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Building Effective Relationships with Your Contracting Officers

Learn how to enhance your interactions with contracting officers for successful government procurement. Topics include pre-contract award relationships, market research, and post-award strategies. Discover key tips for effective communication, collaboration, and problem-solving in contract management.

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Building Effective Relationships with Your Contracting Officers

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  1. BUILDING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR CONTRACTING OFFICERS Dawn Alexander NASA

  2. My Background – • Began working in Federal Service in 1978 • Contracts Specialist from 1990 – 1995 • Contracting Officer from 1995 – 2004 • Team Lead from 2005 to present • Currently Supporting an Agency-wide Acquisition for the NASA Protective Services: • http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/eps/synopsis.cgi?acqid=124906 BUILDING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPSWITH YOUR CONTRACTING OFFICERS

  3. Pre-Contract Award Relationships – • Federal Business Opportunities: Single Government point-of-entry for Federal Government Procurement Opportunities: www.FedBizOpps.gov • NASA Opportunities: www.nasa.gov/audience/forindustry/procurement/ • NASA Acquisition Internet Service (NAIS) • Search Feature allows you to type in List of Contractors • Acquisition Forecasts with points of contact • Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests: • www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/FOIA/agency/ • (NASA generally posts existing contracts on their Acquisition Websites} BUILDING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPSWITH YOUR CONTRACTING OFFICERS

  4. Pre-Contract Award Relationships (Cont.) • Participate in Market Research - Collecting and analyzing information pertaining to companies’ capabilities, established practices, size, etc., used in Government’s development of acquisition strategy. • Central Contractor Registration (CCR): www.ccr.gov/ - Ensure • you are registered -- the Government uses this system as one of • our tools in conducting market research. • Requests for Information (RFI) - Be sure to assess your firm’s • capabilities in light of the potential solicitation before sending in any • requested information such as capabilities statements and provide • more than just a one-liner in response to RFI requests. BUILDING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPSWITH YOUR CONTRACTING OFFICERS

  5. Pre-Contract Award Relationships (Cont.) • Provide Early Feedback – • Synopsis and Procurement Strategies • Draft Statements of Work BUILDING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPSWITH YOUR CONTRACTING OFFICERS

  6. Pre-Contract Award Relationships (Cont.) • Look closely at the Government Synopses/Solicitations for additional opportunities to communicate with the Government and the Contracting Officer. • Ask to be put on any “Interested Parties Lists” • One-on-One Meetings with the Government (CO & Technical) • Industry Day and pre-registration • Pre-proposal Conferences and pre-registration • Site Visits and pre-registration • Note: Procurement teams will tell you if they can’t answer • the question, but if you don’t ask you have already assumed it • can’t be answered. BUILDING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPSWITH YOUR CONTRACTING OFFICERS

  7. Pre- and Post-Contract Award Relationships • Written Communications • Clear/Concise • Avoid 1 liners if possible • Respond to all of the Instructions • Do Spell Checks • Note: Written communications and proposal materials may be making your first impression to the Government and the Contracting Officer – Make it a good impression. BUILDING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPSWITH YOUR CONTRACTING OFFICERS

  8. Pre- and Post-Contract Award Relationships (Cont.) • DO YOUR HOMEWORK ………..KNOW YOUR STUFF • The Contracting Officer will attempt to answer all questions and requests received, as appropriate; however, it really helps when industry has reviewed and read all Government correspondence, regulations, requests for information, solicitations, etc., prior to submitting questions. BUILDING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPSWITH YOUR CONTRACTING OFFICERS

  9. Post-Contract Award Relationships • Post – Award Conferences – • Bring in your team to meet and greet • To ask questions and get answers • To build the foundation of the contracting relationship • Phase-in • Let us talk • Let us meet • Let us communicate BUILDING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPSWITH YOUR CONTRACTING OFFICERS

  10. Post-Contract Award Relationships - • IT TAKES A TEAM TO SUCCEED • Be proactive – Bad news doesn’t get better with time. • Share ideas and offer suggestions for innovations, efficiencies, and cost savings. • Resolve issues together. • Negotiate using “win-win” attitude and encourage your Government counterparts to do the same. • Don’t hang your hat on the small stuff. • Be honest / build trust. • Be on time to meetings and with deliverables. BUILDING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPSWITH YOUR CONTRACTING OFFICERS

  11. Post-Contract Award Relationships - • TALK TO ME • Keep Contracting Officer abreast of all contractual issues. • Encourage daily, weekly, monthly tag-ups. BUILDING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPSWITH YOUR CONTRACTING OFFICERS

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