The Procurement Innovation Lab (PIL) modernizes and streamlines how DHS awards contracts, driving competition, efficiency, and value for taxpayers. Through a Testing & Sharing framework, the PIL empowers procurement teams to explore flexibilities in federal regulations, share insights, and promote a culture of continuous learning and adaptation.
- Testing (Experimenting): The PIL supports teams in applying innovative procurement techniques to improve outcomes, accelerate processes, and reduce costs—capturing lessons learned to refine future approaches.
- Sharing (Institutionalizing): The PIL shares insights, emerging techniques, and lessons learned through sample documents, webinars, online resources, and federal-wide collaboration—ensuring the workforce stays agile and informed.
By fostering managed risk-taking and continuous learning, the PIL enhances DHS’s ability to deliver mission-critical services with integrity, fairness, and efficiency—ensuring better outcomes for both the government and taxpayers.
The cycle of testing and feedback is continuous.
Testing
Identify procurement projects to test.
Any member of the procurement project team submits 1-pager.
PIL engages with the three procurement project leads: Contract Lead, Program Lead, Attorney Advisor Lead.
PIL Innovation Coach and three project leads conduct bi-weekly 15 minute “Sprint Chats” until complete.
After award, PIL obtains feedback from Government teams and vendors to capture lessons learned.
Sharing
PIL and Component Acquisition Innovation Advisor (AIA) enable the procurement project teams to share their lessons learned and sample documents through various PIL and agency trainings/engagements.
Procurement project team members fulfilling certain learning experiences can earn a PIL Digi-Badge to become an Innovation Practitioner, Coach or Master.
Digi-Badge holders coach other procurement teams.
Procurement team members engage and exchange innovation experiences with colleagues. | View Original