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GTSC Releases 2019 Annual Report: Fostering Collaboration to Cast a Wider Shadow on the Homeland Security Market
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GTSC Releases 2019 Annual Report: Fostering Collaboration to Cast a Wider Shadow on the Homeland Security Market

The Government Technology & Services Coalition, the foremost organization for government contractors in the homeland security mission space, released its 2019 Annual Report at their Annual Meeting.

GTSC’s 2019 Annual Report: Fostering Collaboration to Cast a Wider Shadow on the Homeland Security Market, catalogs the non-profits activities and progress toward a trusted community to protect the nation.

The theme: Fostering Collaboration to Cast a Wider Shadow on the Homeland Security Market highlights the effectiveness of the over 200 contracting companies that have joined together to collaborate to bring the best solutions to the homeland security market. The organization saw 25% growth among its mid-tier members, contractors with revenue between $25 million and $1 billion, and saw over one million page views at their news site, Homeland Security Today (www.HSToday.us).  In addition to engaging to improve procurement for all contractors, the organization works to provide a level playing field, increase competition, and assure that smaller companies with innovative solutions have an opportunity to share with the public sector officials that need them.  The organization has attracted new government partners, and sustained vibrant partnerships with its traditional supporters.

“We are extremely happy that our approach to collaboration, facts, and practical solutions has been embraced by the homeland security community.  We have worked very hard to create a community of trusted relationships between the public and private sector to work together to protect our nation. We work daily to bridge the communication gap and lack of understanding between those who are accountable for the mission, and those who support them to achieve it. Our non-profit’s work, our mission, has always been to support those on the front lines, executing our nation’s laws, to keep our children, citizens, and cities safer against all threats.” said Kristina Tanasichuk, CEO & Founder, at the release.

“Our partnership with GTSC is incomparable,” said Alba M. Alemán, CEO of Citizant and GTSC’s Mid-Tier Company of the Year. “GTSC, has been paramount in developing trusted relationships between industry and agency leaders to bring forward unique perspectives, so that those agencies will be better served and able to achieve mission-critical objectives. Moreover, to be a part of such an elite network of like-minded professionals passionate about national security and core infrastructure missions, is both energizing and humbling.”

GTSC was founded in 2011 by small business CEOs in the homeland security market to find ways to improve procurement and acquisition of innovative technologies, give small businesses a voice in the federal market, and provide a trusted community for those tasked with securing the country.  The organization has evolved to represent the ecosystem of the homeland security market with small, mid-tier, and large companies engaged to collaborate, mentor, and network to achieve mission. In 2017, the non-profit purchased the Homeland Security Today media platform.

“As a fairly new business having started in 2012, I have been a part of various organizations and associations.  GTSC has been the ONLY one that has consistently supported businesses and government entities with a passion for both sides. I can proudly say that Potomac Management Solution’s growth and success has been directly contributed to the programs, guidance and overall structure of GTSC!” said Diane McCain, CEO of Potomac Management Solutions and GTSC’s Small Business of the Year.

GTSC and Homeland Security Today also hosts the Annual Holiday Hero Awards recognizing those on the front-lines on watch every single day to protect our country from threats to homeland security.  The awards recognize private citizens and public sector officials doing exceptional work on behalf of the homeland.

The 2019 Annual Report catalogs the numerous programs, meetings, networking opportunities, charitable events, and workgroups supported by the organization and the leaders and members shaping those activities.
Part II: Implementing Agile at USCIS
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Part II: Implementing Agile at USCIS

PART II

In part II of our interview with Josh Seckel, Sara Kindsfater-Yerkes, Chair of the GTSC Business Development Exchange, was able to sit down with USCIS’ Chief of the Applied Technology Division (ATD) to discuss the agile transformation at U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Among ATD’s chief responsibilities are driving the adoption of agile across the USCIS enterprise, brought about in part by providing agile coaching services – experts across the technical, process and organizational change domains who help clients shift their culture and mindset to lean/agile thinking. This is a sea change in Federal IT – moving away from the lengthy, and staged waterfall methods to continuous activities for developing software. By doing them continuously quality improves because testing starts day one, visibility improves through collaboration and increased visibility, and risk is reduced through continuous feedback and prioritization of work.  

GTSC: You’ve been through some of the best agile coaching training out there – for those who aren’t coaches what does “being a good mirror” mean?

Josh: Yes. They are able to point out to the team what is engrained that they are doing and can’t see for themselves, and get them to question, “is there a better way” versus accepting “we’ve always done it this way”. That takes a special relationship – one built on trust, honesty but without being a snitch, not judging but helping and not being oversight.

