According to a recent article in FCW, “Most Americans own cell phones and many also own tablets, so it should come as no surprise that more than one-third of the traffic on U.S. government websites comes from mobile devices and 40 percent of smartphone owners use those devices to look up government services or information.” (Full article here)
What are some of the latest trends in mobility?
– Healthcare is seeing some of the largest growth of all sectors, as the need to provide access to medical information, insurance, and safety assistance to a broader audience is seen as a high priority. Mobile device ownership has helped to bridge the digital divide among the have’s and have not’s, as those in low income socioeconomic groups traditionally haven’t had easy access to the internet and personal computers. IDC projects that spending among global healthcare firms on mobility solutions will see a 7.2% CAGR in the next four years to reach $30 billion by 2019.
– E-verify has gone mobile. The Department of Homeland Security is testing an app that would allow employers to check the citizenship status of their employees more easily by using their mobile phones and tablets. (See further detail in this write up on GCN.)
– The Census Bureau released a request for proposal in January (see here) for the 2020 Census Integrated Communications Contract, with an estimated value $415 million. The RFP states that the engagement will cover activities including traditional advertising, social media outreach, and data analytics. The concept would be to better reach the American people and maximize self-response rates. Census leaders estimate that this initiative could end up saving them billions by limiting the process of sending enumerators to homes.
– Security is a major concern for government agencies when storing sensitive/confidential data and allowing accessibility on mobile devices. For example, there was a recent attack against Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in which hackers are blocking access to the center’s servers until they receive $3.6 million in bitcoin. (More on this story here.) The fallout from this has been troubling. According to the report, the center’s staff has been unable to access patient information, and a significant communication breakdown has occurred. High risks such as this translate into opportunity for contractors who provide both mobile device and application security solutions. (For an excellent study by a company called Lookout on this topic, click here).
As you can see, there are pros and cons to the rapid rise of mobility. In any case, it presents a growing number of opportunities to government contractors. For these contractors, uncovering and pursuing profitable opportunities and managing each government contract efficiently can be challenging. Using a solution such as JAMIS Prime ERP can help navigate the turbulent waters. Register for the next webinar to find out more about JAMIS’ software and services (accessible on mobile devices, of course.)
Link to JAMIS webinar series here.
