BDWL Investments LLC Andy Rooney Nothing in fine
BDW-L Investments LLC Andy Rooney – “Nothing in fine print is ever good news. ” 1203: Understanding A RFP When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Profiling the “Perfect Customer” • Wouldn’t we all like a customer who: – – – Has a need for everything Is the biggest customer in the world Shows you their budget each year Describes what they want (in detail) Holds fair and open competitions Identifies the process for awarding a contract (in detail) Is required by law to give you the business Has local administrative and support organizations to help you sell to them Is a national and global player Has numerous ways of paying for your product and/or service Pays its bills on time Repeats its business to you • YES. But how do you win this customer? When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Government Business Facts • FACT: The Government purchases almost every product or service imaginable. • FACT: 2009, Government issued 6. 6 million contracts worth $626 billion PLUS 33 million credit card purchases worth $300 billion • FACT: Contracts between $2, 500 and $100, 000 are reserved for small, small disadvantaged, small women-owned and small veteranowned businesses; therefore, almost 10 million contracts were issued to small businesses = $96. 834 BILLION dollars • FACT: The Government Pays its bills! When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Your Goal? Win Government Contracts! $97 B A Contract is: • A legally binding agreement between two parties which is enforceable in a court of law However: 99% of all small business owners will never land a single subcontract, while 1% of small business owners will repeatedly win them! Why? When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Government Procurement Process Step 1: Acquisition Planning & Market Research Step 2: Solicitation Advertised then Issued Electronically Step 3: Submit Bids/Proposals Electronically Step 4: Bids/Proposals Evaluated Step 5: Step 6: Step 7: Step 8: Oral Presentations and/or Negotiations (if required) Subcontracting Plan Final Approval (Large business only, if required) Award Debriefing (Negotiated acquisitions, if requested) Final: Performance & Successful Completion! When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work”
How To Win !!! • Mitigate the Government’s Risk • All of it everywhere… • Make the Evaluator’s review quick and easy… • If you don’t make the first and subsequent cuts, all your imagination and wonderfulness is in the trash • Recitation and response to each and every section in the format requested is NOT a lesson in good penmanship…. It IS what wins!!! When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work”
Key Points… ü Read the Solicitation Carefully ü Fully describe your solution to demonstrate that you understand the requirements ü Align your proposal to the solicitation ü Explain why you picked your subcontractors ü Translate your solution into benefits for the government ü Actively manage your past performance ü Be well prepared for due diligence ü Eliminate sloppy mistakes that leave lasting impressions ü Get the most out of debriefings üCut the fluff!! When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Government Solicitation Basics • Proposal Responses are different than Commercial proposal responses • Solicitations replace the sales process • Solicitation formats and composition are mandated by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) • Agencies award contracts based only on your proposal or bid • You need knowledge of the procurement process • You need to know your leverage points When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Types of Government Solicitations • Request for Proposal (RFP) Standard Form 33 – Generally for products or services that are not commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) items – Probably will require design effort for products or system architecture – Sections designated by letters (A – M) • Request for Quote (RFQ) Standard Form 1449 – For COTS items and services – Streamlined Procurement Process – Usually awarded for low price and Government’s confidence in vendor’s ability to deliver – Sections designated by sequential numbers • Request for Information – Also Sources Sought – An inquiry for availability products or interested vendors – May be for COTS or non-COTS items or services When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work”
Request for Proposal q Solicitation q Section A: Solicitation/Contract Form q Section B: Product/Price q Section C: Statement of Work (SOW) q Section D: Packaging & Marking q Section E: Inspection & Acceptance q Section F: Deliveries/Performance q Section G: Contract Administration q Section H: Special Contract Requirements q Section I: Contract Clauses q Section J: Attachments q Section K: Representations, Certifications q Section L: Instructions, Conditions & Notices q Section M: Evaluation Factors for Award All Requests for Proposal follow Standard Form 33 (SF 33) Format When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work”
Section A: Solicitation/Contract Form • Standard Form 33 (SF 33), Solicitation, Offer, And Award – Front page of Solicitation & eventual Contract – You complete the Offer Section constituting a legally binding offer – Signed SF 33 becomes an executed contract • Identifies – – – – Procurement Title and Number Solicitation / Contract Type Issuing Agency and Point of Contact Date Issued Date, Time Proposal is DUE Exact Address to Submit the Offer List any discounts (1% discount if prompt payment w/in 15 days) When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Section B: Supplies or Services and Price and Costs • Government’s Order Form – – – Brief description of product / service being purchased Item Number, Part Number, Quantities Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) Sub-Contract Line Item Number (Sub. CLIN) You enter your pricing CLIN 0001 AA 0001 AB 0002 Supplies / Services Computer Station Monitor Keyboard Installation QTY Units 100 100 Unit Price Amount Ea. Ea. – May define options, ordering procedures, etc. When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Section C: Description/Specifications/ Statement of Work (SOW) • Detailed, specific information about the supplies or services being purchased • Describes minimum and mandatory requirements • You must tell how you will deliver what they need and meet or exceed all of the requirements • This section and your pricing are the bulk of your proposal • Section J Appendices may include details to augment scope understanding • Make sure Sections B, C and J are consistent! When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Section