EVENTS

Deidre Lee Speaks to LMI Staff as Part of LMI’s Distinguished Speaker Series

Discusses challenges of new position at GSA

McLean, Virginia, December 13, 2005 — Ms. Deidre (Dee) Lee,Assistant CommissionerofIntegrated Technology Services for the newly created Federal Acquisition Service (FAS), spoke to the LMI staff as part of the LMI Research Institute’s Distinguished Speaker series. At FAS, part of the General Services Administration (GSA), Lee will have responsibility for the technology and professional services offered to customer agencies. She will also be in charge of the acquisition workforce and for creating and delivering technology and telecommunications initiatives.

Lee discussed the challenges of managing people and business while GSA is undergoing a major reorganization. The workforce will face major changes during the reorganization, and Lee emphasized the importance of good communication in helping the staff cope with this dynamic environment. GSA’s senior management must also clarify the agency’s evolving business model to its customers and make sure it delivers on its commitments. Lee also emphasized the need for research that will keep GSA aware of cutting-edge technologies and prepared with procurement vehicles before government customers know they want them. Good research also plays a role in being able to respond quickly to changes in policy with new service offerings. At the end of her speech, Lee fielded questions from the staff covering issues such as how GSA will approach telecommunications and Internet Protocol (IP) services and how it can leverage the government’s buying power.

Before joining GSA, Lee was the Director of Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy for the Department of Defense. In that position, she served as the principal advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics and Defense Acquisition Board on acquisition and procurement strategies for all major weapon systems, major automated information systems, and services’ acquisitions.

LMI is a not-for-profit government consulting firm. The Distinguished Speaker series brings senior government officials to LMI to share their thoughts on critical issues facing government managers.