BOOKMARK: www.gtscoalition.eventbrite.com to go directly to registration for all GTSC and Homeland Security Today events.

UPCOMING WEBINARS – REGISTER TODAY!

Date: TBA

TacCom II, TALMEC (Tactical Air, Land and Marine Enterprise Communications), ATAP (Advanced Trade Analytics Platform) and RVSS/IFT (Remote Video Surveillance System and Industry Fixed Towers)

Speakers:
Julie Koo, Director Information Technology Contracting Division U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Susan Baptist, Division Director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Kerri Bishop, Office of Acquisition (OA), Director-Mission Support Contracting Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection

PLEASE NOTE OUR WEBINAR PROCESS:

As you may have seen, GTSC has developed a webinar and meetings channel. Given security concerns around certain platforms, GTSC has implemented new default security measures and a two-step registration process to assure a safe and fun experience. Once you register on eventbrite, the day before or day-of the webinar or meeting GTSC will verify your participation and you will receive another registration link from GTSC. That is the webinar registration.

Please be sure to register with your official company email.  We cannot admit any .gmail, .yahoo, or other random emails into the calls.

Please click on the link and register for the webinar to get in and participate.

You will not have access to the webinar if you do not click and register at the webinar’s site.

If identified as a WEBINAR, we will not be able to see you.

If identified as a MEETING, we can see you if you allow us to.

Zoom does not require you to download anything; you simply click the link and join online.

Thank you for your patience as we evolve to beat the havoc caused by the Coronavirus!!

BOOKMARK: www.gtscoalition.eventbrite.com to go directly to registration for all GTSC and Homeland Security Today events.

Homeland Security Today webinars are NOT included here.  To find those, sign up for the weekly webinar update here.

PAST WEBINARS

GTSC U.S. Coast Guard Cyber & IT Missions and Opportunities

AUGUST 27, 2020 

GTSC MEMBERS ONLY WEBINAR WITH DIRECTOR MATTHEW ALBENCE, ICE

AUGUST 19, 2020 

Join GTSC for a webinar with the Director of ICE Matthew Albence, to discuss the agency’s day-to-day operations and impacts of COVID on their workforce of more than 20,000 officers, special agents, attorneys, and mission support professionals assigned to more than 400 domestic and international offices.

GTSC ESBG Procurement Update: NITAAC CIO-SP3 Small Business

AUGUST 11, 2020 

Procurement update around the NITAAC CIO-SP3 vehicle. 

U.S. Customs & Border Protection – ITI and other OIT requirements

JULY 7, 2020

SPEAKERS:

Sanjeev Bhagowalia, Acting Assistant Commissioner, Office of Information & Technology (OIT), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), DHS

Julie Koo, Director Information Technology Contracting Division U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Earl Lewis, Executive Director, Procurement, Deputy Head of Contracting Activity

Special thanks to Sev1Tech for their support of this webinar.  Click their logo to learn more about GTSC’s Mid-Tier of the year!

GTSC Procurement Update: U.S. Department of Homeland Security – HQ

June 25, 2020

SPEAKERS:

Soraya Correa, Chief Procurement Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

GTSC Procurement Update: Internal Revenue Service

June 9, 2020

Speakers:
Shanna Webbers, Chief Procurement Officer, IRS
Harrison Smith, Deputy Chief Procurement Officer, IRS

Special thanks to Northrop Grumman for their support of this webinar.  Click their logo to learn more about GTSC’s Mentor of the year 2018!

GTSC Procurement Update:  U.S. State Department

June 9, 2020 

SPEAKERS

Michael Dickson, Branch Chief, Information Management Contract Branch, U.S. State Department

Katie Lugo, Contracting Officer, Information Management Contract Branch, U.S. State Department

Grayson Cochran, Contracting Officer, Information Management Contract Branch, U.S. State Department

Anna Urman, Senior Procurement Analyst, U.S. State Department

GTSC Procurement Update U.S. Customs and Border Protection

May 27, 2020

SPEAKERS

Julie Koo, Director Information Technology Contracting Division U.S. Customs and Border Protection

David Hansen, Supervisory Information Technology Specialist, U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Earl Lewis, Executive Director, Procurement, Deputy Head of Contracting Activity

GTSC and Women of Homeland Security – A conversation with Beth Cappello – Acting CIO of DHS

May 19, 2020

Join GTSC, co-hosted by Women in Homeland Security, to hear from Elizabeth Capello on her mission, challenges, and vision as she works to manage the IT and cyber security needs of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during the COVID crisis — and every day.

GTSC Procurement Update with DHS

May 7, 2020

Join GTSC for a members only webinar on procurement and acquisition activity at the U.S.Department of Homeland Security. GTSC will host a number of industry liaisons from headquarters to discuss procurement activity, touch on DHS’s response to Coronavirus, and answer questions submitted in advance. This webinar is geared toward activity not related to COVID-19, however, if you have questions about that we will certainly entertain them.

