Government
Contracting
Getting to the Final Four!
Practice
And Study of the Game
Facts about Federal Contracting
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The federal government is one of the largest single sources
of US contracting opportunities for small businesses
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Contracts exist for every item imaginable, from paper clips
to armored tanks

The world’s largest buyer of goods and services is the
Federal Government, with purchases totaling more than
$500 billion per year.

Federal agencies are required to establish contracting goals,
with at least 23 percent of all government buying targeted to
small firms.
Monitored by SBA through a network of PCRs
Prime Contracting Goals

23% of all prime contracts is to be set aside for
small businesses
◦ 5% of all prime and subcontracts is to be set aside for
small disadvantaged businesses
◦ 5% of all prime and subcontracts is to be set aside for
woman-owned businesses
◦ 3% of all prime contracts is to be set aside for HUBZone
small businesses
◦ 3% of all prime and subcontracts is to be set aside for
to Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small businesses
Contracting Officers
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Receive requirement and review for ‘procurability,’
approvals, and appropriate funding.
Do market research to determine available vendor
sources.
Based on market research, decide an acquisition strategy
that conforms with Federal Laws and Regulations,
specifically implement socio-economic programs, as
required.
Build a solicitation that conforms to the acquisition
strategy.
Solicit quotes/bids/proposal(s) from eligible vendors.
Evaluate/negotiate with vendors, resulting in selecting
successful offeror/bidder.
Award and administer and, eventually, closeout the
contract.
Maintain a close working relationships with their local SBA district offices
PCRs
Procurement Center Representatives

SBA Procurement Center Representatives (PCRs) are generally
located at Federal agencies and buying activities which have
major contracting programs.

