Tag: 3BL

Click here to view the Webinar.

Today’s consumers are looking for quality products that are convenient and sustainable. At the same time, retailers are setting ambitious targets to reduce shrinkage, meet corporate sustainability goals, simplify logistics, and wow shoppers.

Join us for a dynamic discussion on the latest sustainability and packaging trends shaping the grocery industry, featuring Jason Pelz, Vice President of Sustainability, U.S. and Canada at Tetra Pak, and Jason Wadsworth, Category Merchant for Packaging & Sustainability at Wegmans Food Markets. This webinar will unpack the latest insights into how forward-thinking grocers and CPG partners are using packaging as a strategic lever to meet corporate targets and delight consumers. If you’re focused on profitability, reputation and long-term growth, this session will give you practical, executive-level takeaways to help turn sustainability into a competitive advantage.

Speakers:

• Jason Wadsworth, Category Merchant for Packaging & Sustainability at Wegmans Food Markets
• Jason Pelz, Vice President of Sustainability, U.S. and Canada at Tetra Pak
• Gina Acosta, Editorial Director/Associate Publisher Progressive Grocer

Click here to view the Webinar.

Published by Action Against Hunger. 

Contact media@actionagainsthunger.org for inquiries.

For over two decades, Agnes Jairo has worked as a nurse at Mgandu Dispensary in rural Tanzania. She trained many of her colleagues when they first arrived at the dispensary as new health workers, and they still admire her expertise. Agnes’ passion for nursing was ignited when she observed the care provided by a nurse during a hospital visit with her mother at a young age. She knew then that she wanted to dedicate her life to healing others and improving the wellbeing of her community.

The Nutrition Crisis in Tanzania 

Only about 19% of children in Tanzania have the World Health Organization’s outlined Minimum Diet Diversity for children ages 6-23 months, which recommends a minimum of five food groups a day to achieve nutritional health. “The majority of the illnesses we receive here are caused by poor nutrition, especially among children under five years,” Agnes notes. According to Tanzania’s 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, 30% of children in Tanzania suffer from stunting, which is when a child has a low height for their age due to having suboptimal nutrition, and 12% are underweight. This is a significant improvement from 2010, when 42% of children were stunted and 15% were underweight, but it still means that thousands of children are being subjected to the long-term, harmful effects of malnutrition like:

• Impaired physical and cognitive development
• Increased risk of chronic diseases in adulthood
• Greater likelihood of poverty later in life

A child’s nutritional health is closely related to that of its mother’s, but women in Tanzania are highly vulnerable to malnutrition themselves. Only 18% of women in rural areas achieve the minimum dietary diversity due to factors such as limited access to resources, poverty, and harmful social norms. This is not just the case in Tanzania; roughly one in four women globally suffer from undernutrition according to the Gender Nutrition Gap Report. Improving women’s nutrition is essential for them to thrive and reach their full potential.

When a woman is malnourished, pregnancy can aggravate existing nutritional challenges. Pregnancy increases the demand for critical micronutrients, which can be especially difficult to meet in conditions of food insecurity. UNICEF warns that deficiencies in certain nutrients like zinc, iodine, or calcium while pregnant lead to higher risks of complications such as pre-eclampsia or death during childbirth, and babies have a higher chance of being stillborn, having a low birthweight, or facing a developmental delay. Anemia, for example, is most commonly caused by an iron deficiency and is responsible for about 14.5% of maternal deaths in Tanzania each year. A 2021 study, High Burden of Anemia Among Pregnant Women in Tanzania: a Call to Address Its Determinants, evaluated approximately 23,200 women in Tanzania found that over 57% of pregnant women were afflicted with anemia, putting both mother and baby at risk.

In addition to the nutritional challenges of pregnancy, women are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition for a wide variety of socioeconomic factors. Some of the main contributors to poor nutrition outcomes in Tanzania include discriminatory attitudes of health providers, inadequate crop management, poor agricultural and hygiene practices, and household food insecurity. These realities point to the need for a gender-sensitive transformation of nutrition services in Tanzania—a need that the Gender Equitable Nutrition (GENTU) project is addressing head-on.

