Springtime has been busy (in a good way!) here at the Coalition and it’s hard to believe it’s already May! We started off April with a flurry of committee meetings, including two different IT/Services Committee meetings discussing NASA SEWP and GSA’s Office of IT Category; the Furniture Committee discussing the Packaged Office Program implementation and an update on the Workplace 2030 initiative; the Healthcare Committee discussing the Summary of Preaward Reviews of VA FSS Nonpharmaceutical Proposals; and the re-launch of the Green Committee where they discussed sustainability requirements and trends. Thank you for carving time out of your busy schedules to attend these important meetings. Thank you also for the large participation at our timely webinar on Foreign Sourcing and Supply Chain Issues last month.
The blistering pace will continue, with no upcoming event drawing more excitement than our Spring Training Conference – The Federal Customer Experience, taking place both in-person and virtually on June 15-16. We’ve been receiving enthusiastic registrations with people excited to see their friends, colleagues, and industry peers – for many – the first time in over two years. As a reminder, the first day will be dedicated to healthcare topics and issues, while the second day will have a governmentwide focus. Your registration covers both days, and we encourage you to stay for our reception at the end of day two. Please take a few minutes to register right now. Also, while there are many sponsorship opportunities available, I would like to thank the following members for committing right away: day one sponsors include Title Sponsor, AvKARE, and Gold Sponsor and Lunch Sponsor, Medical Place; day two sponsors include SAIC and The Gormley Group as Silver Sponsors. Please contact Matt Cahill with sponsorship questions or commitments at mcahill@thecgp.org.
Prior to our Spring Training Conference, we have additional committee meetings scheduled, including the Medical/Surgical Subcommittee meeting on May 16 where Andrew Centineo, Executive Director, OAL, VHA and Christopher Parker, Associate Executive Director, SAC, VA, will be discussing VA’s MSPV-Z acquisition strategy. Also, on May 25, Carol Hulme, Attorney Advisor, SBA Office of Government Contracting and Business Development, will be meeting with the Small Business Committee to discuss the non-manufacturer rule. While this meeting with be offered virtually as well, we are excited it will serve as our first in-person committee meeting since 2020! Please also mark your calendars for a Pharmaceutical Subcommittee meeting on June 8, where Dr. Jennifer Martin, Deputy Chief Consultant, VA Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) Services, will join us to respond to member questions. Please submit your questions for Dr Martin to Aubrey Woolley at awoolley@thecgp.org by May 31.
Finally, we have just scheduled a webinar for May 24 on Bid Protest Update: Key Developments and Strategies. Seth Locke & Alexander Canizares of Perkins Coie LLP will provide an overview of hot topics and key developments in case law before the Government Accountability Office, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and their significance for government contractors, including challenges involving key personnel, an agency’s duty to engage in discussions with offerors, and challenges focusing on cost realism and labor costs. Seth and Alex will also offer perspectives on ways for companies to mitigate risks and effectively defend and challenge agency procurement actions. I encourage you to attend!
Of course, we will continue planning meetings beyond conference as well, such as a meeting with Michael Parrish, Principal Executive Director for the Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction (OALC), VA, who we are asking to share thoughts on Supply Chain Assessment and Modernization in late June or early July. Please let us know of other topics and/or speakers you would like for us to pursue in the latter part of the year. Thank you for your continued participation and we are looking forward to seeing you at the conference in June, if not before!