Contracting Officer Podcast 2.0 (samples)

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!) Cost proposals for Government contracts can be quite different than a proposal or quote in the commercial world. How do you build a price for a Government proposal?Kevin and Paul discuss the basic elements that make up a cost proposal. Depending on what is being acquired, contract type, and other variables you may have to provide details for every element of cost that is included in your price. Learn why the Government requires supporting information for these details and why it is important for the Government to understand the burden placed on contractors (and Government proposal evaluators!) with every supporting detail they request in the RFP. ———— If you need help with the Government market, become a Skyway Connection Community licensee and get access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and contract-centric training resources that will make sure you’re ready to take advantage of opportunities each time they knock.The Skyway Connection© Community was created specifically to help companies expand their knowledge and capabilities, and to increase their competitive position in federal government acquisitions. - Learn more at: https://skywayacquisition.com/connectMembership benefits include: Access to Skyway Insight© Webinars Unlimited access to The RFP Score™ Access to Ask a Contracting Officer Forum™ Priority Access to Skyway Team for Skyway Insight, capture, proposal support __________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Welcome to the Honeymoon Zone! Possibly the happiest time in a contract life cycle for both Government and Industry. (or you can read sarcasm into that sentence)Kevin and Paul introduced the Execution Zones in Episode 84. The Execution Zones are a helpful way to envision where and how certain topics fit into the Government contracting world. The Execution Zones are the post-award companions to the Acquisition Time Zones and are referenced in many episodes. In chronological order, they are:1) The Honeymoon Zone2) The Performance Zone3) The Recompete Zone4) The Wrap-up ZoneMuch like the Acquisition Time Zones, the Execution Zones are cyclical, but using contract award the as “beginning” is the easiest way to think about them. Starting with contract award, we enter the Honeymoon Zone. Learn what happens during the first days and weeks after contract award and why a contract kickoff meeting is valuable for both sides. As always, communication between Government and Industry counterpart is vital to successful contract performance. The Honeymoon Zone is where the standard is set for future communications that can make or break your program’s performance. __________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!) Learn from a professional proposal manager! Kevin interviews Wendy Freidman, a veteran proposal manager who also happens to hold the NCMA’s Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM) designation. We’re thrilled to bring Wendy’s experience and “outside” view to the podcast. Kevin and Wendy discuss the difference between preparation and planning with regard to proposals for Government acquisitions. Learn how incomplete of communication regarding the release date for a Government Request for Proposal can create chaos for Industry and the very real people involved in proposal writing. Wendy shares deep insight into the distraction that RFP rumors can create for the Industry proposal team and why written direction from the Contracting Officer is priceless. ———— If you need help with the Government market, become a Skyway Connection Community licensee and get access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and contract-centric training resources that will make sure you’re ready to take advantage of opportunities each time they knock.The Skyway Connection© Community was created specifically to help companies expand their knowledge and capabilities, and to increase their competitive position in federal government acquisitions. - Learn more at: https://skywayacquisition.com/connectMembership benefits include: Access to Skyway Insight© Webinars Unlimited access to The RFP Score™ Access to Ask a Contracting Officer Forum™ Priority Access to Skyway Team for Skyway Insight, capture, proposal support __________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)This episode is brought to you by PROPRICER(TM), the #1 proposal pricing and cost analysis software used by federal agencies and small to large government contractors. PROPRICER’s Government Edition will simplify the Government’s cost analysis process and save time and effort. Visit www.PROPRICER.com\podcast to learn more or request a demonstration. ____________FAR Part 16.401 describes incentive contracts. Incentives fall into 3 general categories: cost, performance, and schedule. Kevin and Paul discuss performance incentives (FAR 16.402-2) and provide an overview of how performance incentives are structured. Learn why it is critical to clearly communicate what performance is important and how that performance will be measured and assessed. Remember that the law of unintended consequences can wreak havoc on any incentive contract! Know what you’re really incentivizing. Be sure to understand the additional costs involved in managing incentives.