Sometimes the response to “can we talk?” is “no”.  Despite two rounds of OMB-sponsored Myth Busters campaigns and three rounds of DOD’s Better Buying Power initiative, industry-government communication remains a challenge.  Education of the acquisition workforce was thought to be the answer to that problem, but it is clear now that is not the case.  Acquisition officials know they can – and are in fact encouraged to– speak with industry, but they don’t.  Anecdotal evidence suggests that reasons vary.  Workload is one, but so, too, is the feeling that more than “hello” will land an official in front of their IG, no matter how many memos and directives that say otherwise.  What next?  How about making industry discussions a measureable part of the acquisition planning process?  We know that “what gets measured, gets done”, so requiring discussions with industry in the planning and market research phases might be one way to ensure feds get input from industry on the latest technology and solutions.  Is communication an end to itself?  Of course not.  Communication only works when it is part of a process that results in a workable solution.  Solutions tend to me more workable, though, when responsible communication is built in.