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    "title" : "Navigating digital acquisitions |Digital.gov",
    "description": "Navigating digital acquisitions",
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    {"title" :"Navigating digital acquisitions","deck" : "How to adopt an agile approach for modernizing websites","summary" : "Learn the best practices for agile acquisitions—from building and buying solutions, to overcoming common roadblocks.","date" : "2024-11-26T00:00:00-05:00","date_modified" : "2025-01-27T19:42:55-05:00","authors" : {"frances-carden" : "Frances Carden","ashley-owens" : "Ashley Owens"},"topics" : {
        
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      "filename" :"2024-11-26-navigating-digital-acquisitions.md",
      
      "filepath" :"news/2024/11/2024-11-26-navigating-digital-acquisitions.md",
      "filepathURL" :"https://github.com/GSA/digitalgov.gov/blob/bc-archive-content-3/content/news/2024/11/2024-11-26-navigating-digital-acquisitions.md",
      "editpathURL" :"https://github.com/GSA/digitalgov.gov/edit/bc-archive-content-3/content/news/2024/11/2024-11-26-navigating-digital-acquisitions.md","slug" : "navigating-digital-acquisitions","url" : "/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2024/11/26/navigating-digital-acquisitions/","weight" : "1","content" :"\u003cp\u003eMany of us have heard the term “agile acquisition,” but what does it look like in practice, and why is it better for digital modernizations?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAgile \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/topics/acquisition/\"\u003eacquisitions\u003c/a\u003e are structured to reduce risks while ensuring that each solution meets a user’s complex needs throughout the web modernization process. Contracts often focus on the technical system behind the website. You may see these types of contracts involved in website modernization approaches. Typically, they begin by gathering requirements. However, if we are to change the user experience we must begin the process another way. During this phase, figuring out the problem you are trying to solve and the product (website) vision followed by user research is key — you want to ensure the assumed audience and problem is correct. User research is especially important for web modernization projects because websites are a primary way that the public interacts with the federal government.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"build-versus-buy\"\u003eBuild versus buy\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you’ve completed user research, you face two potential avenues for procurement. You can decide either to build or buy something. The user research can help de-risk this decision. By surveying the market against user needs and pain points, you can better decide if there are existing solutions that either solve most of the user needs or if you will need to custom-build to satisfy the user needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"building-in-digital-modernizations\"\u003eBuilding in digital modernizations\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you decide to custom create your modern website, there are a few actions you can take to ensure success. First, structure your work statement for agile collaboration by using a statement of objectives. A statement of objectives states the overall performance goals of a project and is often used in solicitations to give vendors flexibility to propose creative approaches. This is sometimes confused with a statement of work, which outlines the details of a project, including tasks, timelines, deliverables, and success criteria. A statement of work is best suited if you have decided to purchase an existing solution (such as commercial off-the-shelf, low-code, or no-code platforms). When considering a third option of a “blend” of customization and integration of existing solutions then a Performance Work Statement is often best suited.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003carticle class=\"dg-ring\" aria-labelledby=\"064d0921dcabfd5856d7df568efdfac5\"\u003e\n  \u003ch2 id=\"064d0921dcabfd5856d7df568efdfac5\" class=\"dg-ring__title\"\u003eDefinitions\u003c/h2\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eA statement of work (SOW) is the portion of a contract that establishes and defines all non-specification requirements for a contractor\u0026rsquo;s efforts either directly or with the use of specific cited documents.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA performance work statement (PWS) is a statement of work for performance-based acquisitions that describes the required results in clear, specific and objective terms with measurable outcomes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA statement of objectives (SOO) is a government-prepared document incorporated into the solicitation that states the overall performance objectives. It is used in solicitations when the government intends to provide the maximum flexibility to each offeror to propose an innovative approach. That portion of a contract that establishes a broad description of the government’s required performance objectives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.dau.edu/acquipedia\"\u003eExplore more definitions on the “ACQuipedia” by the Defense Acquisition University\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eConsider using a \u003ca href=\"https://guides.18f.gov/derisking-government-tech/buying-development-services/#time-and-materials-type-contract\"\u003etime and materials\u003c/a\u003e contract type for custom development, which gives the government flexibility to control the amount of work via user stories provided through an empowered product owner. The government product owner controls the user story backlog (a prioritized list of work to be done), which constrains the cost but allows the government to easily pivot when a new user need arises. On the other hand, consider using a firm-fixed contract type for existing solutions, and a hybrid for a blend.