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National Contract Management Association

Federal Contract Cycles Nearly Double Global Benchmark, Report Finds

Reston, Va. – September 15, 2026 -- Federal acquisition organizations report contract cycle times nearly twice the global benchmark for lower-complexity acquisitions, according to the 2026 US Government Benchmark Report released by the Commerce & Contract Management Institute (CCM Institute).

Federal workers report higher resilience despite structural delays

The study, based on responses from more than 500 federal acquisition professionals and industry suppliers, found federal respondents scoring 5.0 on workforce resilience and 4.6 on adaptability, outperforming global benchmarks of 4.8 and 4.2 respectively. Yet 66 percent of respondents cited ongoing uncertainty and 64 percent cited operational workload as major barriers to organizational agility.

ISM Names Neal Couture President and CEO, Effective October 1

ISM Names Neal Couture President and CEO, Effective October 1

Tempe – September 11, 2026 -- Institute for Supply Management (ISM), the world's largest professional association for supply chain and procurement, has appointed Neal J. Couture, CAE, FASAE, as its next president and chief executive officer, effective October 1, 2026.

ISM Board completes global search to select next leader

The ISM Board of Directors selected Couture following a comprehensive global search to guide the organization's next phase of growth, member value and global professional impact. Stacey Taylor, MBA, Chair of the ISM Board of Directors, said Couture's track record of leadership, innovation and member engagement aligned closely with ISM's mission.