Although the Presidential election is still over six months away, it's a safe bet that each of the candidates is hard at work crafting a transition plan. This is not just a statement of their level of confidence at becoming the next President - it's a necessity. The President-elect needs to hit the ground running on day one, so he or she must start planning at least six months before the election to have all of the pieces in place by January 21. The transition consists of three simple, yet difficult steps: identifying White House staff and Cabinet level appointees (in that order), assembling a transition team, and setting "first strike" policy priorities to show that he or she means business. This process is interesting, but how does it affect the IT contractor community?

The various players are ramping up now, and that's where contractors come in. Looking at the graph below, it's clear that there's a great deal of activity and positioning going on, and industry leaders are already getting in on the game, figuring out where their companies can play a role in each step.

Outgoing appointees are wrapping up what will be part of their legacy, incoming appointees are examining the components of that legacy to determine which parts will live on in the agency, and career employees are working to prepare them both. Contractors are trying to determine where they may fit on the new team, and how the coming changes will impact their ability to do business. The "get in where you fit in" strategy is still valid, but you will need to evaluate the new potential landscape now to determine your sweet spot. Even before knowing who will take the White house, you can begin positioning your company for new opportunities by focusing on the shared goals of the candidates (e.g. homeland security, healthcare, and the environment). The transition process requires you to evolve as well, because each step presents new questions that may impact your short-term and long-term strategies. How you can help customers position their programs with the incoming administration? What steps can you take to show thought leadership and a quality reputation to incoming appointees? How adaptable are your solutions to adjusting to new priorities and requirements? Will you need to make changes to your sales strategies, account plans, and value propositions?

While some contractors may take the "wait and see" approach, industry leaders are proactively engaged in answering these questions now to find their niche.

INPUT has released a detailed study on this topic, "Industry Leaders' Guide to the 2008 Administration Transition"