Contracting Officer Podcast Slides

1. Contracting Officer PodcastSlides Knowledge & Insights From Contracting Officers

2. Episode 012 What is the Requirement Zone (Zone 1) Original Air Date: February 1, 2015 Hosts: Kevin Jans & Paul Schauer

3. Formatting notes • Hyperlinks: Blue font indicates hyperlinks – presentation must be in ‘Slide Show’ mode to activate the link • Red bold font indicates a point of emphasis • Green bold font indicates CO’s personal comment or perspective

4. When does the Requirements Zone happen? • Acquisition Time Zones (from Podcast Episode 003) • Requirements Zone • Market Research Zone • RFP Zone (proposal zone) • Source Selection Zone • Execution Time Zones (from Podcast Episode 084) • Kick Off Zone • Performance Zone • Re-compete Zone (well, sort of… ) • Wrap-up Zone

5. What is the Requirements Zone (Zone 1)? • Developing, defining, and describing what Government intends to procure • The requirement is the WHAT, the acquisition strategy is the HOW • Customer tasks: • Prepare the Needs Statement and establish performance specifications • Request funding • Coordinate with the Contracting Officer to conduct Market Research (Zone 2) and prepare the RFP (Zone 3)

6. What is the Government Team Doing? • Process of identifying and defining exactly what the Government customer needs • Customer drafts the specification, or updates the spec from last procurement • CO writes the following: • Source Selection Plan • Acquisition Strategy • Contract requirements

7. What is Industry Doing? • Performing on existing contracts • Attempting to win other new contracts • Communicating with the user community about potential requirements (like this one) • Anticipating Government needs and developing solutions

8. FAR Part 7 – Acquisition Planning • FAR 7.102(b) – Planning uses input from all personnel responsible for significant aspects of the acquisition • Purpose is to ensure that Government meets its needs in the most effective, economical, and timely manner • NOTE: It helps to have the Agency’s attention (by targeting effectively) • Agencies with detailed acquisition planning system that generally meets the requirements of FAR 7.104 and 7.105 need not revise their system to meet those requirements

9. Myths and Realities • Misconception: Agencies generally have already determined their Requirements and acquisition approach • Industry has limited impact during the pre-RFP phase • Reality: Early and specific industry input is valuable • Agencies generally spend a great deal of effort collecting and analyzing information about capabilities within the marketplace • The more specific you can be about what works, what does not work, and how it can be improved, the better

10. Industry Input in the Pre-RFP Phase • Agencies appreciate industry’s valuable input into their acquisition strategies and solicitation packages because it may result in a better solution to their requirements • Simply providing suggestions and comments prior to formal requirements development will not trigger an organizational conflict of interest • As long as the vendor is not then hired to develop the requirements • Suggesting detailed solutions to your concerns is even more valuable.  

11. Industry Input in the Pre-RFP Phase • Agencies may issue a Request for Information (RFI)… • As part of market research to investigate the industry and marketplace in accordance with FAR Part 10 -- Market Research • To determine if commercial items are available • To determine if small businesses are capable of meeting the agency’s needs • For many other planning purposes

12. Industry Input in the Pre-RFP Phase • Agencies may also… • Issue a draft RFP to obtain comments and suggestions from potential vendors on how to improve the solicitation • Hold pre-solicitation or pre-proposal conferences or webinars • Post wikis to explain requirements, RFP process, and evaluation factors • These engagement opportunities allow for vendor questions and feedback • Take advantage of every opportunity to provide targeted suggestions

13. Additional FAR Guidance • FAR 15.201 – Exchanges with Industry Before Receipt of Proposals • Encourages exchanges with all interested parties, beginning at the earliest identification of a requirement through receipt of proposals • After RFP release, the CO is focal point of any communications with Government • To ensure a fair competition is conducted • Many times, a Q&A period is included in the acquisition process, allowing time for potential offerors to review the solicitation and submit questions

14. Additional FAR Guidance • Even without a Q&A period, industry is still encouraged to ask the CO questions (in a timely manner) to ensure full comprehension of the RFP • COs generally prefer questions via e-mail • They can ensure they understand the question • They can facilitate obtaining an answer • Should the CO decide to make any changes to the solicitation, it will be done via an amendment to the solicitation and posted for public viewing

15. Summary • It is valuable for industry to provide information to Government early in the procurement cycle • Information on better solutions already available in the marketplace • May achieve significant cost savings • Be specific and clear in your feedback • RFIs, Draft RFPs and Pre-proposal Conferences all shape the Requirement and can happen in Zones 1, 2 or 3

16. Contact us • We are on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook • We also started the Government Contracting Network Group on Facebook. Join us there! • Send your topics to paul@Contractingofficerpodcast.com • For Community support, contact Shelley Hall at shelley.hall@skywayacquisition.com