GENTU: A Gender-Responsive Approach to Nutrition 

In 2023, Action Against Hunger, supported by Global Affairs Canada, launched the Gender Equitable Nutrition (GENTU) project to reduce gender gaps and contribute to gender equality in Tanzania and Uganda, primarily in rural communities. In doing so, the GENTU project is also able to directly address the issue of malnutrition among women and children in Uganda and Tanzania, tackling the two innately intertwined issues simultaneously.

The project began with a needs assessment for Maternal, Infant, Young Child, and Adolescent Nutrition (MIYCAN) in two target districts: Bahi and Itigi. The assessment suggested that an effective strategy to improve and sustain nutrition outcomes for the women, adolescent girls, and children in these districts would be to equip healthcare providers with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver gender-sensitive nutrition services. Thus, Action Against Hunger developed a plan to provide training and support that would transform the way nutritional interventions are approached.

With this project, women become health changemakers in their communities. Health workers are upskilled to provide effective nutritional interventions, and mothers are armed with the education and skills to make dietary decisions for themselves and their children. Set to run for five years, the GENTU project will directly support 214,764 people (58% female), and indirectly support 92,105 people (37% female) in highly at-risk, rural communities, taking a multi-sectoral approach to holistically address malnutrition and its root causes.

Building Capacity Through MIYCAN Training 

After years of seeing the harmful effects of malnutrition on the women and children in her community, Agnes was eager to join GENTU’s Maternal, Infant, Young Child, and Adolescent Nutrition (MIYCAN) training program. Agnes underwent on-the-job mentorship and training on providing support to women and children dealing with nutritional challenges. She also learned about counseling caregivers of underweight children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.

The training covered:

• Nutrition assessment and counseling for pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants, and adolescents
• Growth monitoring for children under five
• Nutrition education tailored to the local population
• Gender-sensitive approaches to health counseling and outreach

“Women and children in rural areas like Mgandu face significant vulnerabilities. Our clinic receives many patients, and we sometimes lack the resources to meet all their needs. These training sessions by GENTU have been invaluable, and I am grateful to be part of them,” said Agnes Jairo. Since completing the GENTU training, Agnes has applied her new skills in day-to-day clinical work. She provides support for pregnant women and mothers of underweight children, advises on breastfeeding practices, and monitors child growth using the knowledge and tools offered in the training. The Mgandu Dispensary where Agnes works provides antenatal services to approximately 1,160 children under five and 120 pregnant women monthly.

Strengthening Systems for Long-Term Sustainability 

One of the key goals of the GENTU project is system-wide integration of nutrition services. By embedding training, supervision, and data tracking into existing healthcare systems, the project supports long-term sustainability beyond the life of the program. Health care providers like Agnes can train new health workers with the information and techniques learned in GENTU training, ensuring that best practices ripple across the system and improve nutrition interventions for years to come.

Additionally, the longevity of GENTU’s work is preserved through knowledge-sharing within the community. Action Against Hunger holds Community Awareness sessions in which people can learn nutritional information and practices to take home. For example, communities are taught about the importance of diet diversity in combatting malnutrition, so when faced with a decision between buying a larger quantity of one type of food or a smaller quantity of greater variety, they know that a greater variety is typically the better option for nutritional outcomes. Community members can integrate healthy nutritional practices into their homes, lead their own learning sessions, and disseminate information for generations to come.

***

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across over 55 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

Rockwell Automation matches returning service workers with manufacturing roles, facilitating career growth and furthering industry innovation. By focusing on skills-based hiring and lifelong learning on the job, the company is helping to future-proof their workforce. “We’ve provided skills for returning service people to compete and thrive in technical-level manufacturing jobs at manufacturers across America.” 
– Blake Moret, Chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation | Video courtesy of Business Roundtable

Businesses that continue to struggle with how to fill the tremendous skills gap are finding an answer: military veterans who want to transition into stable and worthwhile civilian careers in manufacturing.

