According To Deltek, Biden Administration Will Focus On Balancing Policy Reversal With Its Innovation Agenda

New Deltek report examines the priorities of the incoming administration and the potential impact to government contractors

HERNDON, Va. – January 21, 2021 – According to a new report from Deltek, President-elect Biden’s transition team will shape their strategy for his agenda by balancing recovery with innovation and opportunity creation. The Biden Administration will be tasked with not only reversing a wide range of controversial policies from the Trump Administration but also laying the budget, policy and process foundation necessary to execute President-elect Biden’s ambitious agenda for key areas, including economic recovery, healthcare, immigration, climate change, national security, technology and government operations.

This administration transition will have near- and long-term implications for budgets and contracting. Leadership will work to balance budget austerity with targeted investments that prioritize critical programs and create contracting opportunities. The Biden Administration has committed to driving small business recovery and opportunity with federal contracting with strategies that expand SBA programs that support underrepresented businesses, increase agency targets for Small Disadvantaged Business utilization, expand outreach and support for small business such as those in the 8(a) program, and increase small business contracting transparency. Some existing acquisition and operational reform initiatives will remain, while others will evolve as the new administration takes ownership. 

Contractors of all sizes should be actively reviewing and positioning their programs with outgoing and incoming leadership, evaluating the Biden agenda for potential indicators of priority changes, and identifying key career personnel who will be invaluable to the incoming administration as it begins assessing program operations and performance.

KEY FINDINGS

  • Near-Term Priorities. The Biden Administration’s near-term priorities will address a multitude of policy changes that require immediate attention, including COVID-19 response, economic recovery, national security, immigration and climate change.
  • Reshaping Management Initiatives. The majority of IT, acquisition and process initiatives developed or expanded in the Trump Administration will likely remain in some form; however, most will be “rebranded” or reshaped to align with Biden Administration priorities.
  • Small Business Prioritization. Small business recovery is central to President-elect Biden’s economic policy, which include plans for additional financial resources, outreach and contracting policy changes to carve out more small business contracting opportunities.
  • Alignment with New Priorities. While major program changes are unlikely in the early days of a new administration, contractors should be prepared to make program adjustments on current contracts to align with new priorities, methodologies or metrics established by the new administration.
  • FY 2022 Federal Budget. President-elect Biden’s strategy for handling the next budget submission is unclear but, at a minimum, contractors should expect changes to budget priorities in healthcare, immigration enforcement, R&D, environmental justice and national security.

Deltek provides in-depth analysis of the transition on its new Administration Transition Resource Center. More resources to help business developers navigate key government contracting market changes can be found on the Administration Transition Hub.

About Deltek

Better software means better projects. Deltek is the leading global provider of enterprise software and information solutions for project-based businesses. More than 30,000 organizations and millions of users in over 80 countries around the world rely on Deltek for superior levels of project intelligence, management and collaboration. Our industry-focused expertise powers project success by helping firms achieve performance that maximizes productivity and revenue. deltek.com

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