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 Federal Government Procurement and Contracting Training
Jim Dunn, Consultant
Jim Dunn is a senior-level professional with 20+ years of federal
contracting and programs experience with expertise in:
- All aspects of federal procurement regulations
- Small business contracting methodologies
- Federal sales procedures
- International and intergovernmental contracting
- Capture Management
Experience:
- Red Team Consulting
- Eyak Technologies
- GTSI Corp.
Training Subjects
- Federal Proposal Development
- Federal Regulations
- Small Business Programs
- Federal Business Management
- Federal Regulations
- Procurement-specific Training
Training From Experience
- Real Life Experiences:
- Managed large bid and proposal team at a $1B public Company
- Researched and brought to life an 8a Alaskan Native Corporation (ANC)
- Provided training and Capture Services to many large and small System Integrators
- Blend the benefits of custom-developed training with predeveloped courses
Courses
The Federal Market Courses
- A001 Federal Market Overview
A brief overview of the Federal Market will be provided. The overview will include general market statistics, historical and projected federal
spending and allocations, and discussions of current market trends.
- A002 Federal Market Resources
During this module, we identify, describe and provide information regarding many resources available to federal contractors for market
research, opportunity identification, federal agency information, key government contracts, industry organizations and committees, trade
publications, partnering resources, etc. Resources discussed include government and private sector sources, both free-of-charge and feebased.
- A003 Federal Government Organization
During this module, attendees will gain an understanding of the general organization of the federal government including compositions of major
civilian and defense agencies as well as definitions of key positions within each agency, from appointee positions to procurement and
program personnel who affect major contracting decisions.
Federal Government Contracting
- Federal Government Contracting 101
This basic course module defines and simplifies U.S. Government contracting by explaining various options contractors have to sell products
and services to the U.S. Government. The course includes a high-level discussion of the types of contracting mechanisms available to
Government (federal supply schedules, other contract vehicles, open market purchases, etc.), an introduction to the roles and responsibilities of
government personnel, and basic contracting requirements, among other subtopics.
- B002 Federal Government Purchasing Processes & Procedures
To most effectively get the Government to purchase from you, you must understand what a contracting officer goes through to issue an order or
award a contract. During this session, we will discuss contracting officer requirements for using vehicles, awarding new contracts, and following
regulations and internal guidelines. This will serve as a basis for understanding how you can make a contracting officer’s job easier, in order to facilitate
purchases from Sapient.
- B003 Acquisition Regulation Basics
We will introduce the more important aspects of FAR Parts 8, 12, 13, 14, and 15 so that you know which rules apply when, and which ones don’t.
The primary objective of this session is to make certain you are aware of how the Government is likely to treat you under various types of
competition, so that you can work with your customers most effectively.
<Regulations and Contract Vehicles
- B004 Agency Specific Acquisition Regulations
Most federal agencies have supplemental acquisition regulations, guidelines and/or procurement or evaluation handbooks. This course module is
available to provide training specific to an individual agency’s regulations, policies and guidelines. Contact ZAI Solutions, Inc. to inquire about agencies
for which we currently offer training.
- B005 Contract Vehicles
There are three parts to this discussion. First, we clarify the differences between contract vehicle types, explaining the pros and cons of each. Second,
we provide information about some of the more commonly used vehicles in the market today. Third, we provide information about some of the industry’s
more popular procurements that will emerge within the next year.
Proposal Writing
- C001 Proposal Writing Basics
Most formal Requests for Proposals provide detailed instructions on how to organize your written proposal including detailed lists of required content.
Yet few contractors write their proposals such that they are easy for the Government to evaluate. Even fewer write their proposals in ways that
result in the maximum possible score. After just one short hour of this course module, you’ll learn how to be among the few. Emphasis is placed
on proposal structure development, differentiating essential from nonessential content, and creating ease of-evaluation tools to help the
Government score your proposal more favorably. While this course covers “basics,” it is designed to benefit even experienced proposal writers. (Also,
refer to the Modules in our 9200 series for general writing courses).
- C002 Advanced Proposal Writing
Your company can have the greatest capabilities, the best past performance, the most desirable proposed solution and the best price. But, if all of that
isn’t properly conveyed and sufficiently convincing, you won’t win the contract. As a follow-on to our Proposal Writing Basics module, this
Advanced Proposal Writing course module emphasizes writing efficiency and effective messaging techniques, taught through a hands-on workshop
approach, using good and bad samples from real proposals. (Also, refer to the Modules in our 9200 series for general writing courses).
Planning To Win
- D001 Capture Management Techniques
Designed for sales executives, business development professionals and capture managers, this course module covers topics including opportunity
identification, opportunity qualification, team member selection, competitive analysis techniques, positioning-to-win methodologies, and cost-ofcapture/
return-on-investment considerations.
- D002 Proposal Management
This course module is designed for the large-scale proposal manager or volume manager whose responsibilities typically include defining proposal outlines and
storyboards, creating proposal development timelines, collecting content from multiple sources, ensuring overall compliance and quality, managing
production and generally overseeing the activities of all contributing personnel and organizations. Effective techniques relating to each of these areas of
responsibility are presented in detail.
