AGILE CONTRACTS IN GOVERNMENT

Traci Walker, USDS

We need to bridge the gap between the government and digital solutions

Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/blmoregon/11442393906/

“GALLOPING GERTIE”Tacoma Narrows Bridge

Digital transformation needs a safer path

Focuses on implementing Agile software development to show how to navigate the flexibilities that already exist in the Federal Acquisition Regulations

www.playbook.cio.gov/techfar

TECHFAR HANDBOOK

DURABLE BUT FLEXIBLE

SAFETY AND LOWERING RISKS

NOT OVER-ENGINEERED

HOW TO BUILD THE RIGHT CONTRACT FOR AGILE DEVELOPMENT

SEPARATE TECHNICAL FEATURES FROM CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS

REPEATED PROCESS FOR THE DELIVERY OF WORKING PRODUCT

APPLY THE RULES OF AGILE IN THE RULES OF THE CONTRACT

DURABLE BUT FLEXIBLE

CORRECTLY APPLY CONTRACT TYPES

THINK SMALL

HAVE AN EXIT STRATEGY

SAFETY AND LOWERING RISKS

NOT OVER-ENGINEEREDWaterfall Contracting

Agile Contracting

Individual Labor Categories Agile Teams

Labor Rates or FFP completed system New Unit of Measure: FFP Per Iteration

One Final End Solution Repeated process for functional product

Full Solution Released (IOC/FOC) Release Management / Minimum Viable Products

Maintenance becomes Steady State New development / bugs / enhancements prioritized equally as User Stories

New/Changed Features = Modifications for New Cost/Schedule

New features = longer schedule to completion or reprioritization of effort underway

Formal Past Performance Performance Retrospectives

Project Management Product Owner

Full scoped out requirements “Just in Time” Requirements in User Stories

SBA CASE STUDY: CERTIFY.SBA.GOV

Started 2015

March 2016: WOSB Certification Launched

December: First Service Launched

August: Team arrives

November: Environment Ready

June: Contract formalized

CHALLENGE YOURSELF

The right contract is one that bridges agency mission to desired outcomes with the right

balance between government regulation and flexibility in delivering digital solutions

USDS.GOV

Traci Walker, USDS