Rung: Federal category managers are getting right to work

The 10 managers tapped by the Office of Management and Budget to keep track of the federal government's big-ticket product and service categories are meeting with commercial companies to compare notes on streamlining acquisition through category management, according to Office of Federal Procurement Policy Administrator Anne Rung.

In an interview with FCW, Rung said IT category manager Kim Luke has talked with executives at Johnson & Johnson about that company's use of the practice. The meeting, she said, was one of the first in a planned series for the category leads with commercial companies and other entities who are also implementing category management to control spending and reduce duplicative contracting.

Luke and the other managers, including professional services category manager Tiffany Hixson, have been tasked with drawing up a strategic plans for OMB that include spending analyses, financial risk reports, recommended strategies and other research and associated data.  The results will be submitted to the Category Management Leadership Council that oversees the effort.

At the same time, the managers are also leading current strategic sourcing efforts.. Luke, for instance, is in charge of managing OMB's personal computer policy that mandates federal agencies select PCs from a list of five pre-approved designs. He's also responsible for implementing OMB's December guidance that centralized management of software licenses to reduce duplication of contracts. An upcoming release of similar guidance for mobile services and devices would also be under Luke's management, according to Rung.

As category management practices develop in the federal space, Rung said, categories could adapt to shifting technologies and other changes in markets.

"Think of it as a start-up company," she said. The team is "taking an initial deep dive" to get a baseline before the heavy lifting begins.