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNext, ask potential vendors to showcase similar work they’ve done in the past by requesting access to code repositories that your team could analyze. You will want some experts on your team (like a software engineer or developer)— or at least informed decision makers who are able to read code repositories — to perform this code review and validate whether the code and repositories demonstrate best practices. For existing solutions, consider requesting sandbox access to have a handful of users perform usability testing for major tasks/functionality to evaluate whether potential solutions are viable and meet your needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter awarding the contract, these teammates will judge work quality based on a \u003ca href=\"https://guides.18f.gov/derisking-government-tech/buying-development-services/#quality-indicators-defined-in-a-quality-assurance-surveillance-plan\"\u003eQuality Assurance Surveillance Plan\u003c/a\u003e, including accessibility requirements. They’ll also track the vendor’s progress on the build of your website through \u003ca href=\"https://guides.18f.gov/agile/agile-fundamentals/\"\u003efundamental agile activities and meetings\u003c/a\u003e like backlog refinement and sprint planning. While these surveillance plans are best suited for custom development, there are elements you can use for your existing solution, including accessibility, usability testing, and user research.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"buying-in-digital-modernizations\"\u003eBuying in digital modernizations\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs stated, there may already be a product on the market that could meet your team’s needs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn that case, you might opt for the second procurement option: buy something. This usually means buying \u003ca href=\"https://18f.gsa.gov/2019/03/26/when-to-use-COTS/\"\u003ecommercial off-the-shelf\u003c/a\u003e products. When you buy a product off the shelf, it’s important to understand the difference between configuration and modification:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConfiguration\u003c/strong\u003e involves using a solution’s built-in settings and tools to change its features.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eModification\u003c/strong\u003e (sometimes called customization), involves actually changing the solution’s core code to change its features. This is more complex and typically requires specialized development skills.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile you’ll configure anything you buy to your agency’s requirements, avoid going into a purchase with plans to make dramatic modifications. Buying off the shelf and modifying requires a lot of time and money. Plus, customization of existing solutions can cause further vendor lock-in. This is why it is important to ensure the solution meets user needs before purchasing it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe process for selecting products you may want to buy begins with defining your problem, product vision, and conducting user research to understand the needs and pain points the product is intended to solve for. When buying a solution, use the research to conduct market research differently by using:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA \u003ca href=\"https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/SOW_Application.Services.and.Component.Framework.pdf\"\u003estatement of work (PDF, 130 KB, 21 pages)\u003c/a\u003e as your work statement\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUsability testing and scorecards (such as the \u003ca href=\"https://www.section508.gov/sell/how-to-create-acr-with-vpat/\"\u003eAccessibility Conformance Report and Voluntary Product Accessibility Template\u003c/a\u003e) to gauge how well a product meets your needs for function and accessibility\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInstead of receiving demos to evaluate a product’s applicability to your need, performing \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/event/2018/06/14/usability-testing-with-steve-krug/\"\u003eusability testing\u003c/a\u003e with real users can offer insight into whether a potential solution meets your needs. Ask potential users to perform their regular work with the tool to determine in a hands-on way whether it operates and meets their daily needs well. Finally, \u003ca href=\"https://www.acquisition.gov/far/subpart-16.2\"\u003efirm-fixed-price\u003c/a\u003e contracts are typically used when purchasing commercial products with detailed and definite specifications and quantities. These types of contracts provide maximum incentive for the contractor to control costs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen buying commercial off-the-shelf products, consider the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, commonly known as \u003ca href=\"https://www.fedramp.gov/\"\u003eFedRAMP\u003c/a\u003e. This program was created to provide standardized security processes and requirements allowing agencies to rapidly adopt cloud service offerings. Many commercial products are not compliant with federal security requirements.