D: Packaging and Marking • Protects against liability for damage during shipping and storage • Defines how to preserve, pack, and mark all items – Typically standard commercial practices apply • Defines How All Contract Deliverables Such As Reports And Material Will Be Packaged And Shipped. • Cost Consideration: – Some packaging and marking requirements may exceed the cost of the product – Make sure you include these costs in your pricing – May raise logistics issues When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Section E: Inspection and Acceptance • Steps the government takes to ensure what you deliver meets the contract requirements – AND – the quality standards, control and assurance requirements (Inspections) – Quality standards may be found in Section C, Section I also • Triggers Payment!!! – When you get paid (Net 30, 45, etc. ) – In Advance or Arrears / Full or partial delivery – Know exact point acceptance occurs (proper invoice, receipt of property, etc. ) When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Section F: Deliveries or Performance • Time, place, and method of delivery or performance • Will usually provide a schedule • Designates – F. O. B. Origin – Contractor pays to deliver to common carrier only. Risk of loss or damage rests with Government – F. O. B. Destination - Contractor pays to deliver to end location. Risk of loss or damage rests with Contractor • Know when Title Transfers / Drives Acceptance When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Section G: Contract Administrative Data • Provides additional details to Section A • How to prepare and submit an invoice • Identification of all government personnel and their authority – Contracting Officer – Only one who can commit the Government – Contract Specialists – Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative • Describes how the Government Contracting Officer and your firm will interact When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Section H: Special Contract Requirements • Contain customized clauses that do not fit anywhere else – – – – Change Management Procedures Option Terms Special Security Requirements Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI) Warranty Clauses not covered elsewhere Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) Government Furnished Property (GFP) Requirements When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Section I: Contract Clauses • Contains clauses required by law or regulations • Hundreds to choose from – 52. 301 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses (Matrix) https: //www. acquisition. gov/far/current/html/52_301 Matrix. ht ml • Identifies the contract clauses incorporated by reference – Still binding – Clause = Used in both contracts and solicitations – Provision = Used only in solicitations and applies prior to award • Will be incorporated into the contract When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Section J: List of Attachments • Lists the RFP appendices • These attachments can cover a wide range of subjects such as: – Technical Specifications – Lists of GFE/GFP – Contract Data Requirements List • Provides data needed to respond to the Statement of Work When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Section K: Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements Of Offerors or Respondents • Requires companies to represent and certify their business status – Size, Socio-Economic, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Compliance – Other legal and policy related areas • Why? – Determine eligibility for award – Collect information • Managed through the Government’s Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA), an e-Government initiative When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Section L Do Not Deviate Section L: Instructions, Conditions & Notices How To: Format, organize & submit Page count & Number of layout, volumes margins, fonts, (Management, content Technical, Cost) When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work”
Section M What counts? q Section M: Evaluation Factors for Award • Focal point of the Source Selection Strategy • Tells the Offeror what the Government is grading them against AND • Tells the Government which Offeror provides the Best Value solution • Provides a supportable, structured decision process When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work”
RFI/RFP Responses (Simplified) • Read the RFI/RFP • Can we overemphasize this? NO! • Parse out the requirements (“shalls”, “wills”, “musts”, and “shoulds”) • WRITE THEM DOWN Determine if your company can deliver the goods On Time At a Reasonable/Completive Price When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ” Yes – Prepare a Response No – Prepare a Response? Maybe
Evaluation Steps 1. Offerors submit proposals 2. Government collects Past Performance Data. How? – Offeror’s proposal submission – Feedback through questionnaires, telephone surveys and automated systems 3. Government assigns Performance Confidence rating – Utlize agency specific Performance Rating Guidelines 4. Discussions/Negotiations – May award with our without discussions – May ask questions, gather more information, etc. 5. Request for Final Proposal Revisions / Best & Final Offer (BAFO) 6. Repeat evaluation steps When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work”
Government Contracting Success Competitive Responsible When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Your BDW-L Resources • Government Business Accelerator (2 Days) • Government Business Development Accelerator (2 Days) • Government Proposal Development (2 Days) • Small Business Teaming (1 Day) • Government Contract Management (1 Day) • Finding Government Business (1 Day) • Effective Government RFP Review (1 Day) When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work”
The BDW-L Solution Bridging Your “Real World” Gap An integral part of our commitment is not only to provide the information and training but to make sure it works! FIND US: Our Website: http: //www. bdw-l. com OUR PARTNERS: Florida Design is a Fort Lauderdale based Website Design & Search Engine Optimization company. Government Cost Accounting When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
Contact Us We appreciate your time and consideration Senior Partners: Bob Keener bob@bdw-l. com 321 -544 -4922 Lisa Barr lisa@bdw-l. com 321 -795 -0576 Social Media: Event Planner: Aly Lewis aly@bdw-l. com Linda Keener linda@bdw-l. com Dick Idtensohn dick@bdw-l. com 321 -947 -7299 Willie Weaver willie@bdw-l. com 817 -835 -0307 When Experience Matters, BDW-L Delivers! “Copyright © 2010 BDW-L Investments, LLC All rights reserved – unpublished work. ”
- Slides: 29