December 2024 | Issue #35
Obsessed with Vader’s holiday vibe? Us too. ✨ Grab your festive background here and may the holiday force be with you! 🎄🌟
As we officially kick off the holiday season, there is so much to be thankful for here at CONSTANT. We are celebrating a historic milestone: for the first time, we now have two offices. Our California footprint is now complemented by our new office in Alexandria, Virginia, which will serve as our official headquarters. A huge thank you to Nicole for all her hard work in making this announcement to our clients and partners.
I also want to take a moment to express my appreciation for our Business Development team and Operations leadership. We’ve been deep in the process of implementing recommendations from our business development gap analysis, which is designed to strengthen our BD processes and elevate our growth efforts to the next level. I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the project management leadership of Derek and Jessica, who are driving this effort. They’ve done an outstanding job, and I want to extend my thanks to both them and the entire BD team for their dedication to this important work.
As we approach the holidays, we have even more reasons to celebrate. First, we received the green light to move forward with our SBA opportunity. This is a massive win for us—a project that will allow us to make a significant, positive impact on the SBA and the communities it serves, especially in the wake of disasters. We’ve successfully navigated the protest process, and I want to extend a special thanks to our SBA team for their perseverance, flexibility, and hard work.
In addition, we just received news of another major win: a large Bay Area UASI project focused on community resilience. This is a huge achievement for us, and a testament to the strength of our proposal team and everyone involved in submitting the bid. The competition was fierce, and this win is a powerful step forward in solidifying our impact on state and local readiness.
I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at our holiday event on December 16. Wishing you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season!
-Michelle Constant, CEO
Tariq Afoke - Junior Knowledge Management Specialist (CBP)
Say hello to Tariq Afoke! Tariq joins CONSTANT as a Junior Knowledge Management Specialist for the CBP contract. Tariq is a SharePoint Developer with over 2 years of experience in the IT industry with a Bachelor of Science in Web and Mobile Computing. By leveraging his knowledge in web development, UI/UX design, and knowledge management, this allows him to create solutions for stakeholders.
When Tariq isn’t busy automating business processes, he’s out on the trails riding his bike. He enjoys bowling, watching movies, and spending time with his family. Tariq joined CONSTANT on November 18.
CONSTANT's December Birthdays
Happy Birthday to our December crew!
- December 6 – Kevin Koller
- December 18 – Dana Bell
- December 20 – Preston Beahm
May your days be merry and bright!
CONSTANT's Work Anniversaries
Thank you for your hard work and dedication to our mission.
- December 7 – Maggie Peters, 4 years
The Gift That Will Keep On Giving: CONSTANT Celebrates OASIS+ Awards
Business Development by Jeff Philippart, Business Development Director
CONSTANT has successfully been awarded spots on the One Acquisition for Integrated Services Plus (OASIS+) contract vehicle, specifically the 8(a) and Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQs) under the Management and Advisory Domain. This will open opportunities for CONSTANT to submit proposal responses for opportunities whose procurement strategy uses the OASIS+ contract vehicle for award.
OASIS+ is a best-in-class contract vehicle that represents a “suite of governmentwide, multi-award contracts designed to support federal agencies’ procurement requirements for services-based solutions.” To demonstrate the scale of this vehicle, OASIS+’s legacy contract, OASIS, has had over $86B in obligations with 4600 task orders and has been leveraged by some of our core target customers, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It is a great accomplishment for CONSTANT to be on this vehicle, and it represents another way in which our clients can contract with us.
OASIS+ will also eventually encompass the scope of the Human Capital and Training Solutions (HCaTS) contract vehicle (once it expires), which we are on currently. The HCaTS contract vehicle is used for our Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Qualification System (FQS) training contracts.
Here is additional high-level information about OASIS+ for your awareness:
- OASIS+ has a five (5) year base period of performance, with an additional five (5) year option period.
- There is no limit on the number of awards or the value of awards that CONSTANT can receive on OASIS+ (exception: 8(a) sole source awards).
- Any Contracting Officer (COs) with a Delegation of Procurement Authority (DPA) earned through requisite training can solicit or award contracts under OASIS+. There are 4,100+ COs with a DPA at time of writing. This means that OASIS+ can be used across federal government agencies.
- All OASIS+ task order solicitations can only be solicited under one IDIQ type and one domain/NAICS within that IDIQ, which means we will want to steer our federal customers toward the 8(a) and WOSB IDIQs under the Management and Advisory Domain. CONSTANT anticipates having additional pathways to OASIS+ potentially available – more to come!
