By Anna K. Sever, Cadence Health Strategies, LLC
In the world of healthcare, we have seen massive changes over the last 50 years and we can anticipate that changes will continue. The transition in administration provides an opportunity for each business to reassess its capabilities at a functional level and identify how those functional capabilities align with federal agency needs.
All too often in the daily race of business development and capture, we forget to step back and reevaluate the basics of our business. The following are key methods to ensure that your business continues to grow and diversify in this new administration:
- Identify what tasks you excel in completing for your clients and ensure that you market these core competencies with language that is salient to the new administration. Also, anticipate what changes will mean for new business opportunities such as the changing pace of MHS Genesis or the increase pressure to utilize MTFs and the impact of cybersecurity needs on medical devices both at MTFs and in theater.
- Think broadly and find ways to diversify your business base. Healthcare is a very broad array of services and it is important to note that all of the following agencies have some form of health IT or clinical contracting: CFPB, DOD, DOL, DOI, DOJ, DHS, FEMA, IRS, OPM, SSA, and the more obvious ones of HHS, DHA and VA. Can your core business activities be leveraged as solutions across other Federal agencies?
- Understand the implications of legislative proposal and rule changes. This doesn’t just mean Kingdomware but also look at how potential changes in program funding, mandates and requirements might provide new opportunities. How will the ACA Repeal and Replace efforts impact work that you currently have or could have at CMS or the IRS? Use your resources to truly comprehend the market changes. Synthesize and coalesce all the various information to recognize how your company can provide solutions for government customers.
- Don’t just assume incumbents will keep contract particularly as missions of agencies changes and the dialogue around insourcing versus outsourcing continues. Be a disruptor and propose a better or more innovative way of achieving the customers’ goals.
- Be humble when necessary and willing to align as a strategic subcontractor in new agencies. You can’t always be a prime, particularly when trying to enter a new agency.
- Finally, set a bold vision that aligns your capabilities with the administration’s needs. Communicate that vision throughout the organization. Reward innovative thinking and strategic risk taking that leads to new business opportunities.
All too often the unknown is met with trepidation for those in the government contracting business but resistance to change can also mean a lack of revenue growth. This is an exciting time to innovate and embrace the transformation with all the new opportunities to come!
Anna K Sever has over 25 years of experience in state and federal health and human services programs and contracting. She has served as a gubernatorial appointee in an Umbrella Health and Welfare and she has also been responsible for business development and operations in a variety of private sector health and human services organizations. She has been responsible for business development for companies working in the following areas: Medicaid, Medicare, Tricare, child and adult mental health, substance abuse, child welfare, adoption, developmental disabilities, aging and disease management.
