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New tools have emerged that can enhance communication even in the midst of the federal government’s current financial constraints. Video teleconferencing and other components of Unified Communications have advanced exponentially in recent years, providing secure, high definition, and seamless user experiences from any location and any device. However, there are still a number of challenges preventing fuller adoption and implementation of video by federal agencies. Reevaluating and adopting new procurement models for connective technologies, such as Video-as-a-Service (VaaS), can help agencies attain greater service quality for both federal employees and the citizens they serve.

Current Uses of Video in Government

Federal agencies have already made great strides to implement video and facilitate greater engagement between and among federal employees, military personnel, citizens, and other stakeholders.

In federal employee education and training, for example, video capabilities complement the ongoing virtualization of classrooms. In the Department of Defense, National Defense University provides users worldwide with the

BRINGING VIDEO TO GOVERNMENT: CHALLENGING TRADITIONAL TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION

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ability to take courses and attend seminars in its cloud-based Information Resources Management College. Video connects students, instructors, and guest speakers via “telepresence,” enabling greater collaboration, learning, and information sharing.1

Agencies have also begun pursuing video to expand services to citizens. In healthcare, video helps doctors remotely conduct health consultations or examinations.2 The Department of Veterans Affairs has accordingly prioritized $567M in FY2015 funding toward video-enabled “telehealth” programs, providing medical checkups, mental health services, and specialized care to veterans from the comfort of their own homes.3 As a result of these types of initiatives, agencies are able to broaden their reach and serve more people in a timely fashion, regardless of geographic location.

Obstacles and Drivers for Change

Though these examples demonstrate the potential for video to enhance agency missions, federal acquisition of video technologies has been hampered by the limitations of existing buying practices. For instance, despite the commercial availability of web-based video services designed for consumers, public sector procurement is not

AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NAVIGATES THROUGH AN UNSTABLE BUDGET ENVIRONMENT, NEW COLLABORATION TECHNOLOGIES AND METHODS OF ACCESS MAY HELP AGENCIES ACHIEVE THEIR MISSIONS MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY  

Pictured: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel speaks with the Russian Minister of Defense during the first ever video conference between defense leaders from the U.S. and Russia, December 13, 2013.

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always compatible with the cost structure of agency budgets. As historically has been the case with other technologies, hardware purchases of the required technical components for video have traditionally been classified as capital expenditures. Government agencies may have difficulty justifying these expenses and can be hesitant to make large investments in equipment that may quickly become outdated or fluctuate in frequency of use.

More so than ever, this limiting and rigid procurement process may merit a redesign as agencies face cost pressures that threaten the efficacy of communication and collaboration in government.

The current downsizing of government budgets has also made a profound impact on previous modes of communication and collaboration. In May 2012, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a memo instructing agencies to slash travel spending by 30% in fiscal years 2013-2016, compared to FY2010 levels.4 Additionally, General Services Administration (GSA) spending on conferences has been reduced by 80% in the past two years.5 Studies show that nearly three-fourths of federal employees believe that these newly imposed reductions will harm collaboration and innovation efforts in the federal government.6

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Redesigning the procurement processes to communications technologies can help offset these changes and encourage government leaders to continue sharing ideas and collaborate in an austere environment and beyond.

Addressing Challenges with “Video-As-A-Service”

Federal agencies have already being shifting to an “as-a-service” model for IT procurement because of its ability to provide greater flexibility and cost transparency, even under current budget constraints.7 For instance, the 2011 Federal Cloud Computing Strategy specifically recommended IT leaders to consider shifting from capital investments in infrastructure and hardware (CapEx) to operating expenditure (OpEx) agreements as a way to realize efficiency gains.8

By converting video and its consumption from CapEx to OpEx, agencies can gain greater control and provide video to a larger number of users and for a wider variety of uses. For instance, agencies can more easily deploy capabilities for temporary events through “pay-as-you-go” agreements, allowing them to employ video at conferences or short-term training sessions.9

In contrast to capital expenditures, operating costs tied to specific capabilities—and that fluctuate according to usage level—can be more easily measured and monitored, allowing agencies to better estimate the return on investment for any given technology offering. An “as-a-service” model also reduces dependence on specific or pre-purchased devices, enabling agencies to provide unified services across a wide variety of platforms. With a blended environment of user devices including BYOD tablets and smartphones, the option to access video via “the cloud” from any compatible device could open doors for agencies constrained by budget and fixed hardware lock-ins.

Security is also a common obstacle for video procurement. For instance, information-sensitive

Pictured: U.S. Army Africa communicators prepare a room for a video teleconference.

