Executive Interview—
DR. ALLAN BURMAN,
President,
Jefferson Solutions
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Contract Management ∕ March 2017
Executive Interview
Focus
Focus
Focus
Focus
The Ultimate
Should
Always Be
Great
Outcomes
Contract Management
Please tell us a little about yourself. What is your
current title and what are your responsibilities?
What previous roles of note have you held?
Dr. Allan Burman
I am president of Jefferson Solutions,1 which is
the government consulting company of the Jefferson Consulting Group.2 For more than 20 years,
we have provided analysis, evaluation, program
management, and acquisition assistance and assessment services to over 50 federal government
departments and agencies.
Prior to Jefferson, I had a lengthy career in the federal government. I served under Presidents Ronald
Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton as administrator for the Office of Federal Procurement
Policy.3 I have also served in other policy positions
in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and in the
Office of Management and Budget.4
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“THE ULTIMATE FOCUS SHOULD ALWAYS BE GREAT OUTCOMES”: EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW—DR. ALLAN BURMAN, PRESIDENT, JEFFERSON SOLUTIONS
During your time as procurement
administrator, what are some of the
important accomplishments you were
able to achieve?
CM
As procurement administrator, I authored policy
letters that established performance-based
contracting as the favored approach for contract
reform5 and that encouraged agencies to make
greater use of past performance. These documents helped to reinforce a shift in federal management practices from an emphasis
on procedure to a focus on outcomes.
AB
I also served on the Section 800 Panel tasked by the Fiscal Year
1991 National Defense Authorization Act that led to a series of
major acquisition reforms in the 1990s. In addition, I served on the
White House Acquisition Advisory Panel established by the 2003
Services Acquisition Reform Act.6
In August 2016, I was appointed by the under secretary of defense
(acquisition, technology, and logistics) to serve as a “special government employee” on a new congressionally chartered panel (the
Section 809 Panel) to again seek approaches to improve defense
procurement.7
CM
Tell us a little more about
Jefferson Solutions.
When I first left the government, I worked as a vice
president under Jefferson Consulting CEO Julie
Susman, helping private-sector firms navigate the
sometimes murky waters of Washington contracting. I set up Jefferson Solutions in 1996, a couple of years after
joining the Jefferson Consulting Group, with the goal being to
directly support federal agencies. We also now have an office in
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with our staff having operated in some 25
countries around the world.
AB
Given the current federal budget,
and the new administration’s focus
on spending and acquisition reform,
how are you helping your government customers to accomplish their missions?
CM
We support government clients in all aspects of
their acquisition efforts. In some cases, we may
be helping the client carry out the activity—e.g., as
in strategic sourcing or in cost and price analysis.
In other cases, we may be reviewing how well the acquisition
organization itself is carrying out the function—e.g., as in contract
administration or procurement training.
AB
When we started Jefferson Solutions, much of our work was in
helping agencies develop and use performance-based contracts.
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Contract Management ∕ March 2017
I had first encouraged agencies to use performance-based approaches for acquiring services when I served as procurement administrator for the U.S. government. These types of contracts offer
agencies a good way to focus on outcomes and hold contractors
accountable for results. Since over half of government contracting
is in services these days, they still represent a great way to improve
efficiency and promote innovation.
CM
How did your 20+ years of experience
in government service prepare you
for where you are today?
My stints as deputy administrator and then especially as administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy offered a lot of opportunity for me
to familiarize myself with and address all kinds of
acquisition and workforce issues from the highest level of government. In these positions, I testified before Congress over 40 times,
calling these events “opportunities to excel.” You never quite knew
what to expect at these hearings.
AB
This background has certainly helped me in the acquisition role I
am playing today.
How do you measure customer satisfaction with the services Jefferson Solutions provides? How do you
engage with your government customers and
know if you are performing well?
CM
Given our lengthy consulting history, we learned
long ago the value of real and continuous communications with customers. This is something we
had long advocated for in our training sessions on
performance-based acquisition, and it’s proven to be a model we
follow in all our engagements.
AB
We pride ourselves on the quality and timeliness of our deliverables.
We have ISO 90018 certification and one of our objectives is the
goal of high customer satisfaction ratings in all of our CPARS ratings.9
Have you found the ISO 9001 certification process helpful? In terms of
quality management, are there any
challenges that you must still address?
CM
We found the ISO 9001 certification process to be
very helpful for putting documented procedures
in place that promoted quality. We also offer
templates for new staff to follow. The process also
demands that we assess risks in meeting client needs and develop
ways to mitigate those risks. It is always a challenge to ensure that
documents remain current, but having such documentation is really important as we continue to expand.
AB
“THE ULTIMATE FOCUS SHOULD ALWAYS BE GREAT OUTCOMES”: EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW—DR. ALLAN BURMAN, PRESIDENT, JEFFERSON SOLUTIONS
The ultimate focus should always
be great outcomes in meeting the
needs of the warfighter or the
government agency.
What are some other things you are
doing to help your government and
industry colleagues face the challenges affecting the profession today?
