From Workbench to Improved Outcomes: How Red Cedar Delivers Innovation

Introducing newRoot Labs: Red Cedar's structured innovation engine designed to turn bold ideas into mission impact using the B.R.A.N.C.H. process.

Moving from today to tomorrow often requires more than incremental change—it requires deliberate innovation. At Red Cedar, we understand that staying relevant, effective, and impactful means looking beyond the tools and processes of today to design the solutions of tomorrow. That’s why we launched newRoot Labs, our internal innovation and IR&D engine built to grow transformative ideas from seed to scale.

Why newRoot Labs?

In every organization, there are moments when someone says, “There has to be a better way.” That spark—whether it comes from a delivery team member, a technologist, a client stakeholder, or a curious intern—is where innovation begins. But without a structured way to capture, test, and grow those ideas, they often fade out before their potential is realized.

newRoot Labs exists to change that. It gives ideas a place to land, a structure to grow, and a pathway to deliver value. Whether the idea is a new tool for client delivery, an internal capability for our Red Cedar team, or a bold new market opportunity, newRoot Labs provides the soil and support system to help it thrive.

We're also responding to a growing national priority. As the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) noted in its recent memo, “Today’s revised memos offer much-needed guidance on AI adoption and procurement that will remove unnecessary bureaucratic restrictions, allow agencies to be more efficient and cost-effective, and support a competitive American AI marketplace.”

What We Do

newRoot Labs is focused on four primary innovation pathways:

Every idea submitted is reviewed and aligned with one of these four areas ensuring it ties back to impact—whether that's through cost savings, time efficiency, increased mission alignment, or entirely new capabilities.

How We Do It: The BRANCH Process

We don’t rely on luck or random inspiration. We use a repeatable, practical, and proven framework to move from idea to implementation. We call it B.R.A.N.C.H., which stands for:

• Brainstorm: We capture the idea in a simple intake form, clarifying the problem or opportunity it addresses.

• Research: We evaluate the idea’s feasibility, impact, and alignment to mission needs. This includes reviewing stakeholders, data, systems, and context.

• Assemble: We design and prototype a solution—rapidly. This could be a proof of concept, wireframe, demo, or early pilot.

• Nurture: If promising, the idea is refined and prepared to scale. We work with delivery teams, business owners, and partners to transition ownership.

• Connect: We integrate the solution into real-world operations, policies, or systems.

• Harvest: We assess the results, collect metrics, and share outcomes to inform future innovation.

Throughout the process, we make space for experimentation, but we are laser-focused on outcomes. Innovation, to us, isn't just a buzzword—it's a tool for advancing our mission and serving our people.

We also know the transition from the lab to the real world isn't always easy. As highlighted in a research study on R&D transition management, “Effective transition from R&D to operations requires strategic planning. A study emphasizes the need for a structured transition life cycle model to manage this process successfully.” That’s exactly what BRANCH is designed to do.

Why It Matters

The pace of change isn't slowing down. From AI and automation to workforce expectations and digital modernization, the future is already here—and it's unevenly distributed. Organizations failing to innovate deliberately risk being disrupted by those that do.

But innovation can’t just be a poster on a wall or a line in a strategic plan. It needs a home. That’s what newRoot Labs provides: a structure, a team, a process, and a mindset for making innovation a part of how Red Cedar grows.

Whether you're a delivery team member with an idea that could save time, a technologist exploring emerging tools, or a leader looking for scalable solutions to big challenges—newRoot Labs is the place where your idea can take root.

What’s Next

Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll be sharing success stories, playbooks, prototypes, and opportunities to get involved. If you have an idea that could improve how we deliver, operate, or grow—submit it. We’ll walk it through the BRANCH process and explore its potential.

Because tomorrow doesn’t start with technology. It starts with an idea.

Welcome to newRoot Labs. Where innovation takes root.