Find Government IT Jobs through OMB Mandates

Posted by Administrator on March 28th, 2008

In 2005, the Office of Management and Budget released a mandate requiring all federal agencies to switch from Internet Protocol version 4 to version 6. As the June 2008 deadline for the switch approaches, the mandate provides an excellent example of how government technology mandates are a jumping-off point for contractors to find government IT jobs.

Government agencies, particularly at the federal level, are making a concerted effort to stay current with computer and network technologies. As the tools we use to communicate continue to evolve, the government needs to keep up, and in order for government networks to be able to communicate, it’s occasionally necessary to order a system-wide upgrade such as the Internet Protocol switch. For a contractor, these mandates mean an increased availability of government IT jobs.

Government IT jobs like a major upgrade in hardware or software usually can’t be handled by an agency’s existing tech staff. In addition to the government IT software contracts available, government agencies need support in areas such as:

Hardware and supplies
Implementation
Training
Administration

In fact, part of the Internet Protocol Mandate requires agencies to “have available contractor/vendor IPv6 technical support for development and implementation and fielded product management.” If a vendor is needed, why not your company?

Many of these coveted government IT jobs will go to participants in GSA-awarded government technology programs such as the Networx program. As these upgrades trickle down to agencies at the state and local level, however, there is a greater incentive for these government IT jobs to go to contractors in the local community.

Position Your Business for Government IT Jobs

The IPv6 mandate was released by the OMB 3 years before the ultimate compliance date. Monitoring OMB mandates is a great way to receive advance notice of upcoming government IT jobs. Once you hear of the OMB mandate, you can start positioning your business to win local jobs.

Some positioning strategies include:

Obtain certification to perform the required services.
Establish a history of authority on the subject by performing similar private-sector contracts.
If you haven’t already, join a local tech association. Talk up your familiarity with such projects during networking and marketing sessions.
Reach out to your network of agency contacts. During your next marketing meeting with them, mention your growing expertise in the area and inquire about the agency’s plans for mandate compliance.

Visit the Onvia site for more information on using market intelligence to position your company early for government IT jobs.

Share and Enjoy: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.