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse the \u003ca href=\"https://marketplace.fedramp.gov/products\"\u003eFedRAMP Marketplace\u003c/a\u003e to find authorized services. Also, consider whether this requirement will decrease competition as advised in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.fedramp.gov/faqs/\"\u003eFedRAMP frequently asked questions\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBudget is a common challenge to agile acquisitions. If you have a smaller budget, a minimum viable product (MVP) is a good place to start and build agency buy-in. This is useful whether you decide to buy or build.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"box \"\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is a minimum viable product?\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA minimum viable product, or MVP, is a product with enough features to attract early-adopter customers and validate a product idea early in the product development lifecycle.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTo develop an MVP, conduct an assessment of key technical requirements and user needs, including the price and budgetary constraints. This assessment will help stakeholders focus on the requirements they truly must have in a solution. Use these requirements to develop an MVP. As your agency’s leadership sees the visual representation of the product and reviews the honest and accurate calculations, you might receive additional funds. Throughout this process, it is important not to be overly optimistic, to overpromise, or to pack your \u003ca href=\"https://guides.18f.gov/agile/agile-fundamentals/\"\u003esprints\u003c/a\u003e with more work than can be done.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-can-i-do-next\"\u003eWhat can I do next?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRegardless of your decision to build or buy, factor long-term maintenance into your budgets and plans. Develop an understanding of what it will take to maintain your solution over time and plan your budget accordingly. Think about sustaining your solutions throughout its entire life cycle. Also, consider the amount of scalability you will require in the long-term.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor more information on how to jump start your approach, check out the \u003ca href=\"https://guides.18f.gov/derisking-government-tech/\"\u003e18F De-risking Guide\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can also join a \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/communities/\"\u003eDigital.gov community of practice\u003c/a\u003e to connect with fellow web and digital practitioners in government who are working to create better online experiences for the public.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003carticle\n  class=\"dg-note \"\n\u003e\n  \u003ch4 class=\"dg-note__heading\"\u003e\n    \u003csvg\n      class=\"dg-note__icon usa-icon dg-icon dg-icon--large\"\n      aria-hidden=\"true\"\n      focusable=\"false\"\n    \u003e\n      \u003cuse xlink:href=\"/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/uswds/img/sprite.svg#notifications\"\u003e\u003c/use\u003e\n    \u003c/svg\u003e\n    \n      Note\n    \n  \u003c/h4\u003e\n  \u003cp\u003eThis blog post was inspired by the fourth session of the \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/event/2024/03/13/spring-2024-community-summit/\"\u003eSpring 2024 Digital.gov Community Summit: Delivering a digital-first public experience\u003c/a\u003e, which focused on navigating digital acquisitions using an agile approach. These topics included acquiring a website, how to conduct market research on possible solutions, and planning processes, hiring strategies, how to leverage contractors, as well as pricing and budgeting.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis session’s panelists included\u003c/strong\u003e:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSession moderator, \u003cstrong\u003eAshley Owens\u003c/strong\u003e – Senior digital acquisition strategist, General Services Administration (GSA)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJusten Proctor\u003c/strong\u003e – Senior contracting officer, GSA\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAndrew Nielsen\u003c/strong\u003e – Director of Government-wide IT Accessibility Program, GSA\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLaura Larimore\u003c/strong\u003e – Senior digital strategist, Department of State (DOS)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnthony Burley\u003c/strong\u003e – Senior project manager, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\n\u003c/article\u003e\n\n"}
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