GTSC Procurement Update with ICE

April 30, 2020

Join GTSC for a members only webinar on procurement and acquisition activity at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Special thanks to members who responded to GTSC’s survey and asked for specific updates on:

· DHS ICE SEVP Application Design, Development, Test, Deployment, O&M, Eng, and Security

· DHS ICE-Security Assurance Support Services

· Modernize and Automate the Inspection Process at ICE Detention Facilities

· DHS, USCIS, CYBER SECURITY DEFENSE SERVICES (csds) – RFI

GTSC Members Only – Events, New Webinars, Procurement and Acquisition

April 24, 2020

Join us for an update on GTSC’s activities around:

>Procurement

>Events

>COVID-19

Questions and suggestions on what else we can be doing to help you.

GTSC Law Enforcement Information Sharing – Focus on Domestic Violent Extremism

April 23, 2020

]]> https://gt.gtscoalition.com/is-your-business-really-prepared-for-the-aca/ Tue, 12 Nov 2013 01:02:47 +0000 https://www.gtscoalition.com/?p=5180 Politics aside, what do you really need to know about ACA?  Some like it; some hate it. There’s seemingly “good news” for the uninsured, yet “bad news” for corporate America. Politicians stump about it, news media “chat” about it nonstop, everywhere you turn there’s something about Obamacare (Affordable Care Act – ACA). With all of the attention, it may be hard to get to the facts and harder to know what to expect, and how one might need to respond. So consider this the “short list” of the important elements of the ACA and what you may need to do about it.

Health Benefit Exchanges – We’ve all heard about the creation of Health Insurance Exchanges, but the focal point of these exchanges for employers deals with the definition of “small group.” The Small Group Market is defined as employers with 100 or fewer employees in the preceding year. However the Exchanges are run by the states that have the authority to define the small group market at 50 or fewer employees in the preceding year.

So what do you need to do? Be aware of how your state defines the small group market because it can have a significant impact on your ability to access the Exchange.

Play or Pay Tax – Larger employers will be potentially subject to the play or pay tax if they do not offer coverage and certain criteria are met, or if they offer coverage and certain criteria are met. Employers will be considered “large employers” if they have an average of 50 or more employees in the preceding year. Employees include “full time equivalent” employees, which are calculated on a monthly basis. The taxes (penalties) for being out of compliance are assessable on a monthly basis.

So what do you need to do? It’s imperative to understand BOTH the way full-time employees are calculated, as well as understand the way coverage is deemed suitable (and thus not subject to possible penalties).

Small Business Tax Credit – Only employers that have 25 or fewer full-time employees and meet other eligibility criteria requirements can claim the tax credit. The average annual wages for employers in this category must be $50,000 or less AND the employer must have a contribution arrangement in effect that satisfies the IRS requirement.

So what do you need to do? If you’re potentially in this arena, you need to understand the calculation of full-time employees as well as the salary calculation. You’ll also need to work with an accountant or tax professional who can help with IRS form 8941 in order to claim the credit.

Medical Loss Ratio – Depending on how the Small Group market is defined in your state, a group may be subject to either an 80% or 85% medical loss ratio standard. This will have an impact on the chances enrollees have of receiving a rebate: 85% for the Large Group Market and 80% for the small group Market.  The medical loss ratio is a spending requirement imposed on carriers providing coverage.  Rebates are only required if the carrier does not meet the applicable medical loss ratio standard.

So what do you need to know? This element will have an indirect impact on employers because it is directed towards insurance carriers.  Many carriers will have to decide if they are going to continue to offer plans in certain markets or if it no longer makes financial sense to do so. If carriers drop out or pull back offerings, the result will be potentially increased pricing for those who remain, and/or driving more people to the exchanges.

Record Keeping Requirements for Everyone – regardless of the size of the company, the ACA is requiring all employers to keep records of their employees, records that are to include household incomes (yes, even for the spouse not employed by the firm), and if they have enrolled in an exchange. The purpose according to ACA is to determine possible “cost-sharing” for those employees who are at or near the poverty level for an individual and/or family (hence why they are requiring family income).

So what do you need to know? Some might think, well, I don’t have any employees at or near the poverty line…however that does not mean you are not required to keep records.  Everyone is required.  On the other end of the spectrum there may be a Cadillac tax coming down the road in 2017 assessed against those who have plans that are “too rich.”

Other questions employers are asking include, “I’ve heard about grandfathering plans, can I (should I) do that and if so, how?”  “Should exchanges be a part of my company’s offering?”  As the ACA continues to unfold, there will likely be additional elements of it that employers will be forced to address.  The best advice we can offer to employers is: make sure you are working with a Financial Professional who understands the ACA and can help you navigate its impact specific to your firm. Have a plan, and get out ahead of it as much as possible.

P. Allen Haney President, The Haney Company

Mr. P. Allen Haney is a Strategic Advisor to the Government Technology & Services Coalition. He is also a trusted advisor to business owners and nonprofit executives, Allen Haney is best known for solving problems. His consul on employee benefits, executive compensation, and retirement planning routinely vitalizes the health and sustainability of closely held businesses and associations.

He is most appreciated for his all-inclusive, uncompromising commitment to expand client capacity by uncovering risks and opportunities hidden in blind spots. Read more about Mr. Haney here.