Red, White & You (RW&Y) is TD SYNNEX’s flagship U.S. public sector event, an area of our business that represents a significant opportunity for the channel. Recent success in the public sector doesn’t just happen by chance; organizations must put in a deliberate effort to add value in the public sector, and this event serves as a vital platform for TD SYNNEX to showcase what we’re doing in the federal, state and local governments, and education and healthcare markets. It also offers a unique chance to get live feedback from our vendor and reseller partners. This dialogue is crucial for our ongoing mutual success, enabling our team to gather insights and return to the lab to determine how we can innovate further for public sector IT projects.
This year, hosted in sunny Scottsdale, Ariz., RW&Y gave TD SYNNEX the opportunity to not only reflect on our partnerships, but also look forward to ongoing commitments we are making to the channel that will enable them to be well-positioned for growth in the public sector.
AI and Its Impact on Public Sector: Doing More with Data
AI is increasingly integral to our daily lives, from device assistants to automated customer service lines. Its application in the public sector represents a significant opportunity. There are many practical use cases for AI in the public sector:
- Improving Individual Experiences – AI can help provide students and citizens with immediate, automated answers to commonly-asked questions, such as government permits, driver’s licenses or when new programs like RealID go into effect.
- Harnessing State and Local Data for Healthcare – State and local governments are rich in data yet to be fully harnessed, a problem that can be solved through AI. AI can transform population health management data, as seen during the pandemic, to be more proactive and optimize treatment based on pre-existing conditions and medical history.
- Maximizing Law Enforcement Resources – AI can help integrate data from various sources like body cameras, license plate readers, municipal surveillance and command-and-control facilities in a single platform, which can then be turned into actionable intelligence, leading to safer communities through trend and pattern analysis so that law enforcement is deployed effectively.
- Reducing Transportation Congestion – Infrastructure and economic development will greatly benefit from AI’s predictive capabilities, aiding in planning for growing populations and ensuring sufficient resources, which could mitigate potential strains, such as heavy traffic congestion.
AI within the federal government is promising, but worthy of meticulous data handling to ensure accuracy and security. For example, the Pentagon’s AI experience is going to be very different because they’re going to have to ensure data is clean, safe and secure before AI assess that information.
We look at TD SYNNEX as the “arms dealer” in the AI race. Programs like Destination AI create a collaboration space for silicon manufacturers and H/W OEM’s to let their guard and work as a Team to make AI more accessible and tangible. Our relationships with AI powerhouses in the industry put TD SYNNEX and TD SYNNEX Public Sector in a unique position to lead this charge.
Insights from the Main Stage: Federal and SLED Experts and Panels Enable the IT Channel
Throughout the event, we had some of the industry’s best and brightest join the main stage and host breakout sessions, as speakers emphasized the urgency of adapting to the rapidly changing federal IT and cybersecurity landscape. In particular, both the uncertainties and urgency that come with the 2024 election year, but also the opportunity. The critical role of robust cybersecurity measures and informed IT decisions was highlighted, with a focus on the emerging significance of private 5G technology and private cellular networks in all three segments of Public Sector.
I’m confident we can help navigate these changes, offering specialized sales teams, unparallelled expertise in contracts and a comprehensive suite of services including development, installation and financing solutions. The company aims to facilitate a faster, more effective response to the evolving technological demands, urging attendees to leverage its extensive resources to learn, adapt and implement new technologies more efficiently.
The Federal Budget Approval: Its Impact for the Channel in the Public Sector
The recent disruptions and continuing resolution of the federal budget approval resemble the rocky, wavy, choppy waters on the surface of an ocean; yet, beneath the surface, the government remains steady and smooth, ensuring significant programs and projects continue. Now, the passage of the spending bill has reignited the urgency among procurement officials to push forward, and some federal agencies will be looking to deliver up to 12 months of spending in the next 5-6 months.