PCRs are responsible for reviewing all acquisitions not set-aside
for small businesses to determine whether a set-aside is
appropriate and to identify alternative strategies to maximize
the participation of small businesses in the procurement.
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(2) As early in the acquisition planning process as practicable,
but no later than 30 days before the issuance of a solicitation,
or prior to placing an order without a solicitation, the procuring
activity must coordinate with the procuring activity's Small
Business Specialist (SBS) when the acquisition strategy
contemplates an acquisition meeting the dollar amounts in
paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section, unless the contract or order
is entirely reserved or set-aside for small business concerns as
authorized under the Small Business Act.
CMRs
Commercial Marketing Representative
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Commercial Market Representatives (CMRs) are SBA's subcontracting specialists.
CMRs are responsible for:
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Facilitating the matching of large prime contractors with small business concerns;
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Counseling large prime contractors on their responsibilities to maximize
subcontracting opportunities for small business concerns;
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Instructing large prime contractors on identifying small business concerns by
means of the SAM, SUB-Net, Business Matchmaking events, and other resources
and tools;
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Counseling small business concerns on how to market themselves to large prime
contractors;
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Maintaining a portfolio of large prime contractors and conducting Subcontracting
Orientation and Assistance Reviews (SOARs). SOARs are conducted for the
purpose of assisting prime contractors in understanding and complying with their
small business subcontracting responsibilities, including developing subcontracting
goals that reflect maximum practicable opportunity for small business;
maintaining acceptable books and records; and periodically submitting reports to
the Federal government; and
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Conducting periodic reviews, including compliance reviews in accordance with
paragraph (f) of this section.
Small Business Specialist
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As early in the acquisition planning process as
practicable, but no later than 30 days before the issuance
of a solicitation, or prior to placing an order without a
solicitation, the procuring activity must coordinate with
the procuring activity's Small Business Specialist (SBS)
when the acquisition strategy contemplates an acquisition
meeting the dollar amounts in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this
section, unless the contract or order is entirely reserved
or set-aside for small business concerns as authorized
under the Small Business Act.
Offices of Small and Disadvantaged
Business Utilization (OSDBU)
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The goal of the OSBDU offices is to advocate for and
manage the small business utilization programs for
their organization.
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The Director of the OSDBU - primary advocate
responsible for promoting the maximum practicable
use of small business within the Federal Acquisition
process.
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The OSDBU is tasked with ensuring that each Federal
agency and their large prime vendors comply with
federal laws, regulations, and policies to include
small business concerns as sources for goods and
services as prime contractors and subcontractors.
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Federal OSDBU Offices/Small Business Specialists:
http://www.osdbu.gov/offices.html
SBA - Resource Partners
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PTACs- provide assistance to business firms in
marketing products and services to the Federal,
state and local governments available at no or
nominal cost www.dla.mil/db/procurem.htm
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Small Business Development Centers – provide one
on one management assistance to SB; Women
Business Centers:
http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/onlin
ewbc/index.html
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SCORE - Get free & Confidential small business
mentoring and advice (online and in-person
mentoring) from Successful Business Advisors
www.score.org
Federal Contracting Procedures
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In order to win federal contracts, you will want/need to
become familiar with federal regulations
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Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)
www.acquisition.gov/far
 Subpart 8.4 – Federal Supply
Schedules
 Part 12 – Commercial Items
 Part 13 – Simplified Acquisitions
 Part 14 – Sealed Bidding
 Part 15 – Contracting by Negotiation
 Part 19 – Small Business Programs
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Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement
(DFARS) www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/
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GSA’s Regulations:
https://www.acquisition.gov/gsam/gsam.html
Training available through SBA 7(j) training and @ SBA.gov
Competition
Competitive Analysis
Market Research
Federal Agency Procurement Forecasts:
http://acquisition.gov/comp/procurement_forecasts/index.htm
l
 Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) (FBO) is the
exclusive official source to identify federal contracts over
$25,000
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www.fedbizopps.gov or www.fbo.gov
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Federal Procurement Data System – Next Generation
www.FPDS.gov
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Increased use of Sources Sought Notices in the FBO – Become
familiar with and Respond to these notices. Pay attention to
what specifically the agency is asking for in the notice.
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Large contract awards and special notices (e.g., procurement
conferences) are also publicized in the FBO.
FPDS - ezSearch Returns
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Search on NAICS or
DUNS numbers and
returned numerous
results.
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Drill into the results to
obtain more
information.
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Analyzing your Sweet Spot
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Game Time
Compliance and Content
Keep it Moving and Improving!
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Attend procurement conferences and business
expos
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Become a member in key associations
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Attend Business Matchmaking events
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Conduct routine SWOT analysis
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Add details to DSBS your Dynamic Small
Business Search profile (e.g., GSA schedule
number, commercial customers, federal
customers, special capabilities).
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Attend training (e.g., Contracts administration,
Project management, 7(j))
The Acquisition Lifecycle
Leads
Q0
Q1
Q2
Q0 Identification
Q1 Qualification
Q2 In Process Review /
Develop.
T3 Finalize Capture Plan
T3
B4
B4 Proposal Development
S
Submitted Proposal
(Post-Marketing Activity)
S
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Compliance: The Key to It All
 Three Rules for a solicitation
 Read it…Read it…Read it!!!
 Compliance to Proposal Instructions:
 Section C, L, and M specifically
 Sound Management Plan inclusive of your management
structure and governance
 Balance between their requirements and your win
strategies
 Focus on Your Discriminators, and Ghost if necessary
 Low Risk, Efficient Solutions Win - The government is
not signing up for your problems.
 On-Time delivery
Uniform Contract Format
Part I--The Schedule
 A Solicitation/contract form
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B Supplies or services and prices/costs
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C Description/specifications/work statement
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D Packaging and marking
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E Inspection and acceptance
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F Deliveries or performance
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G Contract administration data
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H Special contract requirements
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Uniform Contract Format (cont.)
Part II--Contract Clauses
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I Contract clauses
Part III--List of Documents, Exhibits, and
Other Attachments
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J List of attachments
Part IV--Representations and Instructions
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K Representations, certifications, and other statements of
offerors
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L Instructions to offerors
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M Evaluation factors for award
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Past Performance
A New Dynamic Is in Play
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Questionnaires Drive a Need for Client Relationship
Management
Recent, Relevant and Tailored Approach
Ensure Evaluation Criteria are met
 Review Section L (instructions) & Section M
 Work completed in the last three years
 Similar in scope, complexity and size
When
asked to address problems, show
 how company worked with the client to turn things
around and deliver a successful project
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Key Resources / Responsibilities
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Business Developer
◦ Corporate or Division resource responsible for targeting,
identifying and pursuing new business opportunities.
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Capture Manager (CM)
◦ From Corporate or Division; responsible for developing
and implementing a winning strategy; Serves as the main
focal point for the opportunity once a bid decision is
rendered.
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Proposal Manager or Proposal Coordinator (PM)
◦ Assists the CM with coordinating, managing, editing, and
formatting the proposal.
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Solution Architects and Subject Matter Experts
(SME)
◦ Technical expert from the Division or a team used to write
specific portions of a proposal who may be member.
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Proposal Review Process
Pink Team
Develop
Draft
Red Team
Update
Proposal
Gold Team
Finalize
Proposal
In-process
Review(s)
White
Glove
Submit to Client
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Winning
Source Selection – How It Works
Source Selection
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The objective of source selection is to select the proposal
that represents the best value.
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Ensure consistency among the solicitation requirements,
notices to offerors, proposal preparation instructions,
evaluation factors and subfactors, solicitation provisions or
contract clauses, and data requirements;
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Ensure that proposals are evaluated based solely on the
factors and subfactors contained in the solicitation.
Competitive Range
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Agencies shall evaluate all proposals in accordance with
15.305(a), and, if discussions are to be conducted,
establish the competitive range.
Based on the ratings of each proposal against all evaluation
criteria, the contracting officer shall establish a competitive
range comprised of all of the most highly rated proposals,
unless the range is further reduced for purposes of
efficiency.
Provided the solicitation notifies offerors that the
competitive range can be limited for purposes of efficiency
(see 52.215-1(f)(4)), the contracting officer may limit the
number of proposals in the competitive range to the
greatest number that will permit an efficient competition
among the most highly rated proposals (10 U.S.C.
2305(b)(4) and 41 U.S.C. 253b(d)).
(
15.307 Proposal revisions
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If an offeror’s proposal is eliminated or otherwise removed
from the competitive range, no further revisions to that
offeror’s proposal shall be accepted or considered.
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The contracting officer may request or allow proposal
revisions to clarify and document understandings reached
during negotiations. At the conclusion of discussions, each
offeror still in the competitive range shall be given an
opportunity to submit a final proposal revision.
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The contracting officer is required to establish a common
cut-off date only for receipt of final proposal revisions.
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Requests for final proposal revisions shall advise offerors
that the final proposal revisions shall be in writing and that
the Government intends to make award without obtaining
further revisions.
Source Selection Decision
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Based on a comparative assessment of proposals against
all source selection criteria in the solicitation.
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The source selection decision shall represent the SSA’s
independent judgment.
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The source selection decision shall be documented, and the
documentation shall include the rationale for any business
judgments and tradeoffs made or relied on by the SSA,
including benefits associated with additional costs.
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Although the rationale for the selection decision must be
documented, that documentation need not quantify the
tradeoffs that led to the decision
Conclusion
Know The Rules
 Select Wisely
 Do Your Homework
 Compliance Is Everything
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Source Selection FAR 15.300-308
 Compliance
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Questions and Answers
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