General Atomics’ Post

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of chairing ProcureCon US Indirect East in Orlando with Worldwide Business Research (WBR), and I’ve been reflecting on the key takeaways from the conference. As with any great event, we covered a lot of ground—people, technology, legal requirements, and our determination to do the right thing for the planet 🌍. Bringing all these elements together is no small feat, and it was clear throughout the sessions how challenging this can be. We were fortunate to have a powerful opening keynote from Marc Koehler, a former U.S. Navy officer who served on nuclear submarines. His insights inspired me to summarize the conference with a nautical theme. Leading a procurement team in a forward-thinking organization is much like building a ship. 🚢 The Keel: Leadership, engagement, alignment with the business, and a problem-solving culture are the foundation. 🔧 The Design: Incorporates people, processes, data, technology, and diversity—all with a focus on innovation. 🌊 The Seas & Weather: Represent risks and opportunities—good times and bad—where we must navigate with agility. ⚓ Adaptability: As we sail, our ship will change. Our design and navigation must adapt to the ever-evolving business landscape. One standout principle from Marc was “fast attack decision making.” In procurement, we must make decisions quickly, even with only 40-70% of the information available, because waiting too long could result in missed opportunities or greater risks. Reflecting on the conference also reminded me of lessons from my own military career—the need to make decisions with incomplete information, while building teams that use the resources available at the time, to accomplish the task at hand. See you next year at ProcureCon! A big thank you to the amazing WBR team for putting together such a valuable event. 👏 #Procurement #Leadership #Innovation #RiskManagement #Agility

Check out our weekly events update below to find information about upcoming training opportunities and partner events. Thursday's webinar topic is "Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Basics & Overview" with Senior Procurement Consultant Jon Olsen. Like what you see? Visit https://buff.ly/3qPxebJ to subscribe to our newsletter and receive important news, stories, tips and event info!

We might have been wrong all this time... I have attended hundreds of supplier events in North America. Whenever I spoke with top buyers, they focused on finding suppliers to join their existing network. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁'𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀' 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱? Think of the benefits of a supplier who has a strong network. • Solutions found in one place • More transparency among suppliers • Better issue-solving and adaptability At INÉRO, we believe in the importance of supplier connection. What other benefits can you think of?

When project timelines stretch over years, rather than months, your procurement strategies must evolve! 🕰️ As Nick Checketts, Group Director of Direct Spend at Babcock International Group, emphasizes, aligning your supply chain strategy with long-term goals is crucial. 🌟 Anticipating future capabilities and risks is key to ensuring your organization’s success in a complex landscape. Discover how a global leader in defence is tackling these challenges with a strategic approach to supply chain and procurement! 📈💼 Read the full report here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eV832MSC A big shoutout to our project partners: KAEFER, ARCO, Shield Services Group, Righton Blackburns Limited, and R&M Electrical Group Ltd! 🙌 #SupplyChain #ThoughtLeadership #Defense #Aerospace #Procurement #Strategy #Innovation

📺 This week's episode is now available On Demand Presented by National Contract Management Association (NCMA) 📌 John Tenaglia, Principal Director, Defense Pricing and Contracting at the United States Department of Defense (DoD) discusses the ongoing efforts to enhance the DoD's acquisition process, emphasizing the need for both effective contracting practices and the integration of new technologies such as artificial intelligence. He highlights the importance of improving interactions between DoD contracting professionals and technology providers. 📌Kraig Conrad, CAE, CTP, CEO at National Contract Management Association (NCMA) outlined several key aspects of the World Congress and its ongoing initiatives. He emphasized the event's mission to reinvigorate participants by providing engaging workshop simulations and introducing innovative content. The goal is to inspire attendees to embrace existing regulations while also exploring new ideas. 📌Jeff Koses, Senior Procurement Executive at GSA discussed the transition from the first to second generation of the Federal Advisory Committee focused on acquisitions policy. The first generation's success led to a decision to continue with a new focus, aiming to establish consistent policy guardrails and standardized operating practices to foster technology growth. More: https://lnkd.in/emMz8x7J #FedGovToday #DefenseAcquisition #DoD #TechIntegration #NCMA #ContractManagement #FederalAcquisitions #GSA #AcquisitionPolicy