With programs like TD SKYNNEX Capital, we can reduce that risk and that strain, supporting this accelerated spending through increased credit capacity and inventory management. We help organizations put money to work in commodity IT investments.
The election introduces another layer of uncertainty (and opportunity), prompting efforts to advance projects to stages where they are less susceptible to potential shifts. This scenario emphasizes the critical nature of maintaining project momentum to achieve cost efficiencies and impactful results, despite the challenges presented by a compressed spending cycle and political uncertainties.
Public Sector Growth Despite Commercial Headwinds
Despite challenges in the commercial sector, we continue to see consistent year-over-year spending growth. Our technology vendors and partners are gravitating to where business is growing; as a result, vendors are willing to invest in public sector, and more resellers are headed in that direction:
- Natural quarter ends – IT projects are often expedited to complete during the natural calendar quarter ends in March, June, September and December.
- State and Local Fiscal Year-End – June 30 is the budget deadline for most state and local governments, resulting in peaks during May and June. vendors and resellers should contact us to learn how they can better leverage TD SYNNEX before state, local and education funds expire on June 30.
- Federal Fiscal Year-End – September 30 is the end of the fiscal year for federal agencies and with a shortened year due to continuing resolution, this date is more important than ever.
Growing a robust public sector business doesn’t happen without deliberate effort, and TD SYNNEX is making that effort. TD SYNNEX has made significant investments in public sector to better support the channel, through enablement, technical support, contract assistance and more.
Pushing the Envelope: Nicole Malachowski, U.S. Air Force Thunderbird Pilot
In addition, our guest speaker for RW&Y was Nicole Malachowski, a combat veteran and the very first female United States Air Force (USAF) Thunderbird pilot, whose extraordinary skills as a pilot manifested themselves in her skills as a speaker. Nicole captivated the audience, making her a clear highlight during a tremendous week.
Nicole embraced the USAF’s theme of “pushing the envelope,” drawing parallels between the high capabilities of an F16 fighter jet and the potential within each of us to excel beyond mere comfort zones. She emphasized the importance of striving to be the best version of oneself, anchored by three fundamental principles: teamwork, trust, and vulnerability.
She introduced the concept of the “wingman contract,” symbolizing the deep trust placed in co-workers and peers and their commitment to honor it. She also addressed the inevitability of facing turbulence, advising a more relaxed approach to navigate through such challenges, with the assurance that turbulence is transient. Her message was a powerful call to action: to consistently be the subject matter expert, to build trust by being trustworthy, and to use gatherings like these as opportunities to renew our commitment to collective success.
To stick with the theme of corporate citizenship and honoring our veterans, throughout the week we also partnered with the Pat Tillman Foundation, hosting a silent auction and collecting donations that will go on to benefit future Tillman Scholars, remarkable active duty, veteran and military spouses who exhibit “service beyond self.” Thank you to everyone who helped contribute and a special appreciation to the members of our Armed Forces and their families; we thank you for your service.
Creating Customers for Life: What Partners Should Walk Away with from the Event
I’ll close with two final thoughts that I hope our RW&Y attendees walked away with (or to inspire you to attend next year).
First, I hope all attendees walked away with something tangible that they can put to work in their business as soon as they get home. I want them to know about new programs and offerings that TD SYNNEX and our vendors have that can support their opportunities. I want them to know that our contracts are their contracts, our facilities are your facilities and our relationships are your relationships.
And secondly, I want attendees to know that IT and public sector is a long-term proposition. This is a unique market where you can build a customer for life. If you can help a customer along their journey toward AI or private networks, then that customer will help produce results for you for a long time. You can become a trusted advisor to them, who is willing to ride with them through the waves, for the long-haul.
At TD SYNNEX, we’re here to provide our vendor partners with a reliable and efficient route to market for their products, while simultaneously helping our reseller and solution provider partners advance those products into government agencies and schools to solve problems, support their missions and deliver higher-quality outcomes.
