Saj Popat

Policy outcomes are not produced by intent alone. They are shaped by institutional design, diagnostic rigor, and delivery constraints embedded deep within public systems. At Statecraft Lab, our work interrogates how policies actually function by examining design deficits, diagnostic blind spots, and capacity-bound delivery limits that govern outcomes long before results surface. This is not prescriptive commentary. It is method-driven policy analysis, grounded in institutional realism, state capacity, and implementation logic. Design · Diagnose · Deliver.

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Under the new RFO framework, the FAR is shrinking, but the guidance is growing in a good way. Meet SAG (Strategic Acquisition Guidance). The government is pulling "how-to" tactics *out* of the regulatory code and moving them into agile, plain-language playbooks. Why does this matter? 1. Speed: The FAR Council doesn't need 2 years to update a SAG playbook. 2. Flexibility: COs can use judgment rather than checking a box that was written in 1984. This is the shift from "Mother May I?" to "Here is the Mission." Contractors: Start reading the SAGs. That’s where the winning strategies are now hiding. #GovCon #AcquisitionStrategy #FAR #RFO

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As part of building AI tools at the Program Integrity Alliance, we need more control over document ingestion. We apply community-informed taxonomies for better filtering, image processing, so that this important data can be included, and deep linking to the exact pages - features not offered by public search engines. A great side effect of this AI work is being able to also ship our GovQuery search engine, which has been extended this week to include Executive Orders for the last 6 presidents. It's been great to see people start using this resource! Especially in the case where the original content has been taken offline due to federal defunding. When building AI solutions, the work to streamline data processing can lead to more basic tools like search, which can be very useful on their own. More to come soon!

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🚀 GSA OneGov: Everything Is Connected. GSA’s OneGov transformation is poised to reshape federal procurement, and success will hinge on tackling interlocking layers of complexity: • Technology – How do we integrate, from data to tools? • Process – How do we identify and reengineer shared workflows for efficiency? • People – How do we best align skills and culture across diverse agencies? • Regulatory – How will a leaner FAR drive innovation? Will we see Practitioner Guides for other FAR parts? Each layer touches the others; you can’t transform one without shifting all. The transformation is huge, but so is the upside! Which layer do you think will be hardest to synchronize❓ #OneGov #GSA #AcquisitionReform #GovTech

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NEW PUBLIC SECTOR RESEARCH ALERT!!🚨 Accelerate Strategic Resource Planning for Core System Replacement in US State Government: A structured approach to building a strategic resource plan aligned with the critical needs of legacy modernization and core system replacement in government Resource misalignment is a significant challenge for agencies, often resulting in delays and budget overruns due to the improper allocation of staff, funding, and technology. Stakeholder fragmentation also plays a crucial role, as competing priorities and unclear roles among both internal and external stakeholders can hinder unified decision-making and governance. Additionally, backfill and staffing gaps create operational strain and burnout, particularly when there is insufficient planning for staff backfill and skill development during modernization efforts. The complexity of legacy systems further complicates matters, as deeply embedded architectures can obstruct integration, data migration, and replacement timelines. Lastly, the absence of a unified roadmap is a common issue, with many agencies lacking a phased, actionable plan that connects modernization efforts to measurable business outcomes and public value. Learn more here --> https://lnkd.in/eTwutkCw #publicsector #stategovernment #itadvisory #cio #iTRG Info-Tech Research Group #lagacymodernization

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Collaboration is emerging as the foundation of the OneGov strategy. Federal leaders say it will rely on agencies working together to share buying power, reduce duplication, cut costs and accelerate modernization. Get the full story: https://lnkd.in/e_VZpJAw

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In program delivery, we often encounter data systems managed by different agencies or departments. Sharing data can be transformative—improving efficiency and outcomes. A must-read for anyone working in state or federally funded programs that rely on eligibility verification, written by my colleague Mary Michael Staples: https://brnw.ch/21wWOgr

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THIS IS A VERY BIG DEAL BURIED IN BEAUCRATIC FINE PRINT. The Administration is taking their fight against diversity to a whole new level. They backed away from recent lawsuits because they had a much bigger play in the works, and this is it. If finalized, it would essentially make every organization that gets any federal money agree to abide by....whatever they come up with. And if they decide you did something they don't like, they can sue you and prevent you from getting any federal funds ever again. This could have potentially devastating consequences for state departments of education, districts, colleges and universities, non-profits, researchers, etc., anyone who gets a federal grant or contract. All of the details are in our new FAQ. The proposal is open for public comments through the end of the month.

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📢 #ICANN has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to identify a provider to conduct Community Priority Evaluation for the New gTLD Program: Next Round. This public RFP invites proposals for capabilities, expertise, and per-evaluation costs. 🔗 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gFZnzbin #NewgTLDProgram

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