By Joe Yamour, VP, Public Sector Sales, Paragon Micro
At the Dell Technologies Partner Advisory Board meeting, I moderated a candid discussion with leaders who have steered federal technology through shutdowns, COVID-era pivots, and the current wave of acquisition reform. A theme emerged quickly: success isn’t about a single contract or headline; it’s about resilient people, the right partners, and credible execution that turns intent into mission outcomes. What follows is an edited replay, condensed for clarity, to help leaders move faster, reduce risk, and deliver where missions live.
Q&A
1) Shutdowns: The Hidden Interdependencies
Q: When shutdowns hit, what doesn’t make the headlines—but derails IT the most?
Former Federal CIO: We don’t behave like one enterprise during a shutdown. Each agency makes different calls on what’s “critical,” and the interdependencies snap—onboarding, credentialing, background checks, even payroll. Supply chains go fragile fast, and people are under real stress, including increased insider-risk. A practical rule of thumb: for every week shut down, it can take three to four weeks to fully recover—because equipment moves, people shift roles, and the restart queue is long.
2) Restarting Operations: What Actually Helps
Q: Where did agencies struggle most in the restart—and what actually helped?
Former Federal CIO: Priority programs remain priority, but you’re rebuilding teams while clearing interagency backlogs. The web of infrastructure isn’t well understood, so triage takes time. Trusted partners matter: those who stayed engaged during shutdown had the relationships and context to compress timelines when operations resumed.
3) OEM & VAR Roles During Disruption
Q: From the OEM side, what stands out?
OEM Executive: Workforce churn is real—federal IT skews older and each shutdown increases turnover. We depend on the VAR community to maintain relationships and keep stakeholders aligned so we can restart quickly. When reorgs hit in parallel, that partner continuity is critical.
4) Long-term Risk: People and Skills
Q: General, what’s the long-term risk you worry about?
Retired 4-Star General: People. Civilian-heavy organizations pause, and it’s hard to justify public service to younger talent when shutdowns recur. We need flexibility and agility built into how we buy and deliver, or we’ll keep losing time and people.
5) Acquisition Reform: Speed vs. Execution
Q: What is the FAR rewrite trying to solve—and what should leaders watch for?
Former Federal CIO: The intent is speed and simplicity, but we still saddle innovators with rigid past-performance requirements and dated caps. We say we want rapid adoption—then expect OEMs to do everything. That doesn’t work. You need partners who understand the journey and architecture, and rules that allow them to execute.
Retired 4-Star General: We can’t afford five- to fifteen-year cycles—barely even three-year refresh rates. Run smaller pilots with lighter past performance to prove value and give contracting officers discretion to communicate and evaluate effectively. The danger is the transition—if people aren’t trained on the new flexibilities, speed won’t materialize.
6) Enterprise “One-Go” Deals: Headlines vs. Outcomes
Q: Big OneGov enterprise deals make headlines. Do they deliver outcomes?
Former Federal CIO: Not without a mission-by-mission execution plan that addresses data, security, workflows, and adoption. Price isn’t the blocker—execution is. That’s where capable partners earn their keep.
7) Where VARs Add Unique Value Now
Q: Where do VARs truly add value right now?
Joe (closing): Integration at the last mile—multi-vendor orchestration; secure, documented configurations; lifecycle management; and standing behind outcomes. Without room for value-added competition and delivery, “simplification” becomes commodity buying that strips out what makes solutions work in production. Our north star isn’t margin—it’s the mission.
If you’re ready to trade headlines for outcomes, I’d like to partner with you. We’ll align authority, sponsors, and an execution plan by mission—then deliver the last-mile integration that sticks. I’ll host the first working session.
Disclosure: This article is based on a panel moderated by the author at a Dell Technologies Partner Advisory Board session and has been edited for length and clarity.
The views expressed are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Paragon Micro or Dell Technologies.