The city of San Mateo, California is witnessing booming growth in both its population and infrastructure development. Since the year 2008, San Mateo has experienced an 8% increase in population, and home sales have jumped a staggering 28%. Consequently, the municipal government of San Mateo is faced with the enormous task of managing and overseeing the recent expansion while operating on an outdated help desk system. Their objective: maintain networks and PCs for 600 users spread across 22 facilities in a diverse and rapidly growing high-tech city. In order to adapt to these challenges, a new help desk alternative needed to be implemented to better serve citizens.

The notion of e-governance has become prominent in recent years. Agencies around the world are now implementing technology into how they function and deliver services to citizens. Their objective: to distribute information more effectively, universally, and clearly to people.

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) for IT Help desks is no longer a foreign concept to government agencies. This solution can help provide improved government service to citizens from an environment entirely in the cloud. However, many questions of cost benefit and scalability still remain. With the long term ramifications of budget cuts and sequestration slowly taking a strangling hold on government procurement, agencies are scrambling to find new ways to “save a buck.”

Picture this as your team of colleagues: On one hand, you have a promising 27 year old college graduate. They demand both recognition from their peers, as well as long-term challenges appropriate to their career development plan. They require a career plan that will keep a talented and eager young professional excited, accountable, and engaged in their daily responsibilities.

Federal, state, and local governments use GSA's eBuy system to find businesses that offer specific services and products at competitive prices. These federal buyers can request information and prepare RFQs/RFPs for services and products offered through GSA Schedule contracts. Businesses small and large use GSA eBuy to sell products and services to the government. According to GSA, more than $8.34 billion in products and services were processed through eBuy in 2012. Now the GSA is making a push to make eBuy more accessible to small businesses by taking eBuy mobile. According to a GSA representative, “you can learn how to do business with the federal government right from your cell phone” making the site more accessible to small businesses.

A well-designed leadership development program is essential to identifying, attracting, filling, and retaining employee leadership. By using a consistent talent management program at all levels across the organization, future leaders are developed fruitfully. Leadership programs truly shape the success of business processes like hiring strategies, employee development, and career succession planning. Did you know that only 25% of those hired for executive director and other executive functions will stay in their jobs more than five years?