Challenge

The GSA Software Category Management team (former SmartBUY program) serves as the Federal category manager and strategic-sourcing lead for software acquisitions and management.
Over the past several years, the program has faced the challenge of evolving from its role of simply providing acquisition solutions to leading Federal-wide software category management, providing software expertise to Agencies, and implementing policy and legislation such as OMB guidance and FITARA.

Collaborative Approach

Oceaneast has partnered with the client to provide strategic program management and advisory services over the past several years as the program has evolved its capabilities and responsibilities. We have provided a wide-array of critical services including, but not limited to:

• Program strategy and management support
• Spend analytics, market analytics, and other data support
• Stakeholder facilitation support
• Subject matter expertise related to strategic sourcing, category management, and Federal software acquisition
• Software-specific industry and vendor expertise
• Vendor and customer engagement support
• Change management, marketing, and communications support

Drive Change

The client has continued to engage us to help them evolve into the software category manager for the Federal Government and provide valuable services to customer Agencies.
With our support, the program has been able to establish program strategies, build capabilities, transition into new responsibilities, find market share and revenue improvement opportunities, improve customer satisfaction, take the lead on implementing Federal-wide policy and legislation, and provide high impact services and tools to Agencies.

Client Profile

Category Management lead for a high spend IT category within the Federal Government

Challenge

The Federal Government lacked cross-Agency contracts that contain “best in class” terms and conditions for financial system software, a $100+ million spend category.

As a result, all civilian and Department of Defense Agencies utilized separate contracts with varying terms and pricing to obtain financial software from the three lead publishers (Oracle, SAP and CGI). The Government was not able to leverage its significant buying power to consistently obtain preferential pricing and negotiate key terms that would lower total cost of ownership and enable utilization of shared service providers.

Collaborative Approach

Oceaneast partnered with the client to develop, and execute on, the optimal strategy to improve the Federal Government’s procurement and utilization of financial system software. More specifically, we collaborated with the client Program Management Office to:

• Conduct a market and spend analysis that identified sourcing implications based on the financial software market segmentation, vendor base, and the Government’s spend profile
• Engage with Industry and Government stakeholders to inform strategy, identify “pain points” and increase solution buy-in
• Establish a cross-Agency Commodity Team and facilitate the identification of key terms and conditions that increase value and flexibility to the Government
• Develop acquisition / sourcing / negotiation strategies, acquisition documentation, and plans that help the client establish Government-wide vehicles

Drive Change

Through our support, the client has been able to develop a Government-wide approach for purchasing financial system software that increases flexibility and spend transparency, lowers acquisition costs, and enables the government to adopt new service models thru the use of shared service providers. Furthermore, our support has enabled the client to establish themselves as the “go to” financial system experts and has strengthened their partnerships with OMB, GSA and DoD.

Client Profile

Program Management Office within a large Federal Government Agency.

Challenge

The Department of the Navy (DON) had an established Strategic Sourcing Program that lacked the structure, collaboration, and services necessary to succeed.

As a result, the Department was not reaping the savings and other benefits associated with a best in class sourcing program. The structure of the Program was also resulting in ineffective communications and inability to stay engaged with OMB and other Federal sourcing guidance.

Collaborative Approach

Oceaneast partnered with the client to develop and implement a Concept of Operations that documented the mission, goals, service offerings, customers, and execution processes for the Program. More specifically, we collaborated with the Program Management Office to develop a CONOPS through:

• Contrasting the current structure of the Program with other DOD, Federal, and Industry programs
• Identifying strengths and weaknesses of the current structure through detailed assessment and stakeholder interviews
• Recommending alternative improvements across a spectrum from minor modifications through complete restructuring
• Creating a detailed organizational structure with resource allocation and clearly defined roles and responsibilities for all personnel

Drive Change

Through our support, the client has been able to implement a new program structure that maximizes the Department’s investment in the Strategic Sourcing Program through improved service offerings, communication, collaboration, and organizational structure. Furthermore, our support has enabled the client to establish themselves as the provider of strategic sourcing expertise and has strengthened their partnerships with OMB, OSD, and DON leadership.

Client Profile

Program Management Office within a large Department of Defense Service.

Challenge

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) lacked a department-wide category management strategy for lab supplies and equipment, a $300+ million spend category.
As a result, the 11 operating divisions that comprise HHS purchased and managed lab supplies and equipment in a highly decentralized and uncoordinated manner. The department was not able to leverage its significant buying power and had no comprehensive demand-driven supply chain model in place.

Collaborative Approach

Oceaneast partnered with the client to help them identify ways to enable better department-wide management of the lab supplies and equipment category. More specifically, we used a collaborative approach with their Category Management Program Management Office to:

• Develop a comprehensive market analysis that identified sourcing implications based on the lab supplies / equipment market segmentation, vendor base, and economics
• Develop a comprehensive, transaction-level spend analysis of lab supplies / equipment that provided an unprecedented view into spend
• Develop an acquisition / sourcing strategy, business case, acquisition documentation, and performance management plans that help the department develop an acquisition vehicle
• Identify opportunities to integrate key business processes across the supply chain to reduce total costs, create process efficiencies, improve mission fulfillment, and develop stronger relationships with industry

Drive Change

Through our support, the client has been able to develop a department-wide approach for purchasing and managing lab supplies and equipment that includes considerations on organizational structure, acquisition and supply chain strategies, people and processes, data and technology enablement, and metrics and measurement. Furthermore, our support has enabled the client to better position itself as it participates in cross-Government category management initiatives being led by OMB.

Client Profile

Category Management program office within a large Federal Government department.

Challenge

The World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) operate off-grid lighting programs to increase access to energy in rural areas. The umbrella program, Lighting Global, and its subsidiary, Lighting Africa, had outdated websites. As a result, information about the programs was difficult to find and consume online.

Collaborative Approach

Oceaneast was engaged to build the World Bank and IFC modern websites for Lighting Global and Lighting Africa. We performed an in-depth redesign, including:

• Detailed discovery, analyzing the existing websites’ content and audience profile;
• Information architecture design, utilizing state-of-the-art technology to test sitemap designs;
• Wireframe creation;
• Modern design, starting with design discovery and proceeding through detailed page designs and image selection;
• Site building in Wordpress.

Drive Change

Throughout the process, we have applied our expert knowledge in design, user experience, and site development to deliver a functional, beautiful CMS that will provide value for years to come.

Client Profile

Lighting program office within the Energy department at the World Bank and International Finance Corporation