Jennifer Schaus & Assocates host a series of webinars on various government contracting topics. For full downloads with audio, including Q/A with the audience, please visit our complimentary download library at http://www.jenniferschaus.com/#!webinars/c8k2
Please contact us for any assistance regarding government contracting - GSA Schedules, federal sales, 8a Certification, proposal writers and more! JSchaus@JenniferSchaus.com or + 1 - 2 0 2 - 3 6 5 - 0 5 9 8 Visit us at http://www.JenniferSchaus.com THANK YOU
How the Congressional Budget Office Assists Lawmakers
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FED GOV CON - Winning Proposals
1. Govt Contracting
Webinar Series
Learn Before You Leap!
⢠Govt Grants & SBIR Process
RECORDING: http://youtu.be/1n8mUFsRcBc
⢠Simplified Acquisitions
RECORDING: http://youtu.be/dwSjw_P8WNg
⢠Mentor-ProtÊgÊ Program
RECORDING: https://vimeo.com/103389860
⢠HUBZone Certification
RECORDING: http://youtu.be/Eokpi70EOz8
⢠Access to Capital
RECORDING: http://youtu.be/wMg_-wiBouQ
⢠Aug 21 Winning Proposals
Guest:  Michael Hordell & Rob Leahy, Pepper Hamilton LLP
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ALL WEBINARS WILL BE RECORDED AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD ON OUR WEBSITE
UNDER THE WEBINAR TAB
PLEASE VISIT WWW.JENNIFERSCHAUS.COM AND SELECT âWEBINARSâ
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2. Jennifer Schaus & Associates
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS
WEBINAR SERIES
Winning Proposals â
What a Company Needs to Focus On
August 21, 2014
3. Jennifer Schaus & Associates
⢠Washington DC Based
⢠20+ Yrs Government Contracting
⢠GSA Schedule Consulting
⢠Govt Contractor Events
⢠Govt Contractor Support Services
1717 Penn Ave, NW; #1025
Washington DC 20006
+ 1 â 2 0 2 â 3 6 5 â 0 5 9 8
http://www.JenniferSchaus.com
4. Jennifer Schaus & Associates
SPONSOR ANNOUNCEMENTâŚ
Unanet provides software to over 1,000 Government Contractors that facilitates:Â
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â˘Â  DCAA Compliant Time Tracking & Approvals
â˘Â  Expense Reporting Automation with Federal Per Diems
â˘Â  Real-Time Reporting on Direct & Indirect Costs
â˘Â  KPIs on Profitability, Utilization, Actual vs. Budget, etc.
â˘Â  Billing & Revenue Recognition
â˘Â  Budgeting, Planning & Resource Forecasting
â˘Â  Contract Management
WEBSITE:Â www.Unanet.com
CONTACT:Â MFranklin@Unanet.comÂ
10. The Government as a Customer
⢠Worldâs largest customer
⢠Not like a commercial customer
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
11. Set Up the Framework
⢠Administrative steps
â Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code
â SAM.gov
â Accounting system
â Small business certification
â Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system
⢠Implement a system to identify potential business
opportunities
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
12. Initial Steps â Coordinated Attack
⢠Determine the product you wish to sell
⢠Determine the customer(s)
⢠Get on the âbidders listâ
⢠Start homework â budget, funding, estimates, prior and
current needs
⢠Track opportunities
â respond to expressions of interest
â attend industry days and proposal conferences
⢠Identify and push any advantage, especially if a small
business
⢠Set up infrastructures and procedures
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
13. Before the RFP Is Even IssuedâŚ
⢠Conduct advanced intelligence gathering
â current and prior contracts
â previous solicitations and proposals
⢠Prepare preliminary proposal information as
appropriate
â draft boilerplate
â gather resumes and other documents
â gather photographs of facilities, products or
sites
â draft initial âshellâ proposal and theme ideas
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
14. Initial Review of RFP
⢠Primary goal â make bid/no bid
decision quickly
â check all pages, amendments,
attachments
â review specifications
â create a âprocurement libraryâ
â organize questions
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
15. Setting Milestones
⢠Create a realistic timeline
⢠Leave some leeway to deal with
changes, problems (not just with
proposal but those that arise in day-
to-day business operations)
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
16. The Bid/No-Bid Decision
⢠Research
⢠Historical data
⢠Potential competition
⢠Business goals and strategy
⢠Realistic assessment
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
17. The Initial Proposal
Development Process
⢠Build the proposal preparation team
⢠Select the right person for the job
⢠Enough people, enough time
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
18. The âKick-Offâ
⢠Procedures are agreed-to and in place
â set the ground rules
â assign specific responsibility and
deadlines
â share information
⢠distribute schedule
⢠solicitation and other documents
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
19. Developing the Compliance Checklist
⢠Compliant, complete, and compelling
⢠Checklist based on requirements
review
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
20. The Proposal/Contract Work Breakdown Structure
⢠Performance requirements broken into
discrete components
⢠Use sections L and M, the SOW, and
technical and performance specifications
⢠Follow the solicitation!
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
21. The Continuing Proposal Preparation Process
⢠Risk analysis refinement
â cost or pricing strategies
â information security / cyber
risks
⢠Subcontracting decisions
⢠Teaming/joint ventures
⢠Make or buy
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
22. Writing the Proposal
⢠Write for non-experts, experts, and non-
experts who think they are experts
⢠Volumes must âstand aloneâ but be
consistent
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
23. Proposal Content
⢠Consistency
⢠Easy to read and evaluate
â explain how the offer meets the agencyâs
needs
⢠Free from ambiguity
⢠Use themes
⢠Executive Summaries
â draft as if these are the only part of the
proposal that will be read
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
24. Technical Volume
⢠Frequently most critical part
⢠Be realistic
⢠Detail the specific solution
⢠Crosswalk to pricing
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
25. Management Volume
⢠Showcase experienced personnel
⢠Explain how your management will make
things run smoothly for the agency
⢠Do not assume the evaluators know your
company
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
26. Cost or Pricing Volume
⢠Demonstrate the realism and
reasonableness
⢠Supporting rationale
⢠Double (even triple) check for accuracy
⢠Crosswalk with technical proposal for
evaluator ease
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
27. The Magic Circle
⢠Direct Costs
⢠Indirect Costs
â Overhead Cost Pools
⢠Unallowable Costs
⢠Intermediate Cost Pools
⢠General and Administrative
Cost Pool
⢠Home Office Allocated Costs
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
28. Past Performance
⢠Support company capabilities
⢠Address ânegativeâ past performance
⢠Simplify reference checks
⢠Make no assumptions
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
29. Other Proposal Pieces
⢠Follow format requirements, page limits
⢠Title Page
⢠Informational and clear
⢠Proprietary legend â title and each page
⢠Marketing Materials
â a part of your proposal
â current, up-to-date and no
contradictions
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
30. Red Team and Legal Review
⢠Red Team
â review volumes individually and as a
whole
â replicate the actual evaluation
process
â thoroughness and candor a must
⢠Legal
â risks and liabilities
â understand intellectual property rights
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
31. Proposal Delivery
⢠Confirm delivery information
⢠Leave sufficient time
⢠Follow-up
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
32. The Next Steps
⢠Competitive Range Determination
⢠Discussions and Clarifications
⢠Oral Presentations
⢠Final Proposal Revision
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals
33. Award and Debriefing
⢠Periodically check award status
⢠Request a debriefing whether you win or
lose
⢠Lessons Learned Analysis
Jennifer Schaus & Associates
Winning Proposals