About Ashley Owens
Founder & Principal, Procurely
Ashley Owens is a nationally recognized leader in digital procurement and acquisition strategy with over 15 years of federal contract management experience, including more than 9 years supporting agile software development teams and large-scale digital transformation initiatives. Her acquisition approach is grounded in human-centered, outcomes-driven procurement, with a strong foundation in process design, policy implementation, and risk mitigation.
Most recently, she served as Senior Acquisition Strategist on the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Service Delivery Team within the IT Chief Technology Office, where she helped programs across the agency buy technology that truly meets user needs. Before her work in the GSA CIO Office, Ashley served as GSA’s Director of Acquisition at 18F and briefly, as Acting Executive Director of 18F.
At GSA, Ashley led agency-wide initiatives for the Administrator like “User-Centered Procurement” and developed the first “Acquisitions with Agile Methodologies” course for procurement professionals. Whether coaching teams one-on-one or shaping policy-level strategies, she champions modern, agile approaches that bring clarity, accountability, and urgency to government buying.
Ashley is known for her “real talk” approach to IT procurement—cutting through jargon to get to what matters. She believes procurement can be a joyful experience, and that contracts are the tip of the spear for IT transformation.
From the Founder
I believe in the power of government—but for it to live up to its promise, it has to work. When people say "the government isn’t working," there’s often no clear place to turn—just a number or email on a website. That’s not good enough.
In 2024, state and local governments spent over $143 billion on IT alone. That’s a huge investment of taxpayer dollars—more than many Fortune 500 companies spend on tech. With the right contract and procurement process structure, those dollars could fuel small business growth and deliver better, more accessible services to the public.
That’s why I focus on making procurement user-centered. When contracts are designed with real people in mind—citizens and vendors alike—government works better. We reduce friction, create opportunity, and meet real needs with urgency.
I believe in real talk because fear and silence have derailed too many projects. A culture of honesty and accountability leads to better outcomes—and prevents harm. Every procurement decision touches someone’s life. Let’s treat it that way and procure with purpose.
— Ashley