Washington, DC, October 19, 2018 — LeadersNest named Arc Aspicio CEO Lynn Ann Casey a FedFem Award Honoree. The FedFem awards salute high-impact women executives and leaders of the government contracting community. FedFem Award Honorees blend their entrepreneurial courage and Federal government support that effectively impacts the industry, national economy, and the local marketplace.
To keep up with the fast pace of change in the field of Government acquisitions, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) components are developing their own acquisition requirements (AR) policies. However, without specific timeframes to finalize these policies, DHS agencies often lack guidance on how to develop ARs. Among DHS agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard is leading the way with their own formal policy to describe this process. To compliment the U.S. Coast Guard’s policy, DHS created the Joint Requirements Integration and Management System (JRIMS) to offer direction for agencies—to review, validate, and suggest solutions for capability gaps and requirements.
Doing work for the Federal government is like steering a large ship through the waters—a ship sailed by multiple teams made up of a diverse set of individuals. The ability of these individuals to work together determines whether or not the ship makes it to its destination.
When a hurricane hits, people think about disaster planning. But most of the time, hurricanes or natural disasters feel like they apply to other people.
I was a contracting officer representative (COR) during most of my 11 years at FEMA, and during that time I became very familiar with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) which provide expansive guidance on acquiring services and products. One thing the FAR cannot tell CORs is how to identify which vendor has the culture that best fits their organization.
A senior Government leader once said, “Doing it differently and thinking from a different perspective is the only way we’re going to make progress.” I couldn’t agree more with this individual, who has a ton of experience in acquisition and problem solving—and that is why we are learning by doing in Peer Groups at Arc Aspicio.
Design Thinking is on the rise in the business world. Design Thinking leaders focus on creating the best product for their clients and working with the experiences and insight of fellow coworkers. Some of the key characteristics of Design Thinking leaders present themselves in individuals who are open and subject themselves to vulnerability with clients and coworkers. These qualities help leaders to connect and build relationships with others. They also create an open flow of communication that allows for others to better share their knowledge to align with and understand the company's mission.
The unprecedented hurricane response by state, local, and Federal agencies in 2017 is only months in the rearview mirror. Ready or not, June 1st marked the beginning of the 2018 Hurricane season.
I spent the early years of my career in the United States Navy as a Naval Flight Officer on the E-2C Hawkeye, the Navy’s aircraft carrier-based Airborne Early Warning and Command and Control platform. The various missions of the aircraft demand that aircrew monitor up to ten radio frequencies, and actively speak on three or four of those, at any given moment in flight.
Legendary actor and director Robert Redford often calls for fellow actors to “learn their craft”—to be so great at the fundamentals that you have the confidence, security, and flexibility to pursue your passion.
Communities are often the foundation for an expedited recovery following major events. But how can communities strengthen their response to, for example, a major cyber-attack or natural event, such as an Electronic Magnetic Pulse solar flare? A United States electrical grid failure could destroy a number of the nation’s high voltage transformers causing widespread outages for several weeks, even months. A public health emergency could quickly ensue particularly among the vulnerable as the ripple effects cause significant societal disruption. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) strategic plan encourages and empowers communities to prepare for the inevitable impacts of future disasters. How can communities prime for major events?
“What drew you to Arc Aspicio?” Out of the many interviews I have conducted so far, I can almost guarantee that the candidate will ask me this at some point in the conversation, and it is a question that I love to answer.