GTSC: So how are coaches typically different than scrum masters?

Josh: Again, really good scrum masters can be agile coaches, as long as they’ve had experience helping teams grow and get better. It’s a really small number of people that can do that though – be scrum masters AND agile coaches. Biggest differences between scrum masters and agile coaches is their area of engagement – scrum masters focus on team, coaches focus on project or program, and multiple teams of developers, scrum masters and stakeholders. At USCIS we have agile coaches that focus on divisions and entire portfolios of systems.

GTSC: This is somewhat self-serving given my background but how is agile driving culture change in the government?

Josh: Agile is helping the government breakdown silos, slowly. People are talking – maybe not collaborating to the fullest extent but we’re realizing why it’s important to talk to other parts of the organization. Within USCIS the IT people are engaging the business side more than they used to. Speed is also a big driver of change – there’s a new expectation for delivery on the order of months not years. The pace of change in government is increasing – I know it’s been that way in industry – but in government we are really pushing to think about what comes next. Agile is also changing the way we think about quality – we’ve got to deliver quicker, with less resources and keep focused on quality while maintaining that pace. Next, we’ve got to focus on understanding MVP (minimum viable product) on the business side – that’s coming.

GTSC: It’s a consistent pain point – how do you procure agile services?  

Josh: We’ve got to focus on agile acquisition, not acquisition for agile. What I mean is we need look at what we need to change in the acquisition process. We’ve also got to keep contractual requirements in contracts and leave business requirements out of them. Come to Agile 2016 to hear me talk about this – I have a lot to say on this topic!

GTSC:  As you know, GTSC’s “tag line” is, It’s All About Mission.  How do you think agile impacts the mission of USCIS? 

Josh:  Agile impacts the mission of USCIS by providing more immediate responses to changes in direction, both large and small.  When the executive order for Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) came down, we were able to start working on the changes much faster than history would indicate.  And when the court stayed the order, we were able to switch back very rapidly as well.  Or on the small level, we are fixing and changing items on a rapid basis because of user feedback. This enables the officers to be much more responsive to the applicants rather than having to deal with a long wait and many work arounds.

GTSC: So last question, how do we work together (government and industry) to continue to bring things like agile, to the government to improve government?

Josh: Neither can do it alone – agile, devops, etc. – it has to be a partnership. We’re going to put out RFPs for agile delivery, and we’re going to expect that those bidding can do things like test driven development (TDD). If companies bidding don’t have the skills they won’t win. It’s a different world. Companies need to keep the skills of their teams up to date and growing; we’ve all got to focus on the work and the mission.

JOIN US to hear Josh in person discussing best practices in agile at USCIS, March 10, 2016.  REGISTER here.

Sara Kindsfater Yerkes


Sara Kindsfater-Yerkes, leader of GTSC’s DHS Business Development Exchange and member since 2012, is an Organizational Change Strategist with expertise in guiding large-scale transformations, Sara is passionate about helping individuals and teams to become high performing and creating cultures in which all can thrive. She currently supports Josh and USCIS in the cultural adoption of lean/agile practices.

Insight Session with Latetia Henderson, TSA
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Insight Session with Latetia Henderson, TSA

Join us for a unique convesation with

Latetia Henderson
Assistant Administrator for the Office of Acquisition, Transporation Security Administration

As the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Acquisition, Latetia Henderson is in charge of over 170 acquisition and contracting professionals who are responsible for obligating and procuring goods and services valued at over $3 billion annually. She is a lead expert in process implementation and is spearheading the strategic and performance management efforts to streamline the operational efficiency of acquisition and procurement processes at TSA.

She has 30 years of experience as a federal acquisition professional making significant contributions to the execution of critical missions at various federal agencies. Her assignments include allocating TSA’s $1 billion from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Furthermore, she has served in several leadership roles at TSA, including project lead in the Office of Human Capital, and Division Director for the Security Technology Acquisition Division within the Office of Acquisition.

Henderson received her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia. Following graduation, she began her federal career as a developmental intern in the Naval Air Systems Command Contract Specialist Program. In that role, she supported the acquisition of major weapon and missile systems and later assumed responsibilities as a senior negotiator on the Tomahawk Baseline Improvement Program. These experiences allowed her to develop and eventually ascend to managerial positions within the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of the Interior, the Department of the Navy and the Department of Defense Washington Headquarters Services. Henderson’s commitment and dedication to the acquisition profession has been recognized through numerous awards and accolades throughout her career.