The success of innovative acquisition labs at the Departments of Homeland Security and HHS has caught the attention of acquisition leaders. Everyone is now expected to get into the innovative acquisition act per a memorandum from Office of Federal Procurement Policy Administrator Anne Rung and federal CIO Tony Scott, just one of several acquisition-related memos issued in the past 10 days (check out one issued March 10th on open source software). Agencies have until May 2nd to set up similar organizations or describe existing structures that meet the same goals of acquisition innovation labs. Specific, senior executives in charge of their agency’s innovation operations must be named by March 31st. How innovative acquisition will impact your business will likely vary greatly from place to place. Contractors have at least three “to do” items on this front: 1. Get educated on what the innovation labs in operation have accomplished and, 2: Start discussions with customers now on both what their plans are and how you might be able to help. 3. Reach out to the innovation leads once named. Don’t forget your white coat!