How to Prepare a Quality GSA Offer

1. How to Prepare a Quality GSA Offer July 2010

2. GSA Offer Preparation

3. Accessing the Solicitations • FedBizOpps (www.fbo.gov) • Search by Keyword • “financial and business solutions” for FABS • Search by Solicitation Number • FCXB-F4-020002-B for FABS

4. www.fbo.gov Link to solicitation

5. Links to solicitation files Solicitation files

6. Offer Instructions • READ THE ENTIRE SOLICITATION • SCP-FSS-002 Specific Proposal Submission Instructions (JUN 2009) • Located on Cover Page of Attachment 2 – Solicitation (page “iv”)

7. Required Method for Submitting Offer • e-Offer • Digital Certificate (eoffer.gsa.gov) • Information submitted electronically

8. Offer Sections • Section I – Administrative / Contract Data • Section II – Technical Proposal • Section III – Price Proposal

9. Section I – Administrative / Contract Data • Pathway to Success Certificate • Standard Form 1449; Attachment 4 (paper offer only) • Vendor Response Document; Attachment 3 (paper offer only) • Agent Authorization Letter; Attachment 12 (if applicable) • Summary of Offer; Attachment 10 • Copy of CCR Record; www.ccr.gov • Copy of ORCA Record; www.orca.bpn.gov • Past two years of company’s financial statements • Small Business Subcontracting Plan; Attachment 7 (if large business) • Previous Cancellation/Rejection Letters • Other GSA contract numbers • Pending offer(s) and contact information of Contract Specialist(s)

10. Section I – Administrative / Contract Data • Pathway to Success Certificate: vsc.gsa.gov

11. Standard Form 1449 (Paper Offer Only); Attachment 4Fill in boxes 17(a), 30(a), (b), (c)

12. Administrative / Contract Data Cont… • Vendor Response Document (Paper Offer Only); Attachment 3 • Agent Authorization Letter; Attachment 12 (if applicable) • Summary of Offer; Attachment 10 • Copy of CCR Record; www.ccr.gov • Copy of ORCA Record; www.orca.bpn.gov

13. Administrative / Contract Data Cont… • Past two years of company’s financial statements • Small Business Subcontracting Plan; Attachment 7 (if large business)

14. Administrative / Contract Data Cont… • Previous Cancellation/Rejection Letters • Other GSA contract numbers • Pending offer(s) and contact information of Contract Specialist(s) • No brochures, newsletters, elaborate artwork, expensive bindings or other visual presentation aids

15. GSA’s Internal Subcontracting Goals 37% - Small Businesses 5% - Women-Owned Businesses 6% - Small Disadvantaged Businesses 5% - Veteran-Owned Businesses 3% - Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business 3% - HUBZone Businesses Small Business Subcontracting Plan Goals

16. Section II – Technical Proposal • Technical Proposal is comprised of four factors: • Factor One – Corporate Experience • Factor Two – Relevant Project Experience • Factor Three – Past Performance • Factor Four – Quality Control

17. Factor One – Corporate Experience • Narrative describing applicable corporate experience (must have provided service for two years) • Two-page maximum • Number of years providing service(s) • Need at least 2 years for FABS • Organization’s size, experience, and resources • Brief history of activities • Internal controls (organizational and accounting) • Staffing capabilities • Proposed federal marketing plan • Discuss subcontractors

18. Factor Two – Relevant Project Experience • Two project descriptions for EACH Special Item Number (SIN) proposed • Four-page maximum per project description • Completed within the last two years or base year completed, if on-going • Demonstrate performed work is similar to solicited work • Customer reference information for each project

19. Relevant Project Experience Cont… • Narrative shall include: • Detailed description of SIN-relevant work • Methodology, tools, and/or processes used • Demonstration of compliance with laws, regs., etc. • Project schedule • Similar in scope and complexity • Specific experience and/or qualifications • Special SIN Requirements

20. Project Description Example – Customer Reference Information Section II - Technical Proposal ABC Company, Inc. SIN 520 5 – Loan Servicing & Asset Management Project 1 – Department of Veterans Affairs – Loan Resolution Project Customer/Client Name: Department of Veterans Affairs Project Name/Contract Number: LRP-1 / VA-04-1224-A Point of Contact: Jane Smith Point of Contact Phone Number: (555) 555-5555 Point of Contact Email: jane.smith@va.gov Performance Period: 10/1/06 – 9/30/07 Dollar Value of Project: $5,000,000.00 Dollar Value of SIN-Relevant Work: $4,425,000.00

21. Project Description Sample – Narrative Section II – Technical Proposal ABC Company, Inc. Brief Summary of Project The VA contracted with ABC Company, Inc. to provide an end- to-end solution, from loan origination through the fulfillment of borrower obligations to increase the effectiveness of its loan servicing program. Detailed Description of SIN-Relevant Work Explain in detail the elements of the project which relate directly to the Schedule’s Statement of Work. Methodology, Tools, and/or Processes Utilized Explain how your firm performed the work.

