Skip to Content

Coalition Mid-Year Recap

With July underway, The Coalition for Government Procurement is excited to share a recap of the first half of 2024! These first six months, we have offered numerous events for members and covered multiple procurement policy developments on their behalf. The Coalition is thrilled to have hosted trainings and engagements with key acquisition officials, worked with members to develop regulatory comments on a range of procurement issues, and released new content and data on the Federal marketplace.

The following is a summary of the Coalition’s activities so far in 2024.

Events & Training

The calendar was full during the first half of 2024 with events, training, webinars, and committee meetings focused on the latest developments in Federal procurement. Through these engagements, the Coalition facilitates dialogue between industry stakeholders and government officials while providing members with the most pertinent information about the Federal contracts and requirements they care about most.

Spring Training Conference

  • On May 8-9, the Coalition hosted our annual Spring Training Conference at the Fairview Park Marriott in Falls Church, VA. The theme of the conference was “What is Fair and Reasonable, Part 2: Let’s Continue the Dialogue!” During the event, attendees continued discussions from the Fall on what constitutes fair and reasonable pricing determinations and explored other critical topics like cybersecurity and protecting the Federal supply chain. Thanks to the support of our public and private sector attendees, the event was our largest Spring Training Conference to date!

MAS Basic Training & GSA and VA Schedule Contracting Training for In-House Counsel

  • The Coalition was thrilled to relaunch two of our popular training courses in early 2024. On February 27, we held our MAS Basic Training: The Nuts & Bolts, an intensive one-day workshop that teaches the basics of GSA’s Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program. The following day, we held our GSA and VA Schedule Contracting Training for In-House Counsel, designed to teach lawyers and contract managers who deal with the GSA and VA Schedules about pricing policies and contract compliance responsibilities. Thank you to Miller & Chevalier for graciously hosting both trainings.

Small Business Engagement

  • Throughout the year, the Coalition hosts several engagements highlighting opportunities for small businesses. On January 30, we held our Small Business Year in Review event, covering the small business regulatory updates of the past year, as well as subcontracting best practices for small and large businesses . On June 26, we hosted representatives from GSA and the SBA to continue the discussion with small businesses on the challenges faced in the Federal IT marketplace.

Webinars

  • We have held seven webinars covering a variety of topics for our members:
    • An Overview of the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2024
    • What Contractors Need to Know about the CMMC Proposed Rule
    • Healthcare Focused Briefing on the Fiscal Year 24 NDAA
    • The Latest Alliant 3 Draft RFP: A Review of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
    • Estimating Systems – A Foundation for Compliance and Success
    • Joint Ventures on the GSA Schedule
    • False Claims Act Update for Government Contractors
    • The BIOSECURE Act’s Potential Impact on Biotech Supply Chain
    • Pharmaceutical Pricing Summer “Fun in the Sun” Webinar Series
      • Don’t Mistake an AMP for a WAMP – Key Characteristics for 5 Key Federal Health Care Programs 
      • The FSS Contract – 5 Key Legal, Pricing, Compliance, Finance and Contracts Issues 
      • Public Law Season Is Fast Approaching – What Do I Do? 

Committee Meetings

  • The Coalition provides members with the latest information through our committee meetings. Our committees have been active this year, holding over 18 meetings on topics like:
    • GSA contracting opportunities such as MAS, Alliant 3, ASCEND, and OASIS+
    • Single-use plastics and how GSA is shaping sustainable procurement
    • The FAS Catalog Platform (FCP) Rollout and GSA pricing tools
    • VA Next Generation Implant Contracts and Consignments
    • The latest from Defense Pricing and Contracting
    • The transition of TRICARE specialty pharmaceutical dispensing to the Accredo Specialty Pharmacy
    • And more!

Federal Market Resources

  • Launch of “Coalition Consults” and Data Sets on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
    • To increase the number of valuable tools available to our healthcare members, the Coalition has compiled several data sets pertaining to VA Medical Centers’ procedures, diagnoses, and product spend. Custom reports can be generated for our healthcare members based on their business interests.
    • We are also excited to introduce a new resource for healthcare members, called Coalition Consults. The first set of Consults address key contracting programs at the VA for medical/surgical supply and medical device companies. The Consults provide general information about the product scope of each contract and how companies can pursue these contracts, including the appropriate VA contacts. More Consults will be coming soon.

Policy

The Coalition remains committed to tracking key policy issues and advising members on the latest developments in contract regulation and legislation. This year, we have continued to publish public comments and other correspondence with the government that contributes to the public dialogue on procurement policy.

Regulatory Comments and Letters

  • The Coalition has submitted over 17 regulatory comments and letters to multiple Federal agencies, including DoD, GSA, and OMB on topics such as:
    • The CMMC Proposed Rule
    • Federal Supply Schedule Economic Price Adjustments
    • Cyber Threat and Incident Reporting
    • The Responsible Procurement of AI in Government
    • Inapplicability of Certain DFARS Clauses to Commercial Items
    • Potential Chemical Restrictions in GSA Contracts

Publications & Media

The Coalition releases several publications throughout the year, including our weekly Friday Flash and Tuesday Tracker newsletters. Coalition President, Roger Waldron, also interview leaders in the contracting community on the latest topics in Federal procurement on the Off the Shelf podcast. Below is some of the content in these publications from the first half of the year.

  • Year in Review
    • In February, the Coalition published our 2023 “Year in Review” highlighting significant accomplishments, initiatives, and events. Click here to view the Year in Review.
  • Federal Market Report
    • In June, we published our FY23 Annual Market Report, exclusive for members. The report provides members with over 80 pages of market analyses on the Federal market, including sales data on the GSA and VA Schedules, governmentwide contract vehicles, Federal healthcare contracts, and more. Click here to download the market report.
  • FAR & Beyond Blogs
    • The FAR & Beyond blog is a weekly procurement blog written by Coalition President Roger Waldron that provides a “must-read, in-the-know” commentary on the latest in Federal acquisition. So far in 2024, 26 FAR & Beyond blogs have been published on topics including:
      • Cyber Harmonization
      • The Benefits of Best Value for Small Businesses in the Federal Market
      • Providing Best Value Through the Multiple Award Schedule
      • What is Fair and Reasonable
      • Protecting the Supply Chain and National Security
  • Off the Shelf Podcast
    • Off the Shelf is a weekly show hosted by Coalition President Roger Waldron on Federal News Network featuring interviews with experts across the contracting community. In the first half of 2024, there were 13 episodes including:
      • The Key Provisions of the FY24 NDAA with Moshe Schwartz, President, Etherton and Associates
      • Current Trends in Healthcare Delivery and Logistics with Deborah Haywood, Vice President, McKesson
      • The Federal Government’s Cybersecurity Framework with Bob Metzger, Shareholder at Rogers Joseph O’Donnell
      • Healthcare and its Impact on the VA’s Mission with Anthony Principi, Principal of the Principi Group and former Secretary of Veterans Affairs in the President George W. Bush Administration

As we enter the second half of the year, the Coalition remains dedicated to providing members with critical information and tools to be successful in the Federal marketplace. We sincerely appreciate our members for their continued support and engagement. Together, we are able to advance our mission of “common sense in Federal procurement.” Please look out for more events, trainings, and opportunities as we approach the end of the government fiscal year and fill out the schedule for the remainder of 2024.

Back to top