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About GBC

Government Business Council (GBC), the research arm of

Government Executive Media Group, is dedicated to advancing

the business of government through analysis and insight. GBC

partners with industry to share best practices with top

government decision-makers, understanding the deep value

inherent in industry’s experience engaging and supporting

federal agencies. Contact Zoe Grotophorst, Manager of

Research & Strategic Insights, Government Business Council, at

[email protected]. For more information, please visit:

www.govexec.com/gbc.

About Polycom Public Sector

Polycom’s collaborative video and voice conferencing

technologies securely extend the reach of government,

education and healthcare services to improve performance and

mission success so that Public Sector organizations can thrive in

the 21st century. Public Sector organizations depend on

Polycom to provide rich, interactive, collaboration solutions that

impact all facets of government, education and healthcare so

information can be shared, decisions accelerated, and services

delivered when and where they are needed most. Polycom’s

interoperable solutions address the major certifications, security

requirements and regulations required to service Public Sector

organizations, including FIPS 140-2 validation, IPv6 and Unified

Capabilities Approved Product List (UC APL) certifications, FDA

Medical Device Data Systems (MDDS) Class 1 and Embedded

Encryption Enabling HIPAA Compliance.

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A “VIDEO-AS-A-SERVICE” MODEL CAN HELP ASSUAGE SECURITY CONCERNS BY OFFERING OPTIONS THAT FIT AGENCIES’ VARYING NEEDS AND LEVELS OF RISK.

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agencies may worry that commercial and consumer-focused video solutions cannot offer secure connections. An “as-a-service” model can help to assuage these concerns by offering options that fit agencies’ varying needs and levels of risk.

With Video-as-a-Service, agencies can request that services be managed or set up on-premise rather than off-site, or select other hybrid models that best fit agency requirements. The federal government can also bolster security by establishing a vendor certification system for a larger number of technological services. IT service providers for cloud storage and infrastructure currently receive security appraisals from GSA’s Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) before they are allowed to sell to federal agencies,10 but a similar certification

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program for video and other connective services could help quell security concerns and provide access to new innovations. Certification standards could include video encryption and supply chain security assurance requirements that properly mitigate risk.

Moving Forward

As proven by the last quarter century, communication technologies are expected to continue emerging and evolving at an increasing pace, changing the ways in which people interact and collaborate with one another. These new communication methods have the potential to challenge and improve upon existing forms of conducting business—or in the case of government agencies, accomplishing missions. In order to fully and readily take advantage of the cost savings and capability enhancements that video can offer, agencies should consider alternative ways to procure and extend connective technologies.

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Sources 1 Yasin, Rutrell. "DOD colleges embrace videoconferencing as teaching tool." GCN: Government Computer News. September 21, 2009. http://gcn.com/articles/2009/09/21/dod-colleges-videoconferencing-teaching.aspx?s=green_220909. 2 Al-Ubaydli, Mohammad. Online consultations can save valuable time for both patients and doctors. September 17, 2013. http://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2013/sep/17/online-consultation-save-doctors-time. 3 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society . Fact Sheet: FY 2015 Federal Budget Request. March 2014. http://www.himss.org/files/FileDownloads/140306%20FY2015%20President%20Budget%20Request%20Health%20IT%20Priorities_1394202103014_7.pdf. 4 Zients, Jeffrey D. "Memorandum to the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies." Executive Office of the President: Office of Management and Budget. May 11, 2012. http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/memoranda/2012/m-12-12.pdf. 5 Clark, Charles S. "Agency Conference Spending Down But Senators Still Want Tighter Controls." Government Executive. January 14, 2014. http://www.govexec.com/management/2014/01/agency-conference-spending-down-senators-still-want-tighter-controls/76844/. 6 Clark, Charles S. Travel and Conference Cutbacks Are Harming Innovation, Survey Finds. September 24, 2013. http://www.govexec.com/management/2013/09/travel-and-conference-cutbacks-are-harming-innovation-survey-finds/70768/. 7 Petty, Angie. Shift of Federal IT Expenditures from CapEx to OpEx Still in Early Stages. GovWin IQ. July 3, 2012. http://govwin.com/apetty_blog/shift-federal-it-expenditures-from/596045. 8 Vivek Kundra, U.S. Chief Information Officer. "Federal Cloud Computing Strategy." The White House. February 8, 2011. https://cio.gov/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/09/Federal-Cloud-Computing-Strategy.pdf. 9 Bell, Tracy. "Michael Greaney of Force 3 Federal Discusses Technology, Government Contracting Changes." WashingtonExec. March 21, 2014. http://www.washingtonexec.com/2014/03/michael-greaney-force-3-federal-discusses-technology-government-contracting-changes/. 10 Cloud CIO. FedRAMP: Ensuring secure cloud computing for the Federal Government. 2014. cloud.cio.gov/fedramp. Images: Flickr users Chuck Hagel (secdef), US Army Africa (usarmyafrica). Represented here with minor modifications.

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