Presented by
Tony Price
14 August 2013
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 USA – LARGEST Procurer of Supplies and Services Worldwide

Around 2,000 buying agencies in the Federal Government

USA – Spends $570+ Billion of Annual Budget on Goods and
Services

DoD spends $361.3B or about 65% of that
 USA – Statutory Minimum 23% of Annual Spending to ALL
SBs via 15 USC 644(g)
 If Small Businesses want to be to
“ in the game
”
, they must know how
“ play the game
” – to successfully “
COMPETE and WIN
”
!
You cannot win without a strong and well-rounded team.
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The GAME
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The PROCESS
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The RULES
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The PLAYERS
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The STRATEGY
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Procurement of All Supplies and Services for the United
States Federal Market
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Federal Acquisition SYSTEM o 3 Branches of Government o Checks / Balances o Taxpayer Funds o Annual Appropriations
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Federal Acquisition Regulations
(FAR) and its Supplements o Acquisition Central www.arnet.gov
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Buyers: Contracting Officers
Sellers: Prime Contractors,
Subcontractors, Vendors
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Developing a Competitive
Winning Proposal Document
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• Four main differences between Government and commercial procurement: o Government-unique audit and accounting requirements o Government-unique specifications and standards o Technical data rights o Government-unique contract requirements
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Government Commercial
Orientation of Procurement Best value/low cost
Procurement Structure
Role of Congress/ Judicial
Branches
Commitment Authority
Acceptance
Termination Clause
Suspension of Work
Contract Litigation
Performance and
Social/Economic
Formal defined by FAR
Provides direct input and guidance
Actual
Final and Conclusive
No anticipatory profit/fee
Cost recovery, no profit/fee
Federal law prevails
Less formal
Uniform Commercial Code
(UCC)
Implied
Flexible
Usually contains anticipatory profit/fee
Profit/fee not prohibited negotiable
State law prevails
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Tips On Doing Business with Federal
Agencies “ or with anybody else for that matter ”
Tip #1 - Do your homework…Surf the web.
Tip #2 - Demonstrate responsiveness
Tip #3 - Understand the opportunities
Tip #4 - Let the client talk. Listen carefully to what they have to say.
Tip #5 - Market project managers, they know the clients and they are the folks bringing in the money
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Tip #6 - Execute and execute well
Tip #7 - Bad performance is a death sentence to a small business
Tip #8 - Small businesses are important but not at the expense of quality
Tip #9 - Find your own work
Tip #10 - Demonstrate that you know what you are doing
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• Know yourself: Understand your capabilities (superior product, competitive pricing, outstanding customer service), Be realistic
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Determine your market (geographic, etc.)
• Know your customer: Do some homework (see next slide) o Federal Procurement Process o Websites o Small Business Administration o Other advocacy agencies (SBDCs/PTACs) o YOUR SMALL BUSINESS SPECIALIST
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High quality past performance
• Financial stability
• Excellent reputation
• Reasonable costs
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Good safety record
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Reliability
• Customer focus
• Responsiveness
• Relevant experience
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Quality management and people
• Able and willing to take on new work
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Willingness to strive for a win/win situation
• Ability to work as a team
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• Arrange thru your small business specialist
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Sell your capabilities
• Product demos
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Reference material (brochures, pamphlets, line cards)
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Get a debrief/feedback
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Follow-up
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Same techniques apply when marketing to large, prime contractors
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If practicable get general information on an activity before you visit o Who should you talk to or meet with?
o Respect “ Chain of Command ” or protocol o Prepare – review web-sites, etc.
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Consider what can your business can do for them?
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• Networking o Chambers, small business groups, professional societies (SAME) and organizations o Attend seminars or hold your own (be a speaker at industry functions) o Networking with competitors o News releases
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Your website
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Always carry business cards
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Referrals o Ask current clients to refer you to others
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• It ’ s not only who you know that counts, it ’ s who your clients know that is important, too.