Helping military veterans redeploy their skills in manufacturing is the focus of the Academy of Advanced Manufacturing (AAM). The program, launched in 2017 by Rockwell and ManpowerGroup, has graduated more than 470 military veterans, helping to accelerate their careers in family-sustaining jobs in industry.

During a 12-week period, veterans expand their technical skills through classroom and laboratory training. Then, they take part in a hiring process that nets each veteran an average of two career offers. The graduation rate in 2024 increased from 86% to 91%, and the placement rate stayed strong at 86%.

With each new cohort, AAM expands its impact. Twenty-five percent of the employers who hired AAM graduates did so for the first time in 2024, while the percentage of participating employers that have hired from two or more AAM cohorts increased to 45%.

“Organizations are asking to participate because we’re helping translate useful military skills to high-demand roles like automation/controls technician, electrical technician, and field service technician,” said Phil Bush, AAM business development manager. “We’re also easing the transition for veterans as they return to civilian life. It’s a win for everyone.”

2024 marked the first-ever AAM longitudinal study, which saw compensation growing for AAM graduates by 11%. More than 93% of graduates remain in the manufacturing industry, with 85% satisfied with the program and 83% satisfied with their role placement.

Originally published on GoDaddy Resource Library

By Jillian Johnson, Senior Manager, Strategic Customer Partnerships at GoDaddy

When Olive Klug, who uses the pronoun they, began building their digital presence, they knew their online space needed to reflect the same intention and artistry as their music. In today’s music industry, where an artist’s online presence can be just as impactful as their live shows, the line between business and creativity is blurring.

For Olive, choosing GoDaddy wasn’t just about finding a website builder — it was about finding tools that could support the personal, collaborative and often messy process of being a working artist.

“It’s been amazing to watch GoDaddy expand over the past few years of using it. I’m now able to list my tour dates more easily, the online store function has expanded, and the email marketing function has become way more user-friendly.”

– Olive Klug

Today, Olive is an independent singer-songwriter with a tour underway and a growing fanbase that values authenticity just as much as artistry. As Olive’s music career has flourished, so has their understanding of what it means to be both a creator and a digital entrepreneur. Their website, OliveKlug.com, has become the foundation for both.

“It can be difficult to manage at times, but I like to link the two together,” Olive explained. “It can be fun to share the beginnings of the creative process with my fans, and when I share an unfinished song on social media and fans respond well to it, it makes the creative process collaborative which I really enjoy.”

For Olive, the idea of a “digital space” is not about perfection or polish. It is about connection. Their website serves as a home base where fans can find everything in one place — music videos, tour announcements, merch and more. Most importantly, it gives Olive the power to reach their audience directly.

“It’s really useful to have a place where everything is centralized and have the capacity to reach everyone with an email list,” Olive said. “Social media can be fun, but the algorithms make it too difficult to reach everyone with one post. On my website, I can list my tour dates, my album release dates, my video release dates and create a cohesive brand. I also love that GoDaddy allows me to blast an email marketing campaign to all my subscribers, which gives me peace of mind when things like TikTok are being threatened.”

Olive believes that being an artist today is about more than just the music. It is about storytelling across multiple platforms and treating every part of the journey as a creative act.

Olive’s main piece of advice for artists wanting to build and maintain their own digital space is simple:

“I would tell them to have fun with it and allow it to become an extension of your creative energy,” said Olive “I’ve learned that it’s important to treat being an artist as a holistic experience that you curate for your fans rather than just performing or writing songs.”

With a voice that invites reflection and lyrics that feel like pages from a journal, Olive brings that same intentionality to their digital presence. OliveKlug.com is not just a place to buy tickets or stream a new song. It reflects who they are, where they are going and how they invite their community along for the ride.