__________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!) Ethics never goes out of style…except maybe in election years. If you’re a Government contractor, the FAR mandates that you comply with basic business ethics principles. Kevin and Paul discuss the requirements levied by FAR 52.203-13, “Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct”. Learn when this clause applies (and doesn’t apply) as well as why the Government requires Industry to follow these standards. ———— If you need help with the Government market, become a Skyway Connection Community licensee and get access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and contract-centric training resources that will make sure you’re ready to take advantage of opportunities each time they knock.The Skyway Connection© Community was created specifically to help companies expand their knowledge and capabilities, and to increase their competitive position in federal government acquisitions. - Learn more at: https://skywayacquisition.com/connectMembership benefits include: Access to Skyway Insight© Webinars Unlimited access to The RFP Score™ Access to Ask a Contracting Officer Forum™ Priority Access to Skyway Team for Skyway Insight, capture, proposal support __________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)The latest in our continuing series on targeting. First we covered reachable market, target market, and your weight class. Targeting 201 we learned how to “be the prize”. In this episode we introduce the concept of “subtract, then multiply”.Kevin and Paul discuss the art and science of targeting. Learn how effective targeting increases the quality of opportunities available to industry and makes the Government’s selection process and administration of contracts more efficient. ———— If you need help with the Government market, become a Skyway Connection Community licensee and get access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and contract-centric training resources that will make sure you’re ready to take advantage of opportunities each time they knock.The Skyway Connection© Community was created specifically to help small companies expand their knowledge and capabilities, and to increase their competitive position in federal government acquisitions. - Learn more at: https://skywayacquisition.com/connectMembership benefits include: Access to Skyway Insight© Webinars Unlimited access to The RFP Score™ Access to Ask a Contracting Officer Forum™ Priority Access to Skyway Team for Skyway Insight, capture, proposal support __________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)This episode is brought to you by PROPRICER(TM), the #1 proposal pricing and cost analysis software used by federal agencies and small to large government contractors. PROPRICER’s Government Edition will simplify the Government’s cost analysis process and save time and effort. Visit www.PROPRICER.com\podcast to learn more or request a demonstration. Negotiations are an important part of the Government acquisition world. (and the rest of your life, of course) Kevin and Paul discuss the origin of “win-win” negotiations. Learn the important difference between competition and negotiation and why embracing the solution as “ours” leads to better outcomes.__________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)This episode is brought to you by IB Supply. ibSupply.com is your one-stop source for timely delivery of best value products. As a preferred source of supply, and an award winning AbilityOne provider, ibSupply.com offers access to thousands of products with compliance filters for hassle-free procurement. With FREE shipping and next-day delivery options, ibSupply.com’s quality service is unmatched. Shop ibSupply.com today!____________FAR Part 16.401 describes incentive contracts. Incentives fall into 3 general categories: cost, performance, and schedule. Kevin and Paul discuss cost incentives (FAR 16.402-1) and provide an overview of how cost incentives are structured. Learn why profit is not necessarily the only motivator and how the law of unintended consequences can wreak havoc on any incentive contract.__________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)This episode is brought to you by PROPRICER(TM), the #1 proposal pricing and cost analysis software used by federal agencies and small to large government contractors. Visit www.PROPRICER.com/podcast to learn more or request a demonstration of the NEW SERVICES CONTRACTOR EDITION. The SERVICES CONTRACTOR EDITION allows you to:Manipulate ratesSet annual capsCreate annual work schedulesAbility to account for PTO and holidays, all while maintaining the accuracy of your rates throughout your cost proposal and much more!____________FAR 2.101 defines small business. Everything else is a large business. Most companies, however, are not very small yet not really large. Kevin and Paul discuss the many shades of “large small” businesses and “small large” businesses. Learn some of the challenges that companies on the cusp face as they transition from small to large in the Government’s eyes. Find out how the Government can target different sized “large” businesses during the market research and RFP zones. You’ll also gain an appreciation of the compliance burdens that large businesses face in the Government market. __________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.