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Relationships can be more important than the product or service sold (especially in a competitive market).
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Learn to accept rejection gracefully .
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Do you believe in your product and company?
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Would you do business with yourself?
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Who sponsors Outreach Conferences?
o Members of Congress o Various Government Agencies o Chambers of Commerce
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Vendor Days (local emphasis) o Government Credit Card o Information Technology, Furniture, etc o High Tech or Environmental
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Focused Events- Specific Audiences targeted o Specific Acquisition (Pre-solicitation) o Specific small business group (WOSB, 8(a), Vet)

• The Small Business Act requires that small business firms have maximum opportunity to participate as subcontractors on Federal contracts o Small Business o Small Disadvantaged Business/8(a)
 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU/MI)
- applies to DoD o Women-Owned Small Business o HUBZone Small Business o Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business o Veteran-Owned Small Business
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• Customer
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Solicitation Type
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Procurement
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Offeror (or Bidder)
• Proposal Due Date
Now how do I get started …?
• U.S. Federal Government
Department or Agency
• Request for Proposal
(RFP)(FAR Part 15)
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Complex Services or Manufactured
Products Based Upon Specs/Dwgs, or Performance Description > $1M
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Service Disabled Veteran
Owned (SDVO) o Prime Contractor o Dedicated Team Member
• 30 Calendar Days from
Receipt of RFP
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Breaking Down the Proposal Requirements
How to Analyze the RFP …
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Read the Entire Document as a Whole
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Dissect the Statement of Work (SOW),
Specifications, Drawings, Technical
Descriptions
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Develop Work Breakdown Structure
(WBS)
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Review the RFP Instructions & Evaluation
Criteria
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Responsiveness v. Responsibility
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Breaking Down the Proposal Requirements
How to Analyze the RFP …
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Relate the Source Selection Process with the
Proposal Development (Point to Point) – Don
’ t
Miss ANYTHING!
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Develop a Compliance Checklist
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Correlate Each Requirement to an Evaluation
Criteria
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Develop a “ Proposal Outline ” Handout for the
Kick-off Meeting
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Submit Request for Information" (RFI's) as outlined in the solicitation instructions if the specification is not clear. RFI's usually cut-off about 2-5 days before solicitation closes.
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• Identify the Best Available Candidates for the Proposal Team
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Make Writing Assignments with Members Strengths in Mind
- THIS IS NO TIME TO EXPERIMENT OR TRAIN o Technical (or Engineering) Specialist o Management/Operations Specialist o Estimator or Cost(s) Analyst o Contracts Specialist o Logistics/Procurement/Small Business Specialist o Quality/Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Specialist o Past Performance/Projects & Resumes Specialist o Expert Word Processor o Graphics Designer/Artist o Editor & Proof-Reader o Proposal Coordinator
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• Don
’ t Overlook the Need for: o Consultants – Subject Matter Experts (SME)
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Fill Gaps in Team Manpower & Experience
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Add Expert Support in Niche Areas
 Provide Inside Knowledge of Customer & Competitors o Teaming Partners – Large & Small Business Providers of Supplies and Services
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Exclusive v. Non-Exclusive
 Formal v. Informal o Dedicated Subcontractor/Supplier Competitive Pools o Reproduction Function - Internal or External o Overnight Courier or Other Transportation Carrier
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• Selecting Teaming Partners o Assess team member capabilities
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Business, financial, other resources o Assess team member past performance o Assess team member past performance with the client o Assess team member relationship with the client o Assess legal constraints
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Organizational conflicts of interest
 Debarments/suspensions
 Qualification requirements o Assess team chemistry
 Management styles, corporate cultures, strategic visions
• Successful Teaming Qualities o Compatible contractors o Good teaming agreements in place
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• Why would small businesses want to team?
