Author: Kaamil Khan, President of Makpar

In my first year as Makpar’s president, one pattern became clear: federal agencies know what they need to do—modernize legacy systems, adopt AI, streamline operations—but they’re navigating unprecedented constraints on time, budget, and talent.

The gap between aspiration and execution is real. Procurement timelines compress. Security requirements intensify. Citizens expect digital services that work as seamlessly as commercial platforms. And agency leaders are being asked to do more with less.

Makpar’s 2026 vision responds directly to this reality. We’re investing in our technical capabilities, workforce, and partnerships to achieve what matters most: execution that advances missions, trust built through our core values of Customer Delight and Calm Execution, and readiness for what’s next.

Supporting the Administration’s Modernization Priorities Through Accelerated, Secure Delivery

Federal legacy systems are complex and difficult to modernize. The Administration has also challenged contractors to accelerate modernization timelines. Agencies therefore need partners who understand the constraints of federal IT environments while delivering with commercial-grade velocity.

Makpar bridges this gap. We deliver at scale in complex federal environments without compromising security or mission continuity. Through our work at the Internal Revenue Service, Makpar has enabled secure access for 60 million Americans. At the Labor Department, we are currently implementing measures to mitigate eligibility fraud in state-level unemployment programs. 

In 2026, we will continue building on that foundation in two critical areas. First, expanding identity and access management capabilities that promote digital trust and transaction integrity for citizen-facing services. Second, supporting the move from the exploratory era of AI to building enterprisewide services at scale. We have proven our ability to support federal AI adoption through successful chatbot and Copilot deployments, while also integrating AI-enhanced development in our delivery. Our focus is ensuring automation, AI-assisted analysis, and secure digital platforms are deployed in ways that are practical, measurable, and aligned with agency goals. 

The outcome for agencies: modernization without accepting unacceptable technical or security risk, reduced operational costs through automation and improved processes, and expanded capacity to serve citizens digitally at scale. Speed matters but only when paired with reliability.

Strengthening Mission Delivery Through Strategic Partnerships

Agencies are demanding integrated solutions rather than piecemeal implementation. No single contractor can maintain cutting-edge capabilities across every domain. The challenge is assembling teams with complementary strengths that deliver cohesively without the coordination overhead that often undermines multi-vendor approaches.

Makpar’s approach is selective partnership: we team with organizations whose capabilities strengthen our core work in cloud, cybersecurity, data analytics, and digital transformation. Through our mentor-protégé relationship with NuAxis and technical teaming with industry leaders like ID.me, Microsoft, and AWS, we’ve demonstrated our ability to integrate specialized expertise into unified delivery.

Within our broader portfolio, we’re prioritizing one area in particular: digital identity and access management. As agencies expand digital services to hundreds of millions of users, identity infrastructure has evolved from an IT challenge to a national security imperative. Makpar has proven capability at this intersection of identity and security and in 2026, we’re seeking partners who can help us scale this work across additional agencies and use cases.

We’re also actively recruiting partners with specialized capabilities in cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity operations, and data analytics to expand into related mission areas. If your organization brings complementary technical depth and shares our commitment to mission-focused delivery, let’s explore how we can team effectively.

Building Delivery Excellence Through Workforce Investment

As federal IT demands evolve from legacy system expertise to AI integration and cloud-native development, the skills gap between traditional government contracting and emerging technology requirements continues to widen. Agencies need partners whose teams can deliver today’s requirements while adapting to tomorrow’s.

Makpar’s approach is continuous workforce development tied directly to mission delivery. In 2025, we released comprehensive internal AI policies and launched structured AI training programs across our organization. Our employee satisfaction scores reflect this investment: teams that feel supported and equipped deliver better outcomes. We’re not just talking about AI adoption, we’re measuring it internally and applying lessons learned to the federal programs we support.

In 2026, we’re expanding this foundation in two directions. First, building internal AI experimentation environments where our teams can develop proficiency with AI/ML frameworks before deploying them on federal programs. Second, introducing AI best practices on customer programs as we roll out pilot implementations, ensuring our workforce develops expertise through hands-on application.

This approach scales delivery quality as we grow. We will also continue to invest in internal programs like Makpar Cares and our ongoing engagement initiatives to build the culture that enables consistent execution across teams and contracts.

Adapting to Evolving Acquisition Models

Federal procurement is undergoing significant change. New acquisition authorities and shifting procurement timelines are creating both opportunity and uncertainty. These new acquisition models require contractors to adapt their delivery approach by structuring proposals and execution around outcomes, modularity, and realistic timelines.

Makpar is preparing for this environment by focusing on how we deliver, not just what we deliver. We’re building proposals around proven architectures that agencies can deploy incrementally and milestone-based delivery that demonstrates business value early. Through our thought leadership—including our open letter on incorporating commercial best practices into federal acquisition—we’re contributing to the broader industry conversation about effective procurement modernization.

In 2026, we’re building on this foundation by developing internal expertise on acquisition pathways that align with our technical capabilities and can be leveraged during agency market research and acquisition planning. The procurement landscape is changing and this shift is an opportunity to introduce innovation when supported by the right technical and delivery partners.

Looking Ahead

My first year as president taught me an important lesson: in a rapidly changing environment, being reactive isn’t sustainable. We spent much of 2025 responding to shifts in policy, procurement, and priorities. Now, with clearer expectations and a stronger foundation, 2026 is about being proactive: anticipating agency needs and leading with solutions. Federal systems will modernize by the trusted advisors that execute when it matters most.

If you’re a government leader tackling identity modernization, zero trust implementation, or secure digital service delivery—or an industry partner with complementary cybersecurity and infrastructure capabilities—let’s have a conversation about what we can accomplish together.