The Coalition for Government Procurement would like to thank everyone who attended and participated in this week’s Spring Training Conference – What is Fair and Reasonable, Part 2: Let’s Continue the Dialogue! We were excited to provide a forum for the acquisition community to continue the conversation on “What is Fair and Reasonable” when it comes to government market conditions, contract terms, procurement policies, and regulations. Your participation played a key role in fortifying the partnership between industry and the Federal Government through insightful dialogue, shared visions, and effective collaboration. We would like to sincerely thank our speakers for sharing their insights into the latest policies and programs that shape the Federal procurement landscape.
Day One Speakers
Keynote Speakers:
- Christine Harada, Senior Advisor, OFPP, OMB
- Moshe Schwartz, President, Etherton and Associates
Panelists:
- Bonnie Evangelista, Acting Deputy Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer for Acquisitions, DoD
- Polly Hall, Senior Advisor to the Chief Procurement Officer, DHS
- Udaya Patnaik, Chief Innovation Strategist for the Office of Information Technology Category (ITC), FAS, GSA
- Nathan Manzotti, Director, Data Analytics & AI Centers of Excellence / Co-Manager AI Community of Practice Director, Technology Transformation Services (TTS), GSA
- Bob Lohfeld, CEO, Lohfeld Consulting
- Michael Thompson, Advisor, Cyber-Supply Chain Risk Management Program Management Office, GSA
- Ashden Fien, Partner, Covington
- Michael Gruden, Counsel, Crowell & Moring
- Kim Garcia, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Acquisitions, Office of Information Technology Category, GSA
- Tiffany Hixson, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Professional Services & Human Capital Category, GSA
- Joe Nickerson, Client Executive, AAS Army, Assisted Acquisition Services, GSA
- Erv Koehler, Assistant Commissioner, Office of General Supplies and Services, GSA
- Mike Shepherd, Director, Catalog Management Office, GSA
- Peter Han, Branch Chief, Catalog Management Office, GSA
Larry Hale, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, IT Category Management, GSA - Giovanni Onwuchekwa, Senior Strategic Advisor, ITC, GSA
- Stephanie Shutt, Director of Operations and Innovation, Office of Strategy and
Innovation, GSA - Teri Osabutey, Acting Deputy Assistant Commissioner, AAS, GSA
- Casey Kelley, Client Executive, AAS Navy/Air Force, GSA
- Jim Ghiloni, Deputy Client Executive, AAS Army, GSA
- Nadya Popil, Program Analyst, Stakeholder Intelligence, AAS, GSA
- Michael Burrell, Section Chief, Office Management Category, GSA
- John Giannopoulos, Procurement Analyst, Office Management Category, GSA
- Shaun Kelly, Branch Chief, MAS Office Management Branch, GSA
- Jeff Calhoun, Supervisory Contract Specialist, Solicitation Management Office, GSA
- Holly Caputo, Section Chief, MAS Furniture and Furnishings Team, GSA
- David Black, Partner, Holland & Knight
- Sam Finnerty, Partner, PilieroMazza
- Ken Dodds, VP of Acquisition Policy, Coalition for Government Procurement
- John Klein, Associate General Counsel for Procurement Law, SBA
- Adam Soderholm, Director, Center for Professional Services Solutions, FAS PSHC, GSA
- Rob Berg, Director, Division A, Office of Contract Operations, FAS PSHC, GSA
- Michael Williams, Director, Supplier Accountability, FAS PSHC, GSA
- Joel Lundy, Director of IT Products, GSA
- Jeff Thurston, Director, Office of Contracting Operations, GSA
- Haven Wynne, Deputy, Office of Contracting Operations, GSA
- Latasha Goines, Director, MAS Contracting Division, GSA
- Mark Dunkum, Deputy, MAS Contracting Division, GSA
Day Two Speakers
Keynote Address:
- Al Montoya, Acting Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Support Services, VHA
- Pat Flanders, Chief Information Officer, DHA
Panelists:
- Christopher Parker, Associate Executive Director of the Strategic Acquisition Center and Acting Associate Executive Director of the National Acquisition Center, VA
- Song Stisher, Director, Medical Supply Chain Program Office, VHA
- Spencer Roberts, Executive Director, Logistics, VHA
- Jerry Jacobs, Executive Director, Regional Procurement Office East, VHA
- Joffrey Benford, CMA Division Director, BARDA and Deputy Head of Contracting Activity, ASPR, HHS
- Phil Christy, Deputy Executive Director, OALC, VA
- Vic Suarez, Senior Advisor, Securing America’s Medicines and Supply (SAMS)
- Dr. Mike Stebbins, Executive Director, Medical CBRN Defense Consortium (MCDC)
- Jennifer Plitsch, Partner, Covington
- Adey Pierce, Director, Biodefense & Government Contracts, BDO
- Wayland Coker, Chief Supply Chain Strategist, ASPR, HHS
- Edward Norton, Chief, Pharmacy Operations, DHA
- Dr. Julia Trang, Strategic Sourcing Pharmacist/Industry Technical Liaison, DHA
- Dwight Bonham, Contracting Officer, DHA
- Penny Nechanicky, Executive Director, Prosthetic & Sensory Aids, Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Services, VA
- Ardene Nichols, Clinical Program Manager, Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, VA
- Nate Bradley, Director, Acquisition Services 4 (Prosthetics & Biologics), VA
- Audrey Ezell-Upchurch, Project Manager/Contracting Officer Representative, Medical Supply Program Office at PSAS, VA