As they head out on tour, Olive’s online home is ready to grow with them — flexible, functional and fully their own.

Habitat Inspects is made possible by Universal Orlando Foundation with support from Wesco and Duke Energy.

Originally published on Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County Newsroom

In 2016, Melissa bought her home in Habitat Orlando & Osceola’s Butler’s Preserve community. She was ecstatic, not only because she could provide a stable home for her daughter but also because she had something she could leave behind someday.

“I was letting my daughter know that you don’t always have to rent. I was showing her that you can work hard and own a home in your lifetime,” Melissa said. “Not only can you do that, but the sky’s the limit. You can get whatever you want in life if you put your mind to it.”

Once she was in her home, Melissa mainly focused on working and getting her daughter through high school and later into college. Like many homeowners, the last thing on her mind was home insurance.

“I came to a point where I got injured and then unemployed,” she said. “It gave me time to focus on my house and I started looking at all my paperwork and came across my insurance information.”

Melissa found out that she was paying nearly $5,000 a year for her insurance premium, which was putting a huge strain on her, especially since she was living off her savings. She quickly set up an appointment with Habitat Orlando & Osceola, where she was referred to the new Habitat Inspects program and signed up to receive a free wind mitigation inspection.

“All of the things that I learned originally with the Habitat about taking care of my home made me interested in this program,” she said.

Once the wind mitigation inspection was completed, she worked with Habitat Orlando & Osceola staff to find a more affordable home insurance policy to fit her needs. She now pays about $1,700 a year — a $3,300 savings compared to what she was paying before.

“I really appreciate Universal [and others] so much because they are helping us preserve our homes which is something that wasn’t given to us. This is something that we had to come out here and work hard for and we had to dedicate two years of our lives to get to where we are today,” she said.

As part of the Habitat Inspects program, she also took Habitat U classes hosted by experts on topics like home insurance, disaster preparedness, and how to create a will.

“I pay my mortgage and keep up with my property, but there’s more to it than that,” Melissa said. “The classes opened my eyes a lot and helped me understand the principles. The preparedness courses about hurricane damages and roofing and flood insurance…all that stuff just really blew my mind.”

Melissa feels safer and more secure in her home than ever before and has started focusing on recovering from her injury with support from her beloved dog, Fancy.

“She actually keeps me going. She helped me through my injury and has been helping me get better. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I would heal the way I’ve been healing. She’s a big part of me,” she said.

You can learn more about the program here.

• Progress Report highlights achievements in ethical business and governance, environmental sustainability, and positive social impact efforts worldwide while disclosures provide valuable stakeholder insights into the effectiveness of these efforts
• Keysight surpassed many 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility key impact goals

SANTA ROSA, Calif., May 14, 2025 /3BL/ – Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) released its 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Progress Report, highlighting the company’s recent achievements across ethical business and governance, environmental sustainability, and positive social impact. The progress report, with its accompanying 2024 CSR Data Report, encompasses Keysight’s CSR performance in fiscal year 2024 and includes operations worldwide, unless otherwise noted. Data includes disclosures that have been prepared with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) revised universal topic standards and aligned to the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) frameworks, as well as additional human capital metrics not included in the mentioned frameworks.

Keysight’s 2024 CSR Progress Report showcases how the company met its ethical business and governance goals, progressed toward long-term sustainability goals, exceeded some short-term key impact goals. These results were attained while continuing to make positive contributions to purposeful technology and transparency with key international environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure frameworks.

Met stated goals for ethical business and governance in fiscal year 2024

The company met its ethical governance goals by not incurring any material negative impacts to its income statement from CSR-related matters in fiscal year 2024. This achievement aligns to Keysight’s ethical operations and business commitments through the company’s robust governance, which is provided by its Standards of Business Conduct (SBC), corporate policies, board and risk oversight, and environmental, health, and safety programs to name a few.

