Intelligent Agreement Management: The Next Chapter of Government Digital Modernization

Agreements are the foundation of government operations. From hiring and procurement to social services and compliance reporting, they shape nearly every public sector workflow. 

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the federal government processes more than 106 billion forms every year, and constituents spend an average of 34 hours annually just completing paperwork. This creates a mountain of manual work that slows down services, frustrates employees and constituents, and consumes taxpayer dollars.

In addition, fragmented processes, disconnected systems, and underleveraged data lock agencies into thousands of wasted hours per function each year, longer cycle times, and a loss of accountability and transparency.

A recent fireside chat features two experts in government digital modernization—Lee Fisher, Vice President of Public Sector at Docusign, and Suki Han, Vice President of Digital Platforms at ICF, a Docusign partner—discussing how Intelligent Agreement Management (IAM) can help agencies solve these challenges and unlock powerful opportunities. 

Hidden costs and new opportunities for efficiency

Fisher and Han explain how manual labor and extended cycle times are often the biggest drains on agency resources. 

“Many teams invest significant time moving between systems and duplicating data," says Han. "Streamlining approvals can shorten timelines from weeks to days, improving service delivery and efficiency." 

At the same time, these challenges reveal opportunities for improvement. Han mentions how end-to-end automation provides the greatest opportunity for improvement, highlighting ICF’s work with licenses, permits, and inspections as a proof point. “By integrating Docusign and Salesforce, we have created a seamless process that reduces manual steps, eliminates rework, and improves both speed and user experience.”

Moving beyond digitization

While many agencies have digitized, few have truly transformed. Fisher references how the Federal CIO recently said that many agencies are still replicating old processes with digital tools.

“We all hear, ‘we love the way we do things,’ and that resistance to change can result in custom builds that recreate outdated processes,” she explains. 

To break this cycle, Han recommends embracing out-of-the-box solutions that modernize operations and improve the user experience. 

Unlocking the power of data with AI

IAM powers smarter, more proactive service delivery through better data use. Han discusses how agencies need to unlock the vast information already at their disposal. 

“AI can integrate and analyze disparate data sources, surfacing insights that were invisible before. Instead of waiting to react, agencies can anticipate citizen needs by forecasting demand for services, identifying risks, and personalizing outreach.”

Han also emphasizes the role AI plays in making data more accessible to non-technical users. “AI turns complex datasets into intuitive dashboards and natural language queries, so you do not have to be a data scientist to make sense of it.”

The moment to innovate is now 

Looking ahead, Han predicts a shift from siloed projects to a connected digital ecosystem powered by AI. “Citizens will not only experience faster services, but smarter and more personalized services.” 

Her advice? Get started now. “Tackling the data challenge is critical, but waiting for the perfect solution means missing the opportunity to learn as you go. The tools are here now, and agencies can build the foundation for a unified digital ecosystem that scales.”

Watch “The Next Chapter of Government Digital Modernization: Intelligent Agreement Management” on-demand webinar to learn more.

The digital modernization conversation continues with “IAM Unpacked: A Guided Tour of the Platform for Public Sector Professionals.” Register today.  Learn more about ICF’s digital modernization solutions at icf.com/digital.