McKirchy & Company was awarded the initial contract after a national competition.
As prime contractor, I was responsible for design, development, executive and working group presentations, stakeholder review, deployment and help desk support of the Know Net/Know Net 2™ projects Governmentwide.
I worked with eleven major Federal Agency's top, middle and first line management as well as Subject Matter Experts (SME), Federal employees from across Government and Federal contractors.
The project dealt with complex legal, regulatory and operational procedures and processes in Acquisition, Finance, Grants, Logistics/Asset Management and Small Business.
I focused on knowledge management structure, portal development and content identification, acquisition and conversion from legacy sources in hard copy, PowerPoint, slides and video as well as interviews with Subject Matter Experts (SME) and Working Groups.
I identified and linked law, regulation, policy and guidance at the Federal and Agency levels directly to the content managing several hundred thousand links and generating a one-stop shop for knowledge acquisition in key functions of the Federal Government. Work required the ability to locate, analyse, interpret and connect law, regulation, policy and guidance citations and write instructional content compliant with a complex regulatory framework.
I was awarded numerous small, medium and large follow-on contracts over the next sixteen years due to the quality of my work.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Secretary named Know Net a Demonstration Project under Executive Order 13111 in 1999.
Know Net quickly went from being a policy shop project to a Departmental project and then to a Governmentwide Project relied upon daily by thousands of Federal employees, contractors, grantees and citizens.
Know Net utilized a novel approach to governance by providing a direct, timely, usable, and auditable connection between law, regulation, policy, and guidance and Agency management down through bench level practitioners (Federal employees, contractors and grantees) generating a significant cost, performance and capability improvement in accountability and in the delivery of:
Know Net focused on Acquisition, Finance, Grants, Logistics and Small Business fielding knowledge management, performance support and e-learning through its desk references and training courses heavily interwoven with legal and regulatory citations in numerous bodies of knowledge in each function.
The development of Know Net was supported through financial and in-kind resource allocations from the following Know Net Partners and Supporters:
As a knowledge management, e-Learning and Performance Support project, Know Net's creation was unprecedented in that hundreds of senior, middle and bench level Federal professionals from both Civilian and Military Agencies across Government provided their expertise and worked to make Know Net accurate, complete, reliable and effective. Line, staff, program, legal and policy review was done, was constantly sought and was always welcome.
Because of this, Know Net pioneered a living community of practice long before digital communities of practice began. Participants thought and acted on a Federal basis, not just an Agency or Departmental basis. Knowledge was assembled, developed, vetted and maintained by the participants because the participants cared deeply that knowledge should be available to all 24/7.
Know Net was recognized several times for its innovation and quality:
Know Net was nominated by the Department of Energy for The 2007 Innovations in American Government Award presented by the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in partnership with the Council for Excellence in Government. This award, now in its 20th year, is heralded as the premier public-sector honor in the nation.
2002 Know Net was nominated for the 2002 Grace Hopper Leadership in Technology Award sponsored by Government Executive Magazine. The Government Technology Leadership Awards program recognized federal projects making exceptional contribution to mission accomplishment, cost effectiveness and service to the public. This award honors Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, a gutsy technology trailblazer and 43-year Navy veteran deeply committed to promoting innovation. The project was at Working Prototype stage when chosen.
2000 Know Net was named a Finalist for the Excellence in Government Award by the Federal CIO Council, the Industry Advisory Council and the Council for Excellence in Government. The project was at Advanced Prototype stage when chosen.
1999 Know Net Electronic Training and Support Network on the Logistics SuperSite nominated for Miles Romney Award; Awarded Honorable Mention.
On March 31, 2008 Know Net completed its service as a Government project due to the reorganization and realignment of its sponsoring component, the Office of Acquisition and Management Policy (OAMP) in the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
We want to take this opportunity to recognize and thank HHS OAMP for nine (9) years of leadership on Know Net.
The Know Net founders completed an assessment and concluded that a continuation project should be begun.
Due to continued interest and demand, Know Net 2™ was founded to continue the e-learning, knowledge management and performance support work begun in the original Know Net project. Many of the fine organizations and individuals involved in Know Net were involved in Know Net 2™.
So we tip our hats with a deep and heartfelt thank you to the truly wonderful individuals and organizations who continue to inspire us in the work we do today!
We have but one goal - individual and organizational performance improvement!
Substantive
Measurable
Sustainable