- There is a 0.15% Contract Access Fee that is applied on pricing, invoices, etc.
The Business Development Team has been attending webinars and post award conferences, configuring systems, and crafting marketing materials to maximize our use of OASIS+. Here are some internal and external resources available to you:
- Learn more general information about OASIS+ at GSA’s website.
- CONSTANT’s website has been updated to include the OASIS+ contracts under our Contract Vehicles and Certifications, including a unique OASIS+ landing page with a CONSTANT authored buyer’s guide. The press release announcing our OASIS+ awards is here.
- All Capability Statements have been updated to include our OASIS+ contracts.
- The BD Team has developed an internal OASIS+ Requirements guide for monitoring compliance, roles and responsibilities, OASIS+ systems, etc.
CONSTANT’s contract awards for OASIS+ began on September 30, 2024 (with opportunities available to bid on beginning October 15th) and November 6, 2024 (with opportunities available to bid on beginning November 15th). We look forward to leveraging the value of this contract vehicle to connect CONSTANT with our target customers and their most pressing needs. Please reach out to the BD Team and/or your Portfolio Manager should you have any questions or suggestions. Have a happy holiday season, and a fabulous new year!
'Tis the Season To Be Jolly
Operations by Jayson Kratoville
Reflecting on some great achievements in 2024.
It has been a dynamic year that has brought new projects, capabilities, and adventures. As we head into December, it’s a good time to reflect on some of the impactful work our team has been doing this year to make the world a safer place. Here are some examples:
- Reimagining training for the incident workforce. FEMA is now working exclusively with a CONSTANT-led team to update FEMA Qualification System Courses. We’re also helping them find creative ways to enhance training and improve outcomes.
- Improving preparedness and response for people most vulnerable to disaster impacts. California has been leading the way in integrating the needs of people with access and functional needs into disaster planning. We’ve been proud to be a part of that by making our planning approaches more inclusive and working with Cal OES to author and share statewide guidance.
- Helping communities prepare for the next public health disaster. Coming out of a few years of COVID-19 AARs, we’ve leveraged these insights to help communities better prepare for the next public health disaster. This has included building preparedness plans and helping jurisdictions strengthen their public health emergency preparedness infrastructure.
- Enhancing the use of data and modeling in responding to CBRN incidents. CONSTANT has built training tools and connected with local agencies on how to access modeling data and make better decisions during CBRN incidents. In addition, our team provides direct support to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s modeling capabilities.
What are you most proud of, and what are you most excited about for 2025? Keep an eye out for an upcoming strategic planning survey that will help us celebrate our success and expand on them as we grow. Have a very happy and healthy holiday season!
May Your Days Be Merry and Bright!
People and Culture by Maggie Peters, Director of People and Culture & Alyssa De La Cruz Sr. HR Business Partner
Professional Development: New in isolved University – new courses!
- Cal OES – Inclusive Evacuation and Transportation: The Inclusive Evacuation and Transportation course is designed to empower local jurisdictions with the information, technical knowledge, and resources needed to develop comprehensive, inclusive emergency transportation and evacuation plans that integrate considerations of the whole community. The Cal OES Jurisdictional Guidance for the Development of an AFN Advisory Committee document is included as a resource.
- Cal OES – Inclusive Sheltering Plans and Operations: The Inclusive Sheltering course supports local jurisdictions with the best practices, guidance, and information needed to create integrated sheltering plans and operations that identify, address, and incorporate the access and functional considerations of the whole community. The Cal OES Jurisdictional Guidance for the Development of an AFN Advisory Committee document is included as a resource.
Benefits Open Enrollment:
- Get ready, because our Annual Benefits Open Enrollment is just around the corner! January 1-15 is the once-a-year opportunity for you tweak your benefits [outside of a Qualified Life Event]. As you remember from our October All Staff meeting, we are anticipating a premium increase. We will communicate the exact details later in December as we wrap up our 2025 corporate budget. We will host an open enrollment meeting that will be recorded if you are unable to attend. If you have any questions, just reach out to P&C.
Important December Dates:
- December 5: Pay Day
- December 11: Expense Reports Due
- December 13: Timesheets Due
- December 19: Expense Reports Due
- December 20: Pay Day
- December 25: Christmas Holiday
- December 31: Timesheets Due
Flexible PTO: Just a quick reminder on the PTO Request process:
- Discuss with your Manager the dates you’d like to take as PTO.
- If approved, enter as a Leave Request in Unanet.
- Enter the PTO in your timesheet for the appropriate pay period.
- Tip #1: Please Submit your timesheet before your PTO if it’s due while you are out of office [OOO].
