Closing the Gap Between Acquisition and Innovation

Presented by Carahsoft

At Google Cloud Next ‘26, Jeff Dowdy, Director at Carahsoft, addressed one of the most persistent challenges in government technology adoption: the gap between the pace of innovation and the speed of procurement. As AI capabilities evolve rapidly, traditional acquisition processes risk delivering solutions that are outdated before they are even deployed.

Dowdy emphasized that successful outcomes increasingly depend on strong partnerships between government and industry. Rather than simply purchasing tools, agencies are seeking partners who can support them לאורך the entire lifecycle—from deployment and integration to training and long-term optimization. This shift reflects a broader move toward buying mission outcomes rather than standalone technologies.

He also highlighted how AI itself is beginning to play a role in improving procurement processes. By automating repetitive tasks and streamlining reviews, agencies can reduce bottlenecks and focus more on strategic decision-making. At the same time, efforts to modernize compliance frameworks, including advancements in FedRAMP, are helping accelerate the availability of cutting-edge technologies for government use.

Another key development is the move toward greater parity between commercial and government cloud environments. Innovations like software-defined compliance are enabling providers to deliver new capabilities to public sector customers more quickly, reducing the lag that has historically slowed adoption.

Dowdy’s perspective makes clear that closing the acquisition gap is essential for ensuring that government agencies can fully capitalize on the potential of AI—and that doing so requires both process innovation and deeper collaboration across the ecosystem.

Key Takeaways

• Government is shifting from buying technology to buying mission outcomes
• Faster, smarter procurement processes are critical to keeping pace with AI innovation
• Strong industry partnerships are essential for successful deployment and long-term impact