CM
We are continually looking for ways to promote innovation in how we conduct our business—and for
our clients as well. For example, when establishing
performance metrics for firms assisting our government clients, we often add formal requirements to bring innovative ideas to the table on a regular basis.
AB
Using technology—such as improved government contract writing or decision systems—is one way to reduce staff burdens and
improve efficiencies.
CM
Workforce training is often highlighted as an area of concern and solution to real or perceived problems in
today’s government procurement system. What
are your thoughts on training?
I have been a long-time proponent of using
training as an effective tool for improving staff
knowledge and government operations. From its
inception, Jefferson Solutions has offered training
to our government clients on areas as diverse as promoting critical
thinking to understanding the contracting process.
AB
I am also an adjunct professor at George Mason University, and
have been teaching a graduate-level class on “Managing Government Contracting” since 2007. I am always impressed with the
quality of the students in the class—with half usually working for
the government and half for the private sector. While online training is okay, I still see real value in classroom interactions.
For specialized training, like we have been doing in the performance-based arena, “just-in-time” training for a combined group
of program and contracting officials makes great sense to me.
Contract Management ∕ March 2017
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“THE ULTIMATE FOCUS SHOULD ALWAYS BE GREAT OUTCOMES”: EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW—DR. ALLAN BURMAN, PRESIDENT, JEFFERSON SOLUTIONS
CM
What do you like to do when you’re
not working? What kinds of hobbies
do you enjoy?
I have been playing tennis for years, and I can get
pretty cranky if I can’t play at least a couple of times
a week. My wife, MJ, is an excellent tennis player, so
this becomes another opportunity for me to try to
excel. We also enjoy biking, reading, and good long walks.
AB
CM
AB
What are your goals in the near future for Jefferson Solutions?
We are very proud of the support we provide to all
our clients, and we want to be sure to continue to
provide that kind of quality as the company continues to grow. At the same time, we want our staff to
recommend Jefferson Solutions to their friends and acquaintances
as a great place to work.
You have had a successful career in
procurement. What reflections do you
have as you look back from where
you are today? What advice would you share
with those just entering this field?
CM
AB
I am pleased to see that a number of policies that I
put in place as procurement administrator remain
relevant today, including:
Promoting green procurement and using recycled paper,
Requiring past performance as an evaluation criterion,
Promoting performance-based contracting, and
I have been a member of NCMA and an NCMA Fellow for many years, and today serve on the Board
of Advisors. The organization offers a great way to
keep up-to-date on developments in the field and
to network with those who have similar goals and interests. I have
found the connections and friends I have made through NCMA
over the years to be invaluable both to my career and to my enjoyment of the profession.
AB
I would strongly recommend that anyone in the contracting field look
for and actively participate in NCMA events and symposiums. CM
DR. ALLAN V. BURMAN, NCMA FELLOW
President, Jefferson Solutions.
Currently serving on the Section 809 Panel.
Previously served on the Section 800 Panel, as well as the SARA Panel.
Previously served as administrator, Office of Federal Procurement
Policy; special assistant to the director of defense education, Office
of the Secretary of Defense; chief of the Air Force branch, National
Security Division, Office of Management and Budget.
Strategic Advisor to Government Executives (SAGE), Partnership for
Public Service.
Chairman, Procurement Round Table.
Fellow, National Academy of Public Administration.
Member, Board of Advisors, NCMA.
Honorary member, National Defense Industrial Association.
Adjunct professor, George Mason University, as well as the
International Law Institute.
Better defining inherently government functions.
For people entering the field, I would recommend that they become as knowledgeable as possible about how the government
conducts its business. They also should recognize that procurement
is a mission support function. The ultimate focus should always
be great outcomes in meeting the needs of the warfighter or the
government agency. And the importance of seeking and obtaining
collaboration between program and contracting officials—as well
as a good partnership with industry—can’t be overstressed.
EDITOR’S NOTES
Your participation in this interview
is an integral part of the learning
component for our 20,000+ members
around the world. What are your thoughts on
membership and participation in professional
associations such as NCMA?
6. I.e., the SARA Panel.
CM
1. See www.jeffersonsolutions.net.
2. See www.jeffersonconsulting.com.
3. A Senate-confirmed position within the White House’s Office of Management
and Budget.
4. In the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Dr. Burman served as special assistant
to the director of defense education. At the Office of Management and Budget,
he served as chief of the Air Force Branch in the National Security Division.
5. See, generally, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 37.6, “Performance-Based
Acquisition.”
7. See www.dau.mil/sec809.
8. The International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) “9000” family of standards focuses on quality management, and the “9001” standard establishes criteria for a quality management system. To be ISO 9001 certified signals to
customers that the certified organization meets these criteria and will deliver
“consistent, good quality products and services.” (For more information, see
www.iso.org/iso/iso_9000.)
9. The “Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System” (CPARS) is the
governmentwide evaluation tool used to gauge the quality and timely reporting
of a contractor’s past performance information. (For more information, see
www.cpars.gov.)
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