Meet Jamal! He joined the Gates team a year and a half ago as a Commodity Manager. He ensures our facilities have the correct equipment, maintenance, and installations needed to make products that meet Gates quality standards. What he enjoys most about his role is that every day is different, bringing a lot of new knowledge with each project and collaborating with people all over the world. Jamal has also been a part of the U.S. Army since graduating college, where he learned the value of true teamwork – where the best strategies are the ones that play to each member’s strengths, pushing them to be better every day. He has found that the same can be applied in a corporate setting, specifically when multiple people and tools are involved. We all have value to bring to the table, and as we get to know our teams, we can use the best versions of ourselves to achieve our company goals. Jamal chose to specialize in supply chain management, as he saw how crucial it was while in the military. He had to develop highly efficient supply chains, so soldiers could have all the resources needed to succeed, especially when it came to long-term goals. As he learned, “Infantry wins battles, logistics wins wars.” He also believes you can apply this mindset to your personal life. You must ensure you have the resources you need to succeed, saying “Gates offers a lot of growth and development opportunities, but it’s up to each of us to take advantage of them. It’s the employees who play a vital role in making Gates a great company to work for.” A piece of advice from Jamal; “Focus on setting personal goals, take the challenge, and dare to embrace the uncomfortable feeling that comes with it. That’s when hard stuff becomes easy.” A personal goal of his was to overcome his fear of heights, so he started indoor rock climbing and is now at an intermediate level. If you’d like to join our team, visit https://bit.ly/3wtflCf

📢 The Department of Defense (DOD) has released a new Open Announcement through the Defense Industrial Base Consortium Other Transaction Authority(DIBC OTA) 📝 The DIBC OTA will accept unsolicited White Papers to be considered for Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III and Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) funding. 🧑🏫 DIBC membership is free and is open to U.S. organizations as well as international partners from the United Kingdom (UK), Australia, and Canada. 📈 The Open Announcement will significantly accelerate the timeline to project award, which will bring critical capabilities to the industrial base faster. This effort also supports the critical Supply Chain Resiliency Focus Areas identified as part of President Biden's Executive Order 14017, On America's Supply Chains. ✴️ The critical sectors sought under this Open Announcement include: * Kinetic Capabilities * Energy Storage and Batteries * Castings and Forgings * Strategic and Critical Materials * Microelectronics * Workforce Development 📅The Open Announcement is currently accepting White Papers and will remain open until September 30, 2024. All the information 👇

"Stay small until you've figured out what's working." - Naval Ravikant This powerful advice from Naval Ravikant is not just relevant for startups but also resonates deeply in the procurement world. When new suppliers enter the arena, it's prudent to start with small contracts. This approach acts as a test bid or sandbox, allowing both parties to understand each other's capabilities and expectations. By awarding smaller contracts initially, procurement professionals can effectively mitigate risks and ensure quality assurance. This method provides an opportunity for suppliers to demonstrate their competence and for buyers to assess their reliability. Rushing into awarding large contracts worth millions can lead to unforeseen challenges, even if the initial outcome appears successful. Often, the buyer ends up covering hefty contingencies, with suppliers embedding potential risks into their pricing. A cautious and calculated approach, where suppliers start small and scale up based on proven performance, not only fosters stronger partnerships but also ensures better value and quality for all stakeholders. #Procurement #RiskMitigation #QualityAssurance #SupplyChain #StrategicSourcing #NavalRavikant #BusinessStrategy #SupplierManagement

Looking forward to this webinar offered through Defense Acquisition University! If you're interested, you can register at the link below! Date: Thursday August 1, 2024 Time: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET (10:00 - 11:00 a.m. PT) CLPs: 1.0 Who Should Attend: Government, Military, and Industry at all levels who want to learn how to significantly reduce procurement lead time by developing simplified and streamlined ordering processes to compete orders among the pre-selected qualified MAC IDIQ contract holders. Moderator: Sal Cianci Speakers: Ed Chevalier and Lisa Baker Description: Since the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (FASA) of 1994, federal agencies have had the flexibility to create and use fast, efficient, and meaningful selection processes in choosing contractors under Multiple Award Indefinite Delivery contracts commonly known as “MACs” (Multiple Award Contracts), yet we continue to struggle to fully leverage this flexibility. This webinar explores why it has been so difficult for so many agencies and what can be done about it. Most importantly, it will go into specifics as to HOW to create and use processes that can and should be tailored to your unique requirements. Come join us to learn about the decades-long struggle and why agencies have not fully utilized FAR 16.505 Fair Opportunity Ordering Procedures. This month’s focus is on the various ways to use verbal interchanges, the most flexible but underutilized selection process. #DAU #FASA #MAC #LetsTalkContracting https://lnkd.in/egPq7YwD

AI can get you an 80% solution to lots of thing very quickly. That might be a great starting point for human interrogation and analysis. A blank piece of paper isn't always the best place to start because the human brain is not suited to expending lots of energy getting to the start point. AI can "help"; find out how with Drew Schlosser and Kenny Holden.