22. Project Description Sample – Narrative Cont… Section II – Technical Proposal ABC Company, Inc. Demonstration of compliance with any applicable laws, regulations, Executive Orders, OMB Circulars, professional standards, etc. ABC Company demonstrated compliance with…. Project schedule (i.e., major milestones, tasks, deliverables), including an explanation of any delays - October 2006 – Began preliminary assessment… - December 2007 – Presented findings…. - January 2007 – Developed implementation strategy…. And so on, and so on…

23. Substitution for Corporate Experience • If project experience does not exist, the offeror may substitute relevant projects of predecessor companies or key personnel that will be performing major aspects of the work • Must provide a project description which clearly identifies the entity or personnel that performed the services

24. Factor Three – Past Performance • Offerors must order and obtain a Past Performance Evaluation (PPE) from Open Ratings, Inc. (Dun & Bradstreet) • Offerors are responsible for payment to Open Ratings ($175.00) • Submit completed Past Performance Evaluation AND order form with GSA offer • Address Negative Feedback

25. Open Ratings Evaluations Cont… • Requires at least 4 references (Maximum: 20) • Open Ratings will not release a report until it receives at least 4 complete surveys • Open Ratings estimates the process to take 20 to 35 days • Reports are good for 1 year

26. Factor Four – Quality Control • One narrative, regardless of number of SINs offered (2-page maximum) • Describe internal review procedures • Identifies individuals reviewing projects • Identifies if subcontractors are used and how offeror ensures acceptable performance • Identifies potential problems and solutions • Contains procedures for meeting urgent requirements • Assures and describes how multiple task orders from the Government can be handled

27. Section III – Price Proposal

28. GSA’s Pricing Goal • Obtain Most Favored Customer (MFC) pricing “The price analysis GSA does to establish the Government’s MAS negotiation objective should start with the best discount given to any of the vendor’s customers.” – GAO

29. Section III – Price Proposal • Proposal Pricelist Preparation; Attachment 8 • Commercial Sales Practices (CSP); Attachment 9 • Price Narrative • Proposed Escalation (if applicable) • Supporting Pricing Documentation • Labor Category Descriptions • Professional Compensation Plan • Uncompensated Overtime • Service Contract Act (SCA) Documentation

30. Commercial Price List vs. Market Price(FAR 2.101) • Commercial Price List: Price included in a catalog, price list, schedule, or other form that is regularly maintained by the manufacturer or vendor, is either published or otherwise available for inspection by customers, and states prices at which sales are currently, or were last, made to a significant number of buyers constituting the general public • Commercial Market Price: Current prices that are established in the course of ordinary trade between buyers and sellers free to bargain and that can be substantiated through competition or from sources independent of the offerors

31. Proposal Price List Preparation(Attachment 8) • SIN(s) proposed • Service/Product proposed • MFC/Best commercial customer • MFC/Best commercial customer price • Discount % offered to MFC/Best commercial customer • Discount % offered to GSA • Prices offered to GSA, excluding Industrial Funding Fee (IFF) • Prices offered to GSA, including IFF

32. Proposal Price List Preparation Example

33. Proposal Price List Preparation Example Cont…

34. Commercial Sales Practices Format (Attachment 9) • Previous sales information • Estimated sales per SIN • Discounting policies • Deviations from standard commercial practices

35. Commercial Sales Practices Format Example ABC Company, Inc. 520-1, 520-2, 520-4 5,000,000 10/1/07 9/30/08 100,000 520-1 100,000 520-2 520-4 100,000

36. Commercial Sales Practices Format (Attachment 9) Cont… If “No,” explain in Price Narrative If “Yes,” explain in Price Narrative

37. Price Narrative • Provide information for the Contracting Officer to determine offered prices are fair and reasonable for each offered service • Deviations from CSP • State whether prices proposed are based on Commercial Price List or Market Prices • Proposed economic price adjustment

38. Economic Price Adjustment • Based on Commercial Price List: • 552.216-70 ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT – FSS MULTIPLE AWARD SCHEDULE CONTRACTS (SEP 1999) (ALTERNATE I – SEP 1999) • Based on changes in Commercial Price List • Based on Market Price: • I-FSS-969 ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT – FSS MULTIPLE AWARD SCHEDULE (JAN 2002) • Negotiate fixed escalation rate • Based on market indicator

39. Price Narrative Example

40. Supporting Pricing Documentation • Support for EACH proposed service • Invoices • Contracts • Quote sheets • Clear and relevant relationship between document and price • Document labeled with corresponding labor category or service

41. Supporting Documentation Example

42. Supporting Documentation Example

43. Other Elements of Price Proposal • Labor category descriptions • Functional responsibilities • Minimum years of experience • Minimum educational/degree requirements • Applicable training/certification requirements • Professional Compensation Plan – Clause 52.222-46 • Uncompensated Overtime – Clause 52.237-10 • Services Contract Act documentation

44. GSA Offer Evaluation

45. When We Receive Your Proposal… • Offer assigned to Contract Specialist • Offers with deficiencies will be rejected • Contract Specialist will contact offereror to request clarifications or correction of minor deficiencies • Timeframe for response is established • Negotiations • Final Proposal Revision • Award

46. Contract Administration • Ongoing Process • 5-Year Contract with THREE 5-Year Option Periods • IFF Sales Reporting • Modification Requests • Small Business Reporting (eSRS) • Contractor Assist Visits • Minimum Sales Criteria • $25,000 / 1st 2 years • $25,000 / year

47. Submitting Your Offer E - Offer http://eoffer.gsa.gov/

48. For Further Assistance • Financial and Business Solutions (520) • Hotline: (703) 605-9500 • Email: fabs@gsa.gov