U.S. General Services Administration
GSA, Rep. Susan Davis, San Diego Regional Innovation Cluster Host Summit on Emerging Digital Technology and Government
Federal government seeks to leverage private sector best practices in technology development and agile acquisition
News Release
March 18, 2016
SAN DIEGO — Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) in partnership with Rep. Susan Davis (CA-53) and the San Diego Regional Innovation Cluster at San Diego State University, hosted a Summit on Emerging Digital Technology and Government as part of GSA’s efforts to bring new, emerging technology to the federal government. The summit facilitated open dialogue between federal policy makers, the San Diego technology industry and academia about the government's growing demand for technology with the intent of identifying areas where government can make it easier to access digital solutions and help federal agencies meet current and future requirements.
In keeping with GSA’s commitment to strengthen its role as a catalyst for economic development in communities nationwide, the summit also offered training on how to sell to and buy from the federal government in order to make federal opportunities more accessible to small businesses and start-ups.
“Leading the federal government in delivery of modern digital services while finding efficiencies to put savings to work for the government and the American people are pillars of GSA’s mission,” said GSA Administrator Denise Turner Roth. “Recognizing these strengths, President Obama has tasked our agency with administering a new $3.1 billion IT Modernization Fund as part of his Fiscal year 2017 Budget Request. Key to this effort is events such as this summit where we engage with industry to identify best practices in technology development and agile acquisition.
"The federal government needs the technology that can only be produced by the type of tech companies and start-ups such those here in San Diego,” said Rep. Davis. “The government spends $90 billion on its tech needs annually, and we want to enable all technology companies to participate. It's good for businesses and good for the American taxpayer to have better tech solutions applied towards a making government smarter and more efficient and smarter government."
“Identifying our technology needs requires collaboration between designers and users, technologists and contracting officers, and the government and the public,” said GSA Pacific Rim Regional Administrator Andrew McMahon. “New, emerging products and services are being created everyday by small business and start-up entrepreneurs and we’d like them to pursue technology opportunities with the federal government.”
During the event, representatives of 18F, a team of digital technology consultants housed within GSA, discussed their efforts in building, buying, and sharing user-centric digital services. They highlighted successful IT initiatives such as Cloud.gov and a 2015 pilot project between 18F, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the California Department of Social Services to upgrade the state’s legacy Child Welfare System. In this project, the 18F team helped stakeholders rethink their approach to upgrading that system. Instead of relying on a single vendor to build and manage the new $400 million project, 18F helped California design an agile and modular system based on a series of smaller contracts with quicker turnaround times and approximately 50 percent cost savings.
“The Cluster appreciated this opportunity to engage high technology small businesses to talk with the GSA about acquisition practices, and technology needs and solutions, said Lou Kelly, Director of the San Diego Regional Innovation Cluster at San Diego State University. “Greater participation by small business provides leading edge IT and other technology solutions, and is the most effective way to grow jobs and the economy in San Diego and beyond.”
Continue the conversation @USGSA @US_GSAR9 #sdtechsummit
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Contacts: Traci Madison, GSA
traci.madison@gsa.gov
Aaron Hunter, Rep. Susan Davis' Office
aaron.hunter@mail.house.gov
Jeffrey Nagle, SDRIC
jnagle@foundation.sdsu.edu