As the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Chief Procurement Officer, one of my top priorities is to encourage open and meaningful communications between government and industry. I established the Acquisition Innovation Roundtables (AIRs) to create a forum for industry and government to exchange ideas and information on how we can improve our business processes and communications. The most recent DHS AIR, held February 25, 2019, provided a forum for industry association representatives and federal government personnel to discuss the personnel security clearance process. During the session, the two groups exchanged information and came up with ideas to improve the process and share information. Representatives from the Office of the Chief Security Officer, the Office of the Chief Information Officer, Federal Protective Service, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Coast Guard, the Office of Procurement Operations and the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer joined in the open discussion with industry association representatives. Topics discussed included the new Access Lifecycle Management tool, personnel security language in solicitations and statements of work, and other resources available on DHS.gov.
Events like the AIR provide a valuable discussion venue for industry and government, bringing clarification, in real time, to complex issues. Open communications, transparency and the exchange of ideas benefit all of us and the customers we serve!