DHS to Host Reverse Day V on January 31, 2018

I am proud and excited to announce that Reverse Industry Day V – Advancing the Dialogue: Where Acquisition, Innovation, Cybersecurity, and Technology Intersect will be held on January 31, 2018. The Honorable Claire M. Grady, Under Secretary for Management, will deliver the day’s keynote address. Reverse Industry Days have become a popular forum for industry to share with the DHS workforce their thoughts and recommendations on how to enhance the DHS acquisition environment. I initiated these events shortly after assuming the role of Chief Procurement Officer in 2015. At that time, I heard from industry that while we at DHS did a lot of talking to industry, we didn’t do enough listening. I resolved to change that by creating an environment where DHS personnel could observe panels of industry leaders sharing their challenges, concerns, and best practices when doing business with DHS. In planning this event, industry leaders, via their associations, voluntarily worked with our DHS team members to address topics that are timely, relevant, and significant to both industry and DHS.  The results from these events have been impressive, as each has received an approval rating of 95% or better. Through Reverse Industry Days, DHS acquisition professionals gain new insights into important topics such as how industry decides to pursue DHS acquisitions that support specific programs, and, more importantly, how they plan, capture, bid, and sometimes protest procurement actions. Based on this new insight, our acquisition team members are improving our documentation and business practices. DHS is quickly becoming a business partner of choice. Also notable is that other agencies have begun hosting their own Reverse Industry Days. As we prepare to host Reverse Industry Day V, I am happy to take this opportunity to recognize the hugely successful Reverse Industry Day initiative under the DHS Acquisition Innovations in Motion framework and to thank our DHS team and the volunteers from leading industry associations for making these events so successful!