- Tip #2: Use our standard Out of Office language in your email: OOO Messaging
Performance Management and Building a Skills-Based Organization:
Did you know that some skills can become outdated in as little as three years? That’s right…for technical skills and five years for general skills. During the upcoming 2025 Winter Summit, P&C will host a session on Professional Development: Establishing Performance and Development Goals. We’ll dive into practical insights on how to create clear goals, set timelines, helpful tips, and resources. We’ll also introduce a new tool to identify your skills and the skills you want to build. By using the skills inventory in isolved, you can align your continuous development journey with our business goals and strategies.
Wellness: Peace on Earth, Good Will to All!
- Infinity Wellness is offering a free, recorded, 30-minute webinar “Don’t Hide This Holiday Season…Thrive!” This webinar will 1) Identify top holiday foods to enjoy 2) Learn how to make smart substitutions and 3) Get tips for being physically active no matter where you are. Check it out here!
- Uprise Health [use code: 70101] is our Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This provides you with confidential counseling and resources on a wide variety of personal and work life topics. Here’s an article that may be of interest about supporting children’s mental health during the holiday season.
Policies, Practices, and Guides:
- CONSTANT Conference Guide – Ever wonder how to make the most of your next industry conference? Our new guide is here to help! Packed with practical tips on everything from pre-conference prep to post-event reflection. The guide covers Safety, Best Practices, and Helpful Resources for industry conferences and events. Check it out here. A huge ‘thank you’ to everyone who contributed to this guide!
- CONSTANT Merchandise: Give yourself a Christmas present! Check out the CONSTANT Land’s End Store. You can purchase all kinds of logo items like polos, oxfords, sweaters, drinkware, bags, hats, and more! CONSTANT Land’s End Store
Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
EDI by Co-Leads Manny Rodriguez, Maggie Peters, and Alyssa De La Cruz
For December, Maggie Peters wrote an article on… you guessed it: Christmas: A Celebration of Light and Love. Thanks to all the EDI Committee members for writing these important articles so we can continue to learn together!
Next Meeting: Our next EDI Committee Meeting will be Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 12pm ET. The meeting is linked on the Staff Calendar. All meeting presentations and educational articles can be found on the P&C SharePoint site EDI Committee.
Reach out to Manny, Alyssa and Maggie, EDI Co-Leads, if you need to assist a client with their EDI efforts or how to incorporate EDI into our engagements.
There's No Gift Like the Present
Finance By Carmen Khouri, Finance and Accounting Controller
And no time like now to start considering investing for your family’s future. Inspired by the article by Suze Orman called “Gift of Security,” parents and family members who are wondering what to give a teen or young adult this year for the holidays might want to consider a gift of investment.
If there is a means to do so, Orman suggests creating a Roth IRA which will help young adults create a strong financial base as they go into adulthood. She goes on to break down how to go about starting this investment as well as any tax implications to do so. This gift of investment is a great way to start something that will continue to keep on giving in the long run. I highly recommend reading the full article for more details.
We wish you and your family a very Happy Holidays and a Wonderful New Year!
The IT Manager and His Reindeer
Information Technology By Morgan Forrest, IT Manager
As we all sleigh into the holiday season, let’s take a moment to remember our families and loved ones who are not here to celebrate. As we move into the season, let’s also talk about keeping grinches away while we are at summits. I spoke to Rudolph and his nose “pointed” me to our Cyber Hygiene Guide’s key pointers:
- When travelling Donner says, “stay off of Wi-Fi unless connected to the VPN”.
- Blitzen say to “Never leave your laptop unattended, it could get blitzed!”
- Cupid points out that we should make sure our laptops are updated prior to travelling with them.
- Dasher and Dancer want you to keep an eye out when locking and unlocking your mobile screens while on travel.
- Vixen wants us to always review the ITAR policy when travelling abroad, she said Santa keeps it in his sleigh for safe keeping!
- Prancer also says to make sure you report any cyber issues to the Helpdesk.
- Comet wants to remind everyone your Cyber Hygiene Guide is here!
The IT Department wishes everyone a very safe and happy holiday!
Our mission is to make the world a safer place.
It’s that simple, and that’s why we are here. We have a strategic plan for the next three years, called CONSTANT Strategy, which outlines what our biggest priorities are:
- Take care of our people
- Forward our mission
- Respond to our clients’ most pressing needs
- Expand strategically across markets
- Build infrastructure for the future
To help us execute on our mission, we have developed the CONSTANT Credo and our aligned core values (see the graphic below). We live by these.
Our Credo
