Breakout Session #1107 Steven R. Boshears, CFCM, CPCM, Fellow Chief Knowledge Officer

2. How NCMA Represents YOU Through Advocacy Breakout Session #1107 Steven R. Boshears, CFCM, CPCM, Fellow Chief Knowledge Officer National Contract Management Association April 11, 2006 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm NCMA World Congress 2006 : Achieving High Performance in Global Business: Leadership, Outsourcing, & Risk Management

3. Problem Statement • NCMA is not currently perceived by many as relevant to the profession, in terms of being the voice of the profession and taking a public advocacy role. NCMA World Congress 2006 : Achieving High Performance in Global Business: Leadership, Outsourcing, & Risk Management

4. Value Proposition • NCMA will lead and represent the contract management profession through education, professional development opportunities, analysis of issues, and establishing public positions and recommendations on issues affecting the profession. NCMA World Congress 2006 : Achieving High Performance in Global Business: Leadership, Outsourcing, & Risk Management

5. Discussion Points • NCMA has important role in advocating for the profession, ensuring the profession is represented, ensuring focus is drawn to real underlying issues in government contracts. • need to increase public awareness of the value of contract management • provide actionable proposals for improvement • drive respect for the profession We should take an aggressive public posture on issues impacting the acquisition workforce in order to be the “voice of the profession.” NCMA World Congress 2006 : Achieving High Performance in Global Business: Leadership, Outsourcing, & Risk Management

6. History • The debate over NCMA in a public advocacy role is not new. • In 1998, the BOA was surveyed: “Would NCMA as an organization best serve its members by taking positions on issues, particularly issues relating to the professionalism of the acquisition workforce?” NCMA World Congress 2006 : Achieving High Performance in Global Business: Leadership, Outsourcing, & Risk Management

7. History continued • Some believed that NCMA as an organization should never take a position on any matter that its diverse membership might disagree on. • The vast majority, however, thought NCMA should play an information role (laying out both sides of an issue, presenting fact papers, etc.), and that could be done without taking positions that would jeopardize NCMA’s role as a neutral forum. NCMA World Congress 2006 : Achieving High Performance in Global Business: Leadership, Outsourcing, & Risk Management

8. History continued • BOA recommendations of 1998 were not implemented, largely due to higher priorities driven by NCMA’s financial crisis of the late 1990s and early 2000s. NCMA World Congress 2006 : Achieving High Performance in Global Business: Leadership, Outsourcing, & Risk Management

9. Recent Actions by NCMA • Established a Public Policy Committee in 2005 • Chaired by NCMA Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) • Populated by selected members of the BOA and BOD • Developed processes to: • scan the environment for issues affecting the profession • draft position and information papers • Seek approval of BOD • Publish approved positions • Empowered Executive Director and CKO to engage selectively with media NCMA World Congress 2006 : Achieving High Performance in Global Business: Leadership, Outsourcing, & Risk Management

10. Actions Taken by Public Policy Committee • Published paper on the Federal Contracting Workforce: “Are We Headed for a Train Wreck?” • December 2005 CM News • Soon to be published in Government Executive magazine • Developing papers on “No Bid” Contracts, Cascading Set-Asides NCMA World Congress 2006 : Achieving High Performance in Global Business: Leadership, Outsourcing, & Risk Management

11. Recent Media Engagement • NCMA Executive Director quoted in: • Federal Times story “For Contracting Staffs, Katrina is Only Latest Challenge”, Jan 03, 2006 • Gov Exec story “Two Procurement Giants”, Mar 1, 2006. • NCMA CKO quoted in: • Federal Times story “OMB to Issue New Training Requirements for Contracting Staffs”, Dec 13, 2005 • Public Policy Committee member, James Nagle quoted in Gov Exec story entitled “Buy American”, Jan 1, 2006 • Executive Director and CKO provided background information for many other recent media articles NCMA World Congress 2006 : Achieving High Performance in Global Business: Leadership, Outsourcing, & Risk Management

12. The Way Ahead • Public Policy Committee to publish four position or information papers per year • NCMA President established “Ad Hoc” committee of highly experienced public advocates to make recommendations on furthering this initiative NCMA World Congress 2006 : Achieving High Performance in Global Business: Leadership, Outsourcing, & Risk Management

13. The Way Ahead continued • Possible points of future advocacy engagement: • connect Federal acquisition executives and managers with counterparts from private industry in safe, neutral environment, for effective sharing of knowledge and testing of ideas. • educate media and congressional staff on principles of contract management to develop better understanding of contracting process. • review proposed legislative and executive changes (e.g., Services Acquisition Reform Act, Office of Federal Procurement Policy directives) for direct impacts on the profession – provide input when appropriate NCMA World Congress 2006 : Achieving High Performance in Global Business: Leadership, Outsourcing, & Risk Management

14. What Can YOU do? • Stay well informed • Talk up the profession and its value with peers, subordinates, superiors, friends, relatives • Be proud of who you are and the profession you are a part of! • Engage with NCMA Leaders on professional issues of concern to you – make your views and opinions known NCMA World Congress 2006 : Achieving High Performance in Global Business: Leadership, Outsourcing, & Risk Management

15. Let me hear from YOU! Steve Boshears Chief Knowledge Officer Chair, Public Policy Committee Sboshears@ncmahq.org NCMA World Congress 2006 : Achieving High Performance in Global Business: Leadership, Outsourcing, & Risk Management