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The TechAmerica Foundation’s Vision Federal Market Forecast projects federal budgets in line with the Bipartisan Budget Act until policy choices crystalize after 2015. TechAmerica Foundation’s 50th annual Vision Federal Market Forecast Conference runs two days starting tomorrow at the Fairview Park Marriott in Falls Church, Va. “Despite budget pressures, the federal government remains a large potential market for companies that are fully invested in it,” said Elizabeth Hyman, executive vice president, TechAmerica. “The Vision Forecast helps IT companies gain a competitive edge in the federal marketplace by gleaning valuable insight into the future of government spending.” The overall forecast sees long-term economic challenges limiting federal IT budget growth, but opportunities still exist. The civil IT budget is flat in near term, but should grow with discretionary spending. The defense IT budget faces near-term pressure with inflation-level increases over five years. The on-book unclassified IT budget will be $73.7 billion for fiscal year 2015. Without reform measures, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other mandatory expenses plus interest payments are set to rise to 79 percent of federal outlays by fiscal year 2024, leaving only a modest amount of room for discretionary expenditures.