Margaret Boatner, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Strategy & Acquisition Reform (DASA(SAR)), and Brigadier General Ed Barker, Program Executive Officer for Intelligence, Electronic Warfare, & Sensors (PEO IEWS), on modernizing Army software acquisition. The Army recently released a policy that reforms a number of institutional Army policies and processes—from requirements through sustainment—to accelerate the adoption of modern and agile software development approaches in line with industry best practices. The discussion will focus on the historical approaches the Army used to develop software, the key principles of the new policy and how it seeks to disrupt the status quo, and the measures the Army will take to successfully implement the policy. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Alexis Lasselle Ross, a Senior Associate (Non-Resident) at CSIS.

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Accomplished operations executive with 25+ years leading mission-critical programs for DoD, DOJ, and defense contractors. Proven expertise in driving operational excellence, managing contracts/budgets, and energizing high-performing teams. Unique background blending strategic management, process improvement, and operational discipline. After many years in the intelligence/defense arena, I'm eager to transition my skills to the commercial space. If your company needs an inventive operations leader to enhance productivity, develop talent, and push strategic goals, let's connect. I thrive on tackling complex challenges head-on. Skilled in Program/Project Management, Client Relations, Risk Mitigation, and Business Development. Passionate about building teams that deliver. Embrace continuous improvement and innovative solutions. Let's discuss how I can make an impact on your organization's success.

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Exciting! Specifically that DoD is emphasizing ATO reciprocity between components and departments. Although the “escape clause” is a little broad: During his keynote at the annual GEOINT Symposium on Wednesday, Pentagon Chief Information Officer John Sherman unveiled a new one-page memorandum signed by Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks on May 2 that directs “testing re-use and reciprocity to be implemented [by DOD authorizing officials] except when the cybersecurity risk is too great.” Attempts to standardize ATO evaluation assessments have been challenged in some key ways as far as I’ve seen. Will be interesting to see if this moves the needle… https://lnkd.in/eyScAvfE

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It is too big a burden for small businesses especially construction and mechanical subcontractors that work on military bases. There are requirements to bring more non traditional contractors into the DoD as a % of work content. How to primes meet this requirement when they have to force these small companies into compliance with CMMC?

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Not the best DAF Contracting Worldwide Training Summit pano……………But, THE absolute best Change Agents, Audience (in-person & virtual), dialogue, athlete (IYKYK), Teammates, memes, AQC Staff & AQCX Planning Committee (👏), Emcees (2Lt Lillian Morrow & TSgt Brittainy Shirley), MFBLs, Senior Contracting Officials, Chief Enlisted Managers, CCs, SELs, Executive Officer (Collette) & Wingmen (Scott Calisti CMSgt Bryan Dubose) #2024DAFCWWTS #grateful4changeagents who INTEGRATE, COLLABORATE & PARTNER like No-Body #optimizing4greatpowercompetition #alignmentprioritizationsimplification ❤️🤍💙

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🚀 **Key Factor for DoD Projects: Understanding the Importance of Labor Supply** 🚀 As someone deeply involved in site selection and development for Department of Defense initiatives, I've witnessed firsthand the pivotal role that labor supply plays in the success of expanding or establishing new operations. 🔍 **Why Labor Supply?** When it comes to defense projects, the demand for specialized skills and clearances is non-negotiable. The availability of a skilled and credentialed workforce can make or break the operational capabilities of any facility. From engineers to IT specialists and security personnel, each role is crucial and requires a specific set of skills and certifications. 📍 **Strategic Site Selection** Choosing a location isn’t just about land and logistics; it’s fundamentally about people. Before committing to a new site, we rigorously analyze the local and regional labor markets to ensure there is a sustainable supply of qualified workers. This often means looking beyond current statistics and forecasting future educational and training trends. 🤝 **Building Local Partnerships** Engaging with local educational institutions and training centers is crucial. By fostering these relationships, we can help shape curriculums and programs that not only benefit the community by providing job opportunities but also create a reliable pipeline of talent tailored to meet the unique needs of defense projects. 🔥 **The Bottom Line** For anyone considering where to locate their next defense-related operation, my advice is clear: prioritize your labor supply strategy. Understanding and integrating into the local workforce ecosystem is not just a good practice—it’s essential for long-term success. Looking to expand or establish new operations? Let’s connect and discuss how to strategically navigate your next site selection to ensure access to the best talent available. https://ow.ly/6uJj50RnbFv #DefenseIndustry #SiteSelection #WorkforceDevelopment #LaborMarket #StrategicPlanning

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Saw this #govcon 💎on the Facebook CMCoE group about the U.S. Small Business Administration 8(a) program. I wanted to share here as I've talked with too many companies that expect the opportunities to 🪄manifest themselves once they get their next cert. Still gotta put in the work 👊🏼 Our experts at Strategic Growth Advisors are here for you if your company needs any help navigating 🧭this market. Consider us your force multiplier 📈to augment your team to provide successful #pricing for your #proposals to maximize your #profits in the 8a program and beyond!

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I unpacked with Courtney Albon and Mark Kitz how initiatives, like Project Overmatch and Project Convergence, are adapting to serve the US military's needs. Watch more on C4ISRNET: https://lnkd.in/e2fuErDD

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