o Enables firms to complement each others capabilities o May enable firms to offer the best combination of performance, cost and delivery o May enable small businesses to successfully compete for larger scale contracts o To develop relationships and capture work on multiple opportunities
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Most teams are either: o Prime/Subcontractor relationship o Joint Ventures
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Prime/Subcontractor Relationship: o Prime is responsible for contract performance o Government has privity of contract only with the prime o Relationships normally identified before offer is submitted o SBA checks for affiliation
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Following Award - Debriefs and Lessons-Learned …
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When the Customer Announces the Contract Winner – Always Request a Debrief – WHETHER YOU WIN OR LOSE …
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As the Winner – o Learn About What You DID BETTER than Everyone Else –
Strengths o Learn About What May Need Improvement for the Future –
Weaknesses o Continue to Develop a Better Relationship with the Customer o Build Customer Trust and Show Humility o Begin to Cultivate Follow-On Work – It
’ s never too early
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FIX THE WEAKNESSES IDENTIFIED IN THE DEBRIEF!
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Following Award - Debriefs and Lessons-Learned …
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As the Unsuccessful Offeror – o Learn about the Proposal Weaknesses v. the Proposal
Strengths o Learn more about What the Customer Really Wants and
Why You Didn
’ t Provide it THIS TIME ….. o Continue Gathering Business Intelligence (BI) o Request Info regarding New Opportunities – It too early …
’ s never
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FIX THE WEAKNESSES IDENTIFIED IN THE DEBRIEF
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 ARNET – Acquisition Reform Network
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BAA – Broad Agency Announcement
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BD – Business Development
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BI – Business Intelligence
 CCR – Central Contractor Registration
 DFARS – Defense FAR
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DHS – Department of Homeland Security
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DoD – Department of Defense
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EH&S – Environmental, Health, &
Safety
 EO – Executive Order
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FAR – Federal Acquisition Regulations
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IFB – Invitation for Bid
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FSS – Federal Supply Schedule
 FOIA – Freedom of Information Act
 GFY – Government Fiscal Year
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GSA – General Services Administration
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GWAC – Government-Wide Acquisition
Contract
 ID/IQ – Indefinite Quantity/Indefinite
Delivery
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MAC – Multiple Award
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ODC – Other Direct Cost(s)
 PL – Public Law
 RFP – Request for Proposal
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RFQ – Request for Quotation
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SB – Small Business
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SBA – Small Business Administration
 SDB – Small Disadvantaged Business
 SDVO – Service Disabled Veteran
Owned
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SME – Subject Matter Expert
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SOW – Statement of Work
 UCF – Uniform Contract Format
 USA – United States of America
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USC – United States Code
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WBE – Women Business Enterprise
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WBS – Work Breakdown Structure
 WOSB – Woman-Owned Small Business
 www.militarywords.com
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
Free/No-Cost
 www.sba.gov
 www.fedbizopps.gov
 www.grants.gov
 www.gsa.gov
 www.arnet.gov
 www.firstgov.gov
 www.defenselink.mil
 www.dla.mil/db/procure m.htm
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Paid Fee Sites
 www.epipeline.com
 www.eagleeyeinc.com
 www.input.com
 www.onvia.com
 www.bid-search.com
 www.softshare.com
 www.cch.com
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Reference Materials – Self Study
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Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)
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FAR Part 10 – Market Research
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FAR Part 11 – Describing Agency Needs
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FAR Part 12 – Acquisition of Commercial Items
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FAR Part 13 – Simplified Acquisition Procedures
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FAR Part 14 – Sealed Bidding
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FAR Part 15 – Negotiated Procurements
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FAR Part 16 – Types of Contracts
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FAR Part 17 – Special Contracting Methods
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FAR Part 19 – Small Business Programs
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Periodicals
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National Contract Management Association Magazine & Journal
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National Association of Purchasing Managers – Institute of Supply Mgmt.
Magazine
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National Defense Industrial Association Magazine
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Government Executive Magazine
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Websites
• www.arnet.gov
• www.firstgov.gov
• www.acq.osd.mil
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