- Rodney Hickson, Deputy Program Manager, Medical Supply Program Office at PSAS, VA
- Zachary Wilcox, Division Chief AS4B, Strategic Acquisition Center, VA
- Brian Love, Division Chief AS4D, Strategic Acquisition Center, VA
- Yasmeen Turner, Integrated Supply Team Chief, Hospital Small Equipment/Supplies ECAT Program, DLA
- Mike Easley, Director of Commodities, Medical Supply Program Office, VHA
- Sarah Keefer, MSPV Branch Chief, Team 2, VHA
- Craig Hilliard, Division Chief, Medical/Surgical Prime Vendor (MSPV) Supplies, VHA
- Andrew Montgomery, Contracting Officer, SAC, VA
- Jeremy Parker, MSPV Branch Chief, Team 1, VHA
- Crystal Phillips, Medical Supply Program Office, VHA
- Katie Hulse, Director of Acquisition Services 3, SAC, VADan Shearer, Director, Federal Supply Schedules (FSS) program, VA
- Brian O’Connell, Senior Contract Specialist, FSS – Contracting Support Division, VA
- Ted Karnezis, President, Karnezis Consulting LLC
We would also like to recognize the officials from GSA, the VA, and DHS who participated in the “Ask the PMO” Table one-on-one meetings. This year’s Spring Training Conference featured opportunities, including GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS), GSA Pricing Tools, SAM.Gov, Medical/Surgical Supply BPAs, VA Federal Supply Schedule (FSS), VA Prosthetics, and the DHS Intellectual Property (IP) Investigations Center. Participating officials included:
- Jack Tekus, Management Analyst, MAS PMO, GSA
- Kevin Mitchell, Contract Specialist, FAS, GSA
- Salomeh Ghorbani, Director, Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement Division, Integrated Award Environment (IAE) Office, Technology Transformation Services (TTS), FAS, GSA
- Mike Shepherd, Director, Catalog Management Office, GSA
- Peter Han, Branch Chief, Catalog Management Office, GSA
- Anisa Khandkar, Enterprise Architect, Catalog Management Office, GSA
- Craig Hilliard, Division Chief, Medical/Surgical Prime Vendor (MSPV) Supplies, VHA
- Sarah Keefer, Branch Chief, MSPV Supplies, VHA
- Jeremy Parker, Branch Chief, MSPV Supplies, VHA
- Pete Lyke, MSPV CO, Team 1, VHA
- Melanie Stockman, MSPV CO, Team 1, VHA
- Brett Cook, MSPV CO, Team 2, VHA
- Matt McDonell, MSPV CO, Team 2, VHA
- Andrew Montgomery, Contracting Officer, SAC, VA (AbilityOne Items)
- Crystal Phillips, Medical Supplies Program Office, VHA
- Mike Easley, Director of Commodities, MSPO, VHA
- Daniel Shearer, FSS Director, VA
- Brian O’Connell, Senior Contract Specialist, FSS Contracting Support Division, VA
- Ardene Nichols, Clinical Program Manager, Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, VA
- Nate Bradley, Director, Acquisition Services 4 (Prosthetics & Biologics), VA
- Rodney Hickson, Deputy Program Manager, Medical Supply Program Office at PSAS, VA
- Brian Love, Division Chief AS4D, Strategic Acquisition Center, VA
- Priscilla Burke, Contract Specialist, Strategic Acquisition Center, VA
- Chuck Dionne, VA Office of Inspector General
- Byron Jones, Homeland Security Investigations / IPR Center
- Jason Beever, Homeland Security Investigations / IPR Center
- Joshua Andrews, Homeland Security Investigations / IPR Center
Our members played a key role in the preparation and execution of the conference by serving as moderators for the various panels, lending their expertise to help make the sessions highly informative for all attendees. Industry moderators included:
- Jessica Tillipman, Associate Dean for Government Procurement Law Studies, GW Law
- Ryan Roberts, Partner, Sheppard Mullin
- Roger Sion, Managing Director, Government and Public Services, Deloitte
- Wes Shmigelsky, Director of Federal Sales, Grainger
- Steve Felber, Senior Program Manager, GSA/GWAC Programs, GDIT
- Bill Gormley, President, The Gormley Group
- Bill Mickler, Director, EASE PMO, CACI
- Scott Hammond, Senior Contracts Manager, Federal Compliance, Ricoh
- Tim Barrios, Vice President, Public Sector, MillerKnoll
- Jim Wrigglesworth, Vice President, Wrigglesworth Enterprises
- Mike Bell, Principal/Director, Global Defense Sector, Chief Growth
- Joel Hinzman, Vice-President, Public Sector & Engagement, Oracle
- Brian McManus, Senior Strategic Accounts Lead for DoD, Amazon Business
- Parry Carter, Vice President, Federal Government Procurement, McKesson
- Lauren Self, Medical Team Director, ADS
- Moshe Schwartz, President, Etherton & Associates
- Karol Ann Sharp, EVP, Chief Commercial Officer, AvKARE
- Kurt Meyer, Government Strategist, Abbott
- Beverly Kuykendall, Vice President of Corporate Growth, AvMEDICAL
- Eamon Lawlor, Director of Strategic Accounts, Johnson & Johnson
- Tiffany Scott, Government Trade Relations Manager, GSMS
We would like to express our gratitude for the amazing support of our sponsors who made the Spring Training Conference possible. Our sincere thanks to the following organizations:
The Coalition remains deeply grateful for the continued support of our members, as well as the ongoing partnership with government. Through this support, we were able to deliver another successful Spring Training Conference. We look forward to continuing our mission of advancing “common sense in government procurement.” Be sure to mark your calendars for the Fall Training Conference, taking place on November 20-21 at the same location!