@procuremancer
I am an enchanter of enterprises, to some the sorcerer of strategic sourcing, for industry the baba yaga of buying, in technical meetings I am can be a warlock of work breakdown structures, I am the Acquisition Alchemist. There are some who call me...Tim?
I have to see the acquisition package for this, the government cost estimate, the acquisition plan, solicitations, etc. This is phenomenal
www.newsweek.com/satellite-im...
As someone who used to equip field agents it also is very obvious none of their gear fits and all looks spanking new - it's almost as if they're finding mall cops and elevating them
The thrilling conclusion of my iPhone story is now out for the dozens of you who read it:
plucking-the-eagle-my-misadventures-in-government.ghost.io/the-agony-an...
In the UK, you have to wear a powdered wig during the whole bidding process. It's so itchy and then you have to bring out the sow for their certifications, it's a whole thing. I honestly don't know how they buy anything from Fujitsu in time.
I just keep thinking about Margaret Hamilton essentially inventing software as a govie for the Apollo program in the 1960s versus this...
In a lot of ways yes, a form based exchange that should take minutes may take hours, days, or never now. But in some very sadly dangerous and impossible to ignore ways -- a lot of people are going to suffer loss of life, property, and more. It's going to be real bad...
bsky.app/profile/john...
Because it's the federal government there always seemed to be more money in the banana stand. What mattered was improving the lives and outcomes of fellow govies, the public at large, and the missions for each agency -- a lot of that is gone now and everyone is gonna find out the hard way
This was one of the points of @bluesky.sboots.ca original meeting cost calculator meetingcostcalculator.ca I stopped my personal tally at 18F after cross $5 billion because I can't celebrate or get an award for it (I have medals for saving $250+ million on the face of contract awards)
This is part of the challenge with this work, and why GAO has a hard time counting "actual savings," because it's not as easy as just terminating a contract -- that can cost more in the long run. Can we account for halving transaction costs with a more efficient solicitation process? etc.
Billions actually, on one of my last projects at 18F, our team helped a state achieve over $300 million in cost "avoidance" and that was just another Tuesday
Everyone forgets that Icarus also flew...I believe Icarus was not failing as he fell, but just coming to the end of his triumph.
Seeing this is what made me write up my encounter with these, I'd guess this cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $2 million.
I love it when the season-long plot lines finally converge
Hopefully some light weekend reading, a break from my iPhone story. This is something I shared in a different forum recently but in a much truncated format.
plucking-the-eagle-my-misadventures-in-government.ghost.io/industry-kno...
Hey isn't it weird that every single AI lab is saying that their ultra-powerful flagship AI model is just around the corner, but it isn't ready yet and you can't see it and they don't know when it'll be done? Isn't it strange that everybody is having the same problems?
*NO AI WHEN WE'RE WORKING ON HUMAN THINKING*
A perfect storm starts forming...Governor Rick Perry shows up, someone tries to commit murder, typewriters, Nintendo cartridges, American Psycho, and more in just another day in the life of a government buyer...
plucking-the-eagle-my-misadventures-in-government.ghost.io/the-agony-an...
Besides the possible criming here, I don't understand the technical benefit. As @edzitron.com has been marvelously reporting on -- they would need training more data than has ever existed or basically could ever exist to advance the current crop of AI models. So what's the point of this?
We'll never see "normal" again my friend
I signed the fork today, maybe saving myself or someone else from getting RIF'ed...and ServiceNow's electronic signature came out in Comic Sans.
I have been laughing at this fact for far longer than I should.
Allegedly
The saga continues...
plucking-the-eagle-my-misadventures-in-government.ghost.io/the-agony-an...
We're surrounded by people who thought getting rid of streetcars to give Lewis Mumford nightmares was a good idea and should be replicated as much as possible: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General...
With #Andor ending soon I demand a nature mockumentary about a group of Ghorman refugees rescuing and re-habitating some of the spiders on a new planet.
3 season minimum named Star Webs.