Made progress toward environmental sustainability goals

The company made progress in environmental sustainability related to its commitment to net zero emissions in business operations by the end of fiscal year 2040. For example, Keysight signed a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) with Southern Power to acquire renewable energy credits from a 39 MW expansion at the Millers Branch Solar Facility. This agreement is expected to start in the first quarter of fiscal year 2027 and will generate enough renewable electricity to cover 100% of Keysight’s electricity consumption in the US and Canada.

Surpassed citizenship, community engagement, and education goals for fiscal year 2024

Keysight significantly surpassed its goals for positive social impact by focusing on community and education. Progress noted includes:

• Committing more than $295 million in value to strengthen communities through citizenship, giving, STEM education, and university engagements.
• Employees volunteered 1,225 hours in CSR and community engagement activities.
• Through direct support and partnerships, engaged more than 4.4 million students, future engineers, and technology skill learners through STEM education programs worldwide.

Maintained commitment to a positive work environment for all employees

In fiscal year 2024 the company fostered a positive and engaged work environment with opportunities for all employees to participate and thrive, including through employee network groups, educational assistance and training programs, flexible work schedules, coffee talks, employee surveys, and internal feedback platforms. The company continually assesses the efficacy of its efforts, implementing new initiatives, and actively engaging employees across its global workforce.

Continued providing sustainably developed solutions that support development of purposeful technologies

The Keysight 2024 CSR Progress and Data Reports showcase the company’s mission of accelerating innovation to connect and secure the world through sustainably developed solutions that enable purposeful technologies. Through the company’s solutions, Keysight helps customers deliver breakthrough innovations in areas such as clean technology, social impact and wellness, and safety and security, all while helping address emerging energy efficiency measurement and regulatory requirements.

New impact goals announced

Looking forward, Keysight remains committed to its mid- and long-term targets supporting net zero emissions in its operations by the end of fiscal year 2040 and has announced a new set of targets tracking progress in positive societal impact and ethical governance throughout 2025 and into 2026.

Satish Dhanasekaran, President and Chief Executive Officer, Keysight, said: “I take great pride in our enduring commitment to building a better planet. From pioneering solutions that connect and secure the world to our global CSR framework rooted in integrity and responsibility, Keysight remains dedicated to making a meaningful impact and driving breakthroughs that help create a better, more sustainable world.”

Resources

• 2024 CSR Progress Report
• 2024 CSR Data Report
• Keysight CSR Website
• Keysight CSR Resources Hub
• Keysight CSR News, Awards & Recognitions

About Keysight Technologies

At Keysight (NYSE: KEYS), we inspire and empower innovators to bring world-changing technologies to life. As an S&P 500 company, we deliver market-leading design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product life cycle. We’re a global innovation partner enabling customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets to accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Learn more at Keysight Newsroom and www.keysight.com.

Contacts

Keysight Media Contacts

Andrea Mueller
Americas
Andrea.mueller@keysight.com

Fusako Dohi
Asia
+81 42 660-2162
fusako_dohi@keysight.com

Jenny Gallacher
Europe
+44 (0) 7800 737 982
jenny.gallacher@keysight.com

In a world where the flow of goods powers economies and fuels progress, the people behind global logistics matter more than ever. At DP World, we recognize that our ability to lead and innovate in global trade depends on one key factor: our people.

As a global logistics leader operating across more than 75 countries and serving thousands of customers, DP World is not only moving cargo — we’re building the supply chains of tomorrow. That’s why we’re also building the workforce of tomorrow, offering meaningful, dynamic careers that empower individuals to shape the future of global commerce.

Visit our Careers page here.

A Global Employer with a Local Heart

Our Employer Value Proposition (EVP) is rooted in a simple but powerful truth: when our people grow, our business grows. We are committed to creating an environment where our 108,000+ employees thrive—no matter where in the world they are.

We believe in “Trade Powered by Our People.” That means cultivating a culture that is inclusive, growth-oriented, and driven by a shared sense of purpose. From port operations to digital innovation, every team member plays a vital role in keeping global trade moving—and shaping a better future for all.

