What’s New With the CPIC Conference This Year?
By Janelle B. Hill, Director, Federal Capital Planning and Investment Control Forum - May 5, 2010

“This is your Captain speaking!”

Over a decade since the inception of the Clinger-Cohen Act, Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC) has directly impacted the way we manage our programs, how we monitor cost and schedule, how we evaluate performance, and how we select assets within portfolios in government, in order to determine budget prioritization.  Guidance constantly changes instructing us as to how we must report the progress and sustainment of our assets to the Office of Management and Budget. Recently USASpending.gov was released along with the first IT Dashboard, creating new visibility into how assets perform and how much budget is associated with federal investments. The IT Dashboard version 2.0 is a next-level release, demonstrating to taxpayers the transparency, accountability and performance information directly derived from agency investments’ portfolios of Exhibit 53s and Exhibit 300s. Emphasis has returned for reporting all capital assets, not just IT.

With so many changes in Guidance, Administrative direction, and the implementation of new reporting tools, Capital Planning professionals need to stay afloat, and the CPIC Conference could be your “life preserver”, or even your lighthouse, guiding you in the dark through stormy seas and maybe a few clouds (Cloud Computing). Many a sailor was lost in treacherous waters. Recall the adage, “Red in the morning, Sailors take warning”. From the inception of the scorecard, red still represents failures in our performance and our compliance managing federal programs.

Capital Planning Specialists who demonstrate adaptability, versatility, and creativity in adapting to environmental influences (such as changes in administration and government-wide policies) can weather the storms associated with critical examinations and re-prioritization of IT portfolios and projects. Knowing the ropes and applying those new found skills can result in a higher likelihood of viability during the budgeting process.  Because right now, it’s “Sink or Swim”!

The 4th Annual Federal Capital Planning & Investment Control Conference (CPIC 2011 – Navigating the Waters in Today’s CPIC Environment) will help Capital Planners understand what is changing, how to adjust, and what strategies can be used to address future trends.  CPIC 2011 is the only Capital Planning and IT Planning conference that brings together both government and industry professionals for timely and valuable information on Federal CPIC trends, regulatory compliance issues, best practices, methodologies, lessons learned, as well as tools for “smooth sailing” in troubled waters.

This year the 4th Annual Federal CPIC Conference (CPIC 2011) will emphasize the Administrative priorities for managing IT and other portfolios, as well as reporting Exhibits compliantly. We will emphasize content of compliant artifacts. We will provide insights and information from the Office of Management and Budget, about their priorities and the IT Dashboard.

At the end of the conference, you will be prepared to advance your CPIC practices for “setting sail” in previously unchartered waters.

The CPIC Conference has grown annually with a loyal Sponsor community including Fujitsu Consulting, Booz Allen Hamilton, Oracle Primavera, Microsoft, HP, Deltek, CHEVO, MCRI, Federal Concierge, Training Outreach, ESI International, Management Concepts and Government Training, Inc. – just to name a few.

Over 275 attendees are expected to return, with an outstanding government and industry line-up of renowned CPIC speakers who will deliver presentations on topics such as Portfolio Management, Program Management, Cloud Computing, Operational Analysis, Earned Value, Federal Acquisition Certification (FAC-P/PM) Implementation, Federal Budget, IT Dashboard, A-11 Part 7 Revisions, and more. We are going back to the Office of Management and Budget this year, diligently and dutifully requesting resources, information and contributors to enrich our programs and the quality of the messages we will provide you.

Don’t miss your opportunity to learn about the Administration’s Priorities for Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC), as well as to keep pace with the changing tides and to network with your “mates” who face the same challenges as you.             

This year I am thrilled and honored to announce our Government Co-Chair from the Federal Aviation Administration, Mrs. Beth Ward, and our Industry Co-Chair from Booz Allen Hamilton, Mr. Ben Marglin. I sincerely appreciate the FAA’s and Booz Allen Hamilton’s tremendous support as we work to bring you, once again, the very best CPIC Conference ever.

I hope to see you there!