GSA leaders are generally well-intentioned when it comes to issuing acquisition policies.  Flexibility on inflation-driven price adjustments, guidance on GSA Schedule issues, and communication on specific IDIQ acquisition strategies are all areas where the agency is communicating well.  Both industry and GSA have, or are intended to, benefit.  The messages, though, don’t always get down to front line workers, or, if they do, the communication ends up looking like a game of “telephone” where the half the message goes through, and half makes people think that the agency can’t possibly buy anymore “pink ponies.”  A standdown day could be an effective way to ensure that all workers get a clear message at the same time about where the agency is trying to go and the important role acquisition professionals play in getting there.  The military has used standdown days to good effect on multiple issues.  These include mental and physical health days, review of military culture, and days set-aside to address discrimination.  Can these issues be addressed in regular training?  Of course, but setting aside a specific day where everyone in the organization is tasked with the same training requirement sends a strong message that what will be communicated is especially important.  The message may also be delivered in a more consistent manner and heard directly by all covered employees at the same time.  Standdown days also allow acquisition professionals to ask questions.  This can help clear up misconceptions, or even raise new topics that the agency may need to address at a senior level.  While industry may occasionally gripe about individual contracting officials being “in training” when they’re trying to modify their contract, few would disagree with one specific day being set aside for training if the result was a better understanding of agency policy and a more consistent application of the flexibilities intended by senior policy officials.