Why Work at DP World?

We don’t just offer jobs—we offer careers with impact. Employees at DP World benefit from:

• Global opportunities: With operations across continents, DP World offers mobility and career pathways that span borders, sectors, and specializations.
• Meaningful work: Every role contributes to global progress, whether it’s helping move perishable goods to market, supporting disaster relief logistics, or streamlining digital supply chains.
• Culture of growth: Through learning and development programs, mentoring, and leadership opportunities, we invest in people who are eager to grow and make a difference.
• Innovation at scale: From AI and automation to green energy initiatives, DP World is at the forefront of transforming logistics—and our teams are driving that transformation.
• Purpose-driven values: Sustainability, equity, and inclusion are not just buzzwords – they are central to how we operate and measure success.

Visit our Careers page here.

Meeting the Moment with Global Talent

The future of logistics demands a workforce that is agile, diverse, and digitally empowered. As supply chains become more complex and customer expectations rise, DP World is scaling its talent strategy to meet these demands head-on.

We are actively recruiting globally – not just to fill roles, but to bring in people who see possibility where others see complexity. People who want to be part of something bigger. From engineers and analysts to crane operators and customer success managers, we’re looking for individuals ready to take on the challenge of global trade.

Join Us. Move the World.

At DP World, every employee is part of a mission: to make trade flow and improve the human condition. Whether you’re in Buenos Aires or Dubai, Toronto or Dakar, you’ll find a place where your work matters – and your career can thrive.

If you’re ready to shape the future of logistics and grow with a company that’s redefining global trade, join us. Let’s move the world – together.

Visit our Careers page here.

AMSTERDAM, HONG KONG, and OAKLAND, Calif., May 22, 2025 /3BL/ – Cascale today announced that CEO Colin Browne will step down from his role, effective July 31, 2025. Browne’s decision to depart reflects a personal choice after leading the organization through a pivotal period of strategic reset and renewed ambition.

“Colin’s steady leadership has been instrumental in stabilizing and refocusing Cascale over the past year,” said Tamar Hoek, Chair of the Board, and Senior Policy Director Sustainable Fashion, Solidaridad. “He has helped lay a strong foundation for what’s next and we are deeply grateful for his contributions.”

Cascale enters this leadership transition from a position of clarity and momentum. Over the past 12 months, the organization has launched a bold new impact strategy, deepened engagement with manufacturers globally, purchased the assets of Better Buying, and advanced critical work on industry-wide decarbonization. These priorities — along with an emphasis on member value, and partnership — remain firmly in place.

“This has been an enlightening journey,” said Colin Browne. “I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and confident that the work ahead is in good hands. Cascale’s mission is more important than ever, and I look forward to watching the team take it even further.”

The executive team and Board will work closely together to guide Cascale through this next chapter. A global search for Browne’s successor is currently underway. In the interim, the organization will maintain its strategic course, with senior leadership continuing to deliver on key priorities without pause.

“This is not a reset; it’s a continuation,” said Hoek. “Strong institutions don’t pause when people change; they grow. Cascale remains focused on driving measurable impact across the value chain, and we are excited for what comes next.”

ABOUT CASCALE

Cascale is the global nonprofit alliance empowering collaboration to drive equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, which is exclusively available on Worldly, the most comprehensive sustainability data and insights platform. Cascale unites over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, and NGO/nonprofit affiliates around the globe through one singular vision: To catalyze impact at scale and give back more than we take to the planet and its people.

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Authored by Kevin Brandt

Government contracting has always been characterized by complex processes, documentation and rigorous compliance requirements. The processes traditionally demand human resources and expertise to navigate. Additionally, these legacy processes often lead to inefficiencies and missed opportunities for innovation. Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are deployed to address these longstanding challenges. The intersection of AI and government contracting showcases a shift in how government contractors operate and maintain compliance. The impact of AI in the contracting industry is beyond automation of routine tasks, it is now enabling a more strategic approach that can adapt to changing needs and leverage data in unprecedented ways.

