WASHINGTON-- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Procurement Innovation Lab (PIL) recently released its annual publication that showcases ways the Department works together internally and across the federal government to implement innovative procurement techniques that streamline and optimize mission delivery. The Fiscal Year 2023 Yearbook builds on the Department’s commitment to be a champion of procurement innovation by saving time and money for the American people. This Yearbook is the Department’s most comprehensive to date, highlighting how the procurement innovation community is growing, not only with new labs supporting Components within DHS, but across the entire federal government, to further empower the frontline DHS acquisition workforce.
The PIL continues to be effective in supporting procurement teams across the federal government to reduce the administrative burden on our industry partners and on the ability of small and non-traditional businesses to do business with DHS. Since its inception, the PIL has empowered procurement teams to experiment with innovative procurement techniques in order to: ensure innovative, non-traditional contractors are able to compete for DHS business opportunities; increase competition; shorten time to award; and increase successful outcomes for DHS missions. This Fiscal Year 2023 Yearbook spotlights these successes, including the brand-new innovative procurement technique tested by the DHS Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC). Under this approach, price proposals are shared with the technical evaluation experts so they can better understand the suggested level of effort for the multitude of tasks being priced and ensure they aligned with the technical proposals. For our industry partners, this will result in faster awards, higher quality proposal evaluations, and ultimately lower bid and proposal costs.
This is the second year that the PIL Yearbook has been published to meet the requirements of the Promoting Rigorous Innovation Cost Efficiencies for Federal Procurement and Acquisitions Act of 2021 (PRICE Act of 2021), which requires the DHS Under Secretary of Management to publish on its website an annual report showcasing the PIL projects that have used innovative procurement techniques within the Department to accomplish: (1) improving or encouraging better competition; (2) reducing time to award; (3) cost savings; (4) better mission outcomes; or (5) meeting the goals for contracts awarded to small business concerns under section 15(g) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644(g)).
The PIL is a DHS framework aimed at experimenting with innovative procurement techniques across the DHS enterprise. The PIL provides a safe space to test new ideas, share lessons learned, and promote best practices. It fosters cultural changes that promote innovation and managed risk-taking through a continuous feedback cycle.
For more information about the Department’s Procurement Innovation Lab and how industry can get involved, visit www.dhs.gov/pil.