HSDBC Debrief on RFI AIR with Michael Smith, Executive Director, DHS Office of Selective Acquisitions

EVENT: HSDBC Debrief on DHS RFI Acquisition Innovation Roundtable Sessions

DATE: Wednesday, August 24, 2016

TIME: 10:00am - 11:30am

LOCATION: The Harris Corporation, 600 Maryland Avenue SW, Suite 850 East, Washington, DC

COST: Free; Open to Representatives from Council Member companies and representatives from any of the companies that participated in the AIR.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

This special session will feature a briefing and presentation from Michael Smith, the Executive Director, DHS Office of Selective Acquisitions, who will provide an overview of key findings and expected outcomes from the recently held DHS Acquisition Innovation Roundtable (AIR) on Improving RFIs. Mr. Smith and other participants from the AIR will cover the following:

• Describe the activities, topics covered, conclusions, what was learned, and outcomes from the series of meetings held for the RFI AIR,

• Discuss the feedback and response received during a debrief of the AIR findings before the Head of Contracting Activity (HCA) Council, and

• Explain how the findings will be communicated back through DHS, and how the knowledge gained is expected to change the approach to RFIs going forward.

Industry will have an opportunity to ask questions, provide additional insights on RFIs, and provide suggestions for how to further communicate the information with the appropriate stakeholders within DHS.

Background: AIRs are targeted engagements established under the auspices of Acquisition Innovations in Motion (AIiM), a structure and framework for furthering ongoing and meaningful engagement with industry, and implementing targeted initiatives designed to improve the manner in which DHS does business. AIRs are held in a roundtable format, meet anywhere from 5-10 times (often on a weekly basis), with approximately 10-20 industry and DHS participants in each meeting. The purpose of the RFI AIR was for DHS to identify knowledge gaps related to the RFI process, gain a better understanding of what drives industry behavior, and to identify best practices so that DHS uses RFIs more effectively and efficiently.

Please contact Krista Sweet, ksweet@homelandcouncil.org, 202-470-6442 (office), 443-286-7280 (mobile) if you have questions about the event.