Time To Cash In On Two Trends
The second trend is the rapid advancement of both wireless and satellite communications technologies, especially voice over IP (VoIP). Utilizing new technologies has become very important to federal, state and local governments, especially in situations where communications are critical and conventional communications methods have failed.
Federal law-enforcement agencies have launched a multibillion-dollar project to build new wireless communications networks that allow field agents and other personnel from the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the Secret Service and other agencies to communicate with each other, as well as with state/local agencies and outside organizations.
In addition, the military is leading efforts to expand the use of secure wireless and satellite communications. Those communications systems convey information to soldiers stationed around the world and, most important, in remote locations. Satellite technology can even bring information to troops as they move from place to place. Wireless and satellite technology saves time (the information can be conveyed in near-real time vs. days in transit) and often prevents putting a person in harm's way.
On a larger scale, in the not-so-distant future, the military plans to create the Defense Information Systems Agency's Global Information Grid Bandwidth Expansion (GIG-BE), which will become the infrastructure for a worldwide network-centric operation to support multiple transformation objectives. GIG-BE will be able to provide critical information, such as enemy troop movement to soldiers anywhere in the world—whether stationary or mobile.
And the military has implemented advanced communications solutions beyond its direct national defense responsibilities for personnel agencies' use. For example, the U.S. Army recently installed a number of "Internet cafes" employing Segovia satellite communications technology that lets U.S. soldiers in the Middle East get online with friends and family back home.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Complex initiatives like those are being accomplished with the help of savvy systems integrators who are part of public/private partnerships. So how can you, as a VAR, participate in this action? For starters, you can recognize the government's sense of urgency in these needs and respond to it. To add value to an engagement, there are three things you need to keep in mind:
- Understand technology. We are blessed with a broad range and diversity of technology, often overlapping in function and performance. Your organization needs to understand how disparate, sophisticated technologies fit together, complement each other and combine to make the best and most cost-effective overall solution.
- Understand government requirements. Go in asking, "What do you want the end result to be?" before describing what you can do. We often have found that as situations change—sometimes very rapidly—agency personnel can explain what they want to achieve, but may not necessarily know how to get there. It's our job to help them understand which technologies will help them achieve the desired result and meet the agency's requirement.
- Understand time and financial constraints. With the trend to shorten procurement processes, what used to take a year or several months to procure can now be acquired and installed in fewer than 30 days. You need to find creative ways to bring solutions to your customers quickly. That also means finding creative ways to help your customers finance these solutions.
Nobody can do it alone anymore. And when it's done right, all of us win.
Jim Dunn is COO for Eyak Technology, an Alaska Native ANC 8(a) government service provider.
