FedLine is attending the INPUT FedFocus today getting an outlook on Federal IT spending for 2009. GEIA Group of the Information Technology Association of America will give a similar briefing later this week.
There’s lots of talk at INPUT’s event today about the economy and how that’s going to change the environment of the federal marketplace. The government’s Wall Street bailout could be a boon for contractors in the coming years if the government makes money off the deal, said Kevin Plexico, INPUT’s senior vice president. The bailout creates a rare scenario where the government will get a monetary return on its investments, he said.
If the bailout doesn’t make the government money, nothing will change because agencies have not banked on expected revenues from the plan, he said. In the meantime, however, government spending is expected to remain flat because of the presidential transition, Plexico said. Don’t expect any new projects coming out of your offices until the next president sets his priorities. By the time that makes it into the budget it will be fiscal year 2011, he said.
However, if you have priorities of your own, you can test how they would weather the budgetary storm by playing a fun game on National Public Radio’s Marketplace web site: Budget Hero! This game lets you drive the (omni)bus when it comes to federal spending. The objective: try not to drive the country into financial ruin.
This reporter failed miserably. Try your hand and tell us how you do.
