Acquisitions Facilitation via Blockchain Technology

Authors

  • Oki Mek U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Chief Product Officer
  • Aleksandar Zelenovic Sapient Consulting, Strategy and Consulting Practice Lead

Abstract

Session Description: ACCELERATE is a transformative program in support of HHS ReImagine Acquisition.  It is designed to empower the workforce in a decentralized manner and create a flexible capability for HHS to change and implement policy. Accelerate addresses the acquisition workforce process challenges, and improve the value derived from HHS expenditure on acquisition support systems. It is architected to combine the power of four proven emerging technologies to address these fundamental challenges, and to provide a transformational enhancement to HHS Acquisition capabilities.  This program also helps align HHS with the President’s Management Agenda, the Modernizing Government Technology Act and the DATA Act.

The core of this solution is a blockchain based data layer.  This data layer utilizes data from all core HHS acquisition systems, and other external sources of acquisition data (e.g., SAM).  Machine Learning is used to cleanse this data for use by artificial intelligence based algorithms.  These algorithms are used to extract insight from the large volumes of data.  Robotic process automation is then used to power dramatic improvement in acquisition workflow and processes by eliminating repetitive tasks currently performed by the acquisition workforce.  The approach to this program minimizes business and technology risk: an agile framework is utilized to ensure flexibility; human centered design techniques provide full alignment with the OpDivs; microservices are the basis of capability delivery; existing acquisitions systems remain operational while new capability is rolled out. 

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Author Biographies

Oki Mek, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Chief Product Officer

https://hhs.gov/

Oki Mek is an Emerging Technology Strategist with the Division of Acquisition at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He is leading the effort to explore opportunity to cut cost and improve efficiency by targeting acquisition business process, with the emphasis on truly understanding the pain points and issues by using an innovative way of solving problems through the process of human centered design. He places emphasis on risk risk‐controlled implementation strategy through incremental approach, human centered design, agile, and DevOps.

Additionally, Oki provides security expertise for the blockchain technology to ensure compliance with federal mandates and legislations, including the Federal Information Security Management Act and the President’s Management Agenda (FISMA), HHS Security Policy, Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. He plays an important role in protecting HHS' ability to provide mission-critical acquisition operations. Oki previously served as a Senior Information System Security Officer at HHS, providing federal cybersecurity program management, architecture, and engineering expertise to the department.

Aleksandar Zelenovic, Sapient Consulting, Strategy and Consulting Practice Lead

https://sapientgovernmentservices.com/us/services/blockchain.html

As the leader of Sapient Consulting’s strategy capability, Aleks focuses on creating long-lasting solutions at the intersection of technology, innovation and business needs. He holds an MBA degree from the MIT Sloan School of Management and has over 20 years of experience in the commercial and government sectors where he has supported both U.S. and overseas clients. His approach to leadership generates results by focusing on end-customer value, collaboration and, organizational learning. He is an expert in business and digital strategy, emerging technologies, DevOps, Agile, modernization, voice of the customer, and organizational design.  Aleks is a founder of Sapient’s Strategy University, a powerful and interactive learning program, that educated and trained over 1,000+ professionals across the globe in understanding how to implement change, innovate and create business value. 

Throughout 2017, Aleks pioneered the blockchain ecosystem concept for the federal space that focused on “connected intelligence” and the ways that emerging technologies including blockchain, machine learning, artificial intelligence and robotic process automation work in concert for an increased benefit to organizations. He is placing emphasis where tech enables modernization and builds change in an agile way. His work was recognized with a FCW Federal 100 Award win, which is a prestigious recognition for industry and government people who had the most impact in advancing Federal IT. Ensuring the value and components of blockchain are thoroughly understood, Aleks’ approach, ideas and work are highlighted in print and on stage with GCN, AGA, FCW, Chamber of Commerce, Energy Innovation Day, and ACT‐IAC; including co‐authoring the first ever blockchain federal primer paper and soon to be released blockchain playbook for the federal government, published by ACT‐IAC.  He is a prominent industry leader and speaker that is invited by a large number of government and commercial organizations, entities and associations.

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Published

2018-11-24

How to Cite

Mek, O., & Zelenovic, A. (2018). Acquisitions Facilitation via Blockchain Technology. Blockchain in Healthcare Today. Retrieved from https://blockchainhealthcaretoday.com/index.php/journal/article/view/69

Issue

Converge2Xcelerate (ConV2X) Special Podcast Edition

Section

Track: Exhibitor

License

Authors retain copyright of their work, with first publication rights granted to Blockchain in Healthcare Today (BHTY). Read the full Copyright Statement.