Proposal development and optimization

Government contractors are now using AI-powered tools to improve their proposal development process and win rates. These systems analyze past successful proposals, client-specific requirements and evaluation criteria to help contractors create more compelling and compliant bids. AI tools in enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems can parse complex government solicitations in minutes rather than the hours it would take proposal teams to do manually, extracting key requirements, deadlines and evaluation criteria into organized formats. Practical applications include:

• Extraction of requirements from complex requests for proposals (RFPs)
• Analysis of past successful proposals to identify winning patterns
• Compliance checking to ensure all requirements are addressed
• Automated generation of proposal outlines based on RFP structure

For contractors of all sizes, these AI capabilities mean more proposals can be developed with fewer resources, while simultaneously improving quality and compliance. This can be a genuine competitive advantage in the federal marketplace.

Contract management

Once a contract is won, AI can ensure successful performance, identify potential issues before they become problems and gather data to strengthen future bids. AI capabilities automatically extract and track key contract terms, deliverable schedules and compliance requirements, alerting when deadlines approach or potential performance issues emerge. More sophisticated systems can analyze performance data across multiple contracts to identify trends and patterns. For example, these tools might recognize that certain types of deliverables consistently fall behind schedule, allowing contractors to address systemic issues before they impact customer satisfaction. Practical applications include:

• Extraction and tracking of contract requirements and deliverables
• Early warning systems for potential performance issues
• Resource allocation optimization across multiple contracts

These capabilities not only improve performance on current contracts but also build a stronger foundation for winning future work by ensuring customer satisfaction and documenting past performance.

Risk mitigation

Government contractors operate in a highly regulated environment where compliance failures can lead to serious consequences. AI-powered ERP solutions can continuously monitor transactions, communications and activities for potential compliance issues. For example, these tools can analyze expense reports to flag potential violations of contract billing rules. Beyond these applications, predictive analytics models embedded in AI enable contractors to take preemptive measures to reduce potential issues by forecasting future risks based on historical data. Practical applications include:

• Analysis of financial transactions for potential billing issues
• Real-time verification of cybersecurity compliance requirements
• Monitoring of relationships for FAR/DFAR compliance

By identifying and addressing compliance issues before they escalate, AI can help contractors avoid costly problems while simultaneously reducing the administrative burden of manual compliance reviews.

Decision-making

AI-integrated solutions integrate data from across the organization to provide executives with actionable insights that drive better business decisions. Specialized government contracting platforms such as Deltek have incorporated AI capabilities that go beyond traditional reporting. These tools use machine learning algorithms to identify patterns and relationships in complex data sets that would be impossible for humans to discover through conventional analysis.For example, the solutions can identify correlations between specific proposal strategies and win rates or between contract types and profitability metrics, helping leadership allocate resources more effectively.Practical applications include:

• Bid/no-bid decision support using historical performance data
• Identification of the most profitable contract types for your company
• Strategic planning support through predictive market trend analysis

By replacing intuition and gut feelings with data-driven insights, these AI systems are helping contractors make more objective, evidence-based decisions about where to invest their limited resources for maximum return.

How we can help 

Deltek solutions for government contractors leverage AI capabilities to enhance efficiency and provide data-driven insights. These capabilities help reduce manual effort, mitigate risks and optimize performance, ultimately driving greater efficiency and compliance. As a trusted Deltek alliance partner, Baker Tilly provides seamless implementation, integration and optimization of Deltek’s enterprise solutions.

Contact a Baker Tilly specialist to learn more. 

The Social Impact Partner Spotlight series highlights various nonprofit organization partners that are helping transform the lives of individuals and communities. This blog features Splunk’s partnership with Per Scholas, showcasing their transformative work to prepare the next generation of cybersecurity and IT professionals through Splunk’s Core User and Power User technology training.

