New Concepts

In an era emphasizing government efficiency and fiscal responsibility, the pursuit of innovative strategies is paramount to ensure mission success. Agile tools and approaches empower teams to respond more quickly, make informed decisions, and deliver outcomes that meet the growing demands for efficiency and accountability. This website serves as a dynamic platform to share groundbreaking, yet untested, ideas aimed at revolutionizing government business functions, with a core focus on procurement. In a lab, you test hypothesis and hopefully break some ground and make a discovery or several. The LAB invites agencies to explore these concepts, pilot their implementation, and contribute to a growing body of knowledge that will help inform the future of the federal acquisition system. 

Most of these concepts don’t focus on the FAR, whether current or proposed (or prospective), but each individual concept will include a note on how it aligns with the FAR. 

The table below includes a document for each New Concept complete with an overview that explains the concept, key considerations, sample solicitation language, sample documents, and what makes it new and innovative. Below the table are sections that discuss how The LAB will engage with prospective users, how industry partners can participate, and what happens after a team implements a new concept through to completion. If the concept is not yet linked to its document, then the guidance will be coming soon!

How will The LAB engage?

If you are an acquisition team within the Department of Commerce, then The LAB will engage via its normal process. Please see the page on Formal Coaching Support for more information detailing the workflow.

If you are outside the Department of Commerce, then please consider completing this submission form. There is no requirement to do so as the page is open to the general public and all concepts are for the users to consider. The submission form acts as a central touchpoint that allows The LAB to connect with the submitter, schedule an initial discussion of the concept, refine key details, coordinate with partners across agencies for real-time updates and lessons learned, and easily track engagement and associated relevant data.

I am an industry partner. How can I participate?

Industry feedback is absolutely critical. Please select your role as industry in the submission form and provide feedback as appropriate. We understand there are some concepts that resonate more with our industry partners, and others will not. For those that are exciting to try, please share these new concepts with your federal clients and help them realize the added value. For those you find more concerning, please provide feedback via the submission form or via email to [email protected]. 

The procurement team just finished its test case, what happens next?

The goal is to have documented successful outcomes and lessons learned for each concept to promote wider understanding and adoption. Once you have implemented the concept, The LAB recommends you:

1. Conduct a post-award feedback session with the contractors that participated in the procurement after the standard protest period has ended.
2. Compile relevant documents that would be beneficial to a team trying the concept for the first time, redacted to your comfort level.
3. Schedule a close out conversation with The LAB (optional).
4. Submit or support submission via document support detailing the concept to the Periodic Table of Acquisition Innovations (PTAI) via its New Submissions Form.  
5. Remain open to future collaboration!

Untested concepts may eventually grow into proven approaches, but that process takes time. Innovation depends on a willingness to try new ideas, challenge assumptions, and think critically about how we work. Every step forward starts with someone asking, “What if we did this differently?”