Making IT happen
The backpacks are zipped, the dorms are full, and the quad is buzzing—yep, school is officially back in session. And while students are figuring out their class schedules and debating whether to buy the textbook, campus IT teams are diving headfirst into something else: cybersecurity season.
Welcome to Episode 2 of Chit Chat with Chittick — our ongoing blog series that dives into the challenges (and occasional comedy) of public sector procurement. In this edition, we're heading toward the NIGP Forum 2025… and let’s just say, a funny thing happened along the way.
NASA’s SEWP contract remains a cornerstone of federal IT procurement, with SEWP V extended through October 2025. SEWP VI is expected to significantly expand the program with more contract holders, broader offerings, and enhanced compliance standards.
GSA is in the early stages of negotiations with government agencies to move several IT Government Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs) under its management. This move aligns with a broader push to centralize federal procurement supported under Executive Order (EO) 14240 “Eliminating Waste and Saving Taxpayer Dollars by Consolidating Procurement”. The EO calls for the consolidation of federal procurement of goods and services within GSA with the goal of “eliminating waste and duplication” within the federal government.
Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Apptio, an IBM Company Summit, where public and private sector leaders came together to explore how Technology Business Management (TBM) and FinOps can help organizations align IT strategy with mission outcomes. A major theme of the event was the increasing urgency for agencies to adapt to mandates like the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). DOGE aims to drive greater accountability and efficiency in government spending, requiring agencies to demonstrate clear value from their technology investments. Apptio’s TBM and FinOps-based approach stood out as a key enabler for gaining visibility into cloud spending, identifying automation opportunities, and proactively preparing for audits.
What makes compliance to NIST 800-171 tricky is that there is no certification and that it is open to interpretation by every agency that uses it.