In a world where cyber-attacks are becoming more sophisticated and high-profile data breaches make headlines, the need for cybersecurity professionals is greater than ever. Yet today, too many people lack access to the training that can launch cybersecurity careers.

Per Scholas is on a mission to change that. It provides rigorous, tuition-free technology job training and connections to opportunities for adult learners from low- to moderate-income households across the U.S. The organization’s focus on expanding access makes it a natural partner for Splunk, which seeks to open doors to tech opportunities by providing in-demand data skills and tools. 

Our partnership has a proud history. In 2018, Splunk began to provide free technology training and support for Per Scholas’ programs for untapped talent pools in New York City. In 2021, Splunk began offering unrestricted grant funding to aid Per Scholas in its swift expansion, with enrollment figures growing from 3,500 learners and alumni across 16 campus locations to an expected 7,500 learners and alumni across 24 campuses by 2025. Today, those investments have come full circle, as Splunk has hired four Per Scholas graduates to full-time Cybersecurity roles. Splunk’s reputation and visibility has played a key role in the due diligence of major investments from other funders, including a $20 million grant from MacKenzie Scott received in 2023.

Cybersecurity training that transforms careers and lives

Per Scholas’ programs are more than just training classes. Students receive hands-on learning, career development resources, and interview opportunities with Fortune 500 companies to help take their careers to the next level. In addition to technical instruction, Per Scholas provides business skills training, covering communication, collaboration, feedback exchange, and career navigation, which makes up about 20% of a learner’s experience. Over ten weeks, learners engage in workshops that help them develop a career plan, conduct a strategic job search, create a personal brand, prepare for interviews, negotiate offers, and navigate the onboarding process with a new company.

Their technical offerings include the 15-week Cybersecurity Analyst course, which provides training in Splunk tools and leads to a Splunk Core User certification. Alumni help meet market demand for roles such as cybersecurity associates and support specialists. The learning opportunities don’t stop there: alums can upskill through the Career Accelerator program, which offers both the Splunk Core User and Power User certifications.

The demand is only growing, and Per Scholas is expanding to meet it. In the past three years, their annual participation has surged, and the number of campuses has grown across 18 states. Within one year of graduation, 80% of graduates attain a job earning $21+/hour, generating an anticipated $148M in annual earnings for learners and their families.

Per Scholas’ growth makes a powerful difference in both individual lives and society as a whole. Research from Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC), a nonpartisan organization, found that for every dollar spent on Per Scholas training, eight dollars returns to the local economy through increased taxes and spending by Per Scholas graduates and reduced use of public benefit programs.

“Our partnership with Splunk has been transformative, equipping our learners with cutting-edge skills in data analytics and cybersecurity that prepare them for the future of work. This collaboration not only drives meaningful career opportunities for our alumni but also creates a stronger, more inclusive tech workforce. As we look ahead, we are excited to expand these impactful programs, and with the support of partners like Splunk, we can continue unlocking potential and transforming lives.”
– Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala

A bridge to corporate cybersecurity careers

Per Scholas’ Tech Talent Solutions team works with hundreds of employer partners to source open positions and refer graduates for promising opportunities. Splunk is proud to employ four Per Scholas alumni, including customer trust analyst Farquleet Fajar. Originally from Pakistan, she discovered her interest in technology in high school and later decided to pursue a career in cybersecurity.

“In the course, we got great hands-on experience and learned a lot about different fields in cybersecurity,” she says. “The teachers were so helpful and supportive, and they went above and beyond to make sure everyone in the class was learning and having a good experience.”

After graduating from Per Scholas, Farquleet completed an internship at Splunk and was selected to join as a full-time employee. Her learning journey continues as she pursues more cybersecurity certifications and eventually hopes to earn a master’s degree in cybersecurity.

Farquleet’s story is one of thousands of successes through Per Scholas, and the organization is poised to create thousands more. To learn how you can support their vital work, visit perscholas.org.

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