The Department of State is shifting its acquisition strategy in the next few years, seeking direct access to certain contract vehicles and focusing on security, overseas facilities, professional services and artificial intelligence and cyberdefense, said Michael Derrios, the agency’s senior procurement executive.
In an interview with Federal News Network, he gave an overview of the State Department’s new acquisition approach, which includes specialized federally funded research and development centers.
In October, the department received approval to begin direct relationships with FFRDCs instead of using other agencies’ contracts with such centers. Prior to the approval, the State Department was limited to other agencies’ FFRDC contract ceilings and get out-of-scope services through other agreements.
Derrios said they are also pushing for Congressional clearance to use other transaction agreements, which could help the agency procure some of their unique needs.
“Today we have to go to other agencies and try to get access to their FFRDCs. Now we will be able to have our own suite of FFRDC contractors,” Derrios said. “We just didn’t have our own indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity vehicles with the MITREs, LMIs or RANDs of the world. They provide great service in niche areas. The State Department’s mission is evolving. We are now doing things that the department wasn’t asked to do in year’s past.”