Get it done. Now, more than ever, agencies need government contractors to help them drive efficiencies — quickly, Norbert Howard says.
Digital and financial transformation, while a focus by the government for some time, now must happen by necessity — and in near real time, said Howard, partner and federal practice lead at 11th Hour Services, an enterprise management and staffing consultancy.
Given downsizing, “how do you do more with less?” he said. “Well, insert more technology. … Technology is part of it, but we still need good people, the right people in different roles, and the roles are changing for the staff in different parts of organizations.”
Howard talked about the demands on agencies to evolve quickly and how 11th Hour Services works with federal organizations do that during an interview for the Society of Defense Financial Management’s The Business of Defense podcast on Federal News Network.
Addressing limited financial management talent pipeline
One hurdle for agencies is a lack of the necessary skill sets, Howard said.
He noted that both in the government and in industry, there’s a shortage of financial management talent and described the pipeline coming into the discipline as light.
“I’ve been all over the place — Big Four, small firms, medium-sized firms — and one of the stresses that you always had was finding the right people fast enough,” Howard said, adding, “Whether you’re a small business or a large business, that is something that is a challenge in the marketplace, especially for financial management professionals.”
Because of 11th Hour Services’ structure, Norbert said that his team can source subject matter experts internally or externally depending on the specific client need — from enterprise risk management and data analytics to robotic process automation and artificial intelligence.
“We really can go and source those folks if we don’t have them already within the company,” he said.
“If I get work with a customer, I’m not worried so much about if I can find the right people,” Howard said. “That happens very quickly but very efficiently. It’s a well-tuned process.”
Mitigating risk in government contracting
The company also realizes that there is risk for it as well in the swiftly changing government contracting environment.
Howard said he wakes up every day and surveils the changing government landscape and does see challenges with what’s happening — but he also sees opportunities.
“Every federal contractor has some concerns about how we’re going to end up once we’re through this phase,” he said. “I’m going to describe it as a phase, but I really don’t know how long it’s going to last. You know, we try to make it clear what we do, what’s the value of what we do.”
A critical piece has been clearly explaining the work that his team does for the agencies it partners with, Howard said. It’s been important to communicate and justify that the work typically involves audit readiness, internal controls, financial reporting and things that “are regulated and driven by strong policies and legislative framework,” he said.
It’s also important to point out that, in some cases, it’s work that must be done by someone with a particular license, Howard said.
“That’s also a unique thing to mention as you try to go through and justify why this arrangement exists — because it has to exist — and you want that to be out front and don’t leave it to chance,” he said. “That’s the approach we’ve taken. We know our clients are under a lot of pressure. They may not think of all these things that we come up with in the middle of the night and send over in an email: ‘Hey, just in case you’re asked these questions.’ We’re proactive about it.”
Continuing to evolve as a government contractor
A willingness to change has driven growth and evolution at 11th Hour Services, Howard said, pointing to the company’s start in staffing and recruiting through expanding into enterprise and financial management as well as integrating emergent technologies.
Growth for small to medium-sized businesses often requires tough adjustments, but he said that adaptability is part of the company culture.
There’s a lot of two-way communication between the frontline teams working in agencies and leaders in 11th Hour Services, he said. “If something’s on your mind, you don’t have to hide it or put it to the side. You can come and discuss it with one of us, and we’re open to advice.”
That’s part of the learning and adapting process, he said. It’s also part of what he considers a critical success factor: being prepared.
“Always look for an opportunity to learn,” Howard said. “No matter how smart you are, if somebody knows something you don’t, you have to be open to let that come in and accept it and use it — use it strategically as you move forward.”
Same with preparation — always be prepared, he said. “Don’t just walk in and try to wing it.” It applies across the board to every part of the job, he said and credited a boss long ago for giving him that advice.
Plus, it’s an approach that translates well to today’s federal climate, Howard pointed out.
“I have concern, but I’m not afraid. You can’t be afraid of the problem. You have to tackle it head on.”
Discover more stories about how to thrive as a federal contractor. Find all episodes of The Business of Defense podcast.
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