- D003 Competitive Bidding Basics
Different from Capture Management Techniques, our discussion on bidding techniques will emphasize competitive strategies based on:
- Interpreting evaluation criteria effectively—it’s not always as written in a solicitation
- Understanding common government evaluation methodologies,
- Applying effective pricing strategies
- Differentiating yourself from competitors in ways that are meaningful to evaluators
Competitive Strategies
- D004 Advanced Competitive Bidding Strategies
How do you know what your competitors are bidding? How should that affect what you propose? How do you determine the right price
points and how can you afford to reach them? How can you convey “best value” in your proposal in contrast to your competitors? Is it
appropriate to “ghost” your competition? What are the agencies’ real preferences? What do you do when those are different from the stated
evaluation criteria? How do you know what your competitors know about you, about your team or about your proposed solution? These and many
similar bidding considerations are covered during this Advanced Competitive Bidding Strategies Module.
Proposal Pricing, Methodology & CRM
- E001 Competitive Proposal Pricing
Regardless of any stated evaluation criteria to the contrary, competitive acquisitions are always price sensitive. This course module begins with a discussion on determining
where your prices need to be, followed by commonly used pricing strategies, then progresses to a detailed explanation of both logical and mechanical exercises that will
help you quantify and assess risk and return in order to make the most effective cost/price decisions possible. While Red Team does not encourage certain “deceptive
pricing practices”, we also present and discuss these because we do encourage you to be aware of them, to protect yourself against them during competition.
- E002 Government Proposal Evaluation Methodologies
Section M of a traditional Request for Proposal defines the government’s evaluation criteria and methodologies. But, what really happens behind closed doors during an
evaluation? This course module provides explanations of (1) the roles of an evaluation team, a Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB) and a Source Selection Authority
(SSA), (2) describes common processes for establishing color ratings, adjectival ratings, and quantitative scores, and (3) commonly used best value determination
methodologies.
- E003 Federal Program/Contract Management Basics
This course module addresses the basics of good program management and contract management practices including discussions of customer relationship development,
essential program information management, change proposal development, common reporting functions, and effective ways to communicate program/contract information
within your own company. Commonly used management tools are also presented.
Subcontracting
- F001 Teaming Agreements and Subcontracts
Designed for the prime contractor, this course module has three objectives:
- Provide a breakdown of the typical elements of teaming agreements and subcontracts, defining each element and explaining important considerations for each
- Differentiating the need for teaming agreements versus subcontracts—it’s no longer as simple as pre-award versus post award timing
- Defining trends in the market that will allow you to have proper expectations of what is and isn’t reasonable during agreement and subcontract negotiations.
- G001 Small Business Programs and Partnerships
Few companies, whether large or small, are taking full advantage of the opportunities available to them through small business programs. This session
provides a comprehensive understanding of the world of small business and 8(a) contracting. We discuss how to take advantages of regulations that provide
preferential treatment and unique opportunities to certain companies. How to partner with uniquely privileged companies is emphasized as are the details of common
industry practices and current industry trends.
- G002 8(a) Program Applications and Entry
This course module is designed to provide guidance to small disadvantaged businesses wishing to enter the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program.
Covered topics include a review of the 8(a) Program eligibility requirements, instruction on completing necessary applications and financial attachments, guidance
on how to expedite approval, and 8(a) rules, regulations and procedures that must be followed after acceptance into the program. Case studies of 8(a) success stories are
also presented.
Subcontracting and Sole Source
- G003 Small Business Subcontracting Plans
The U.S. Federal Government mandates that each of its agencies spend a designated portion of their funds through small businesses, and further requires
that large business contractors therefore spend a portion of their federal revenues through small business subcontractors. As such, the Government
requires large business to develop, secure approval of, and have on file, small business subcontracting plans, either at the corporate level or on a contract-bycontract
basis. This course module is designed to give instruction and guidance on how to develop reasonable plans that meet the Government’s objectives and
secure government approval, and how to manage small business subcontracting activities effectively. Commentary on identifying small businesses supplements this course content.
- G004 Sole Sourcing Contracting Techniques
This course module is designed for not only those firms that are eligible for sole source contracts, but also for any firm interested in teaming with eligible
companies. There are multiple mechanisms allowing the Federal Government to issue sole source contract awards, but each has a unique set of requirements.
These are discussed so that your proposals for sole source contracts can be structured in a way that most easily allows them to be converted to contract
awards. Requirements and methodologies for unsolicited proposals are also discussed. Learn about the many opportunities that exist, as well as the
limitations. Case studies of successful sole source contracts are also presented.
How to!
- H001 Joint Venture Contracting
Entering a joint venture and pursuing a large federal contract as a joint venture has many pros and cons. This course module presents the opportunities and challenges of
joint venture contracting and includes topics such as JV consideration factors, JV establishment procedures, JV bidding concepts, and JV management. Case studies of
successful JV arrangements are also presented.
- J001 Oral Presentation Skills
This four-hour course module is designed for intermediate to experienced presenters who would like to more effectively present critical information to small and large
audiences. Based on years of experience as presenters and coaches, our instructors will begin the course with examples of good and poor presentations, followed by a series
of interactive workshops during which attendees will:
- Create presentation content from a given set of criteria and instructions
- Present their presentation to other attendees
- Receive individual feedback regarding content, messaging, techniques, and style.
Attendees will learn not only from their own feedback but alsoby participating in feedback sessions of their fellow presenters.
- K001 SOW / SOO / PWS Development
What is the difference between a Statement of Work, a Statement of Objectives and a Performance Work Statement? When should each be used? How should the writing
approach differ from one to another? At what level of detail should requirements be defined and by whom? What are the common pitfalls of development of these
documents? What makes a SOW, SOO or PWS effective with minimal risk of misinterpretation? What are some examples of good and bad documents? These and
many other questions are answered during this two-hour course module.
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