Wired! Is that Federal Contract Headed for Your Competitor? How to tell (and what to do next) Part of the Federal Sales Success Series by Judy Bradt of Summit Insight --703 627 1074

1. Wired!
How to Tell, The $65,000 Question,
And What To Do Next
Tthe Federal Sales
Success Series
Presented By:
Judy Bradt, CEO
Summit Insight

2. Presenter
Judy Bradt, CEO
• 28 years U.S. federal contracts expert
• Author, Advisor, Educator
• Instructor for PTACs, SBDCs & SBA
• 2011 SBA Women in Business Champion
• Corporate Professional Services
• Federal competitive analysis
• U.S. federal sales training
• Custom data-driven federal sales contact plans
• Strategy implementation support
National Partner

3. Case Study Special Guest
Anne Chambers, CEO
• Independent, award-winning creative agency
• Measurable marketing campaigns
for socially conscious brands
Partial client list:
• Olay, Microsoft, Chiquita and Walmart
• Freestore Foodbank
Community Involvement
• Social Venture Network
• Committee of 200 National Partner

4. What We’ll Cover
© Summit Insight 2015
PARTICIPATE!
• Respond to In-Webinar
Polls
• Enter your question in
control panel chat box
• Use “raise hand”
feature to request
unmute
• Why Bid / No-Bid Matters
• What To Ask
• Wired For Someone Else?
Ten Ways To Tell
• Case Study: Red212 and
SBA/NWBC
• Bid / No-Bid Checklist Recap
• Next steps
• More sources for help!
• Q&A

5. Poll:
How Much Does Your Federal Proposal Cost?
Including Staff Time, Consultants, Review, Production…
o < $5,000
o $5,000 - $10,000
o $10,000 - $30,000
o $30,000 - $65,000
o > $65,000
** Choose one answer ** in your control panel!

6. RFPs Require…
Perfection on every page
• Exact page count, the right font
• Correct destination
• On time, precise format as instructed
For exactly what they request – no more, no less:
• The Forms, Past Performance, Technical, Management Plan
• The solution exactly as they told you they wanted
• In the format they need…
…to justify choosing you.
PAINFUL

7. Why do Bid-NoBid decisions matter?
FBO.gov RFP’s average 269 days to award.
Your response could take...
• 30 - 90 days, 4 people
$101.56 / hour x 40 hours/week
x 4 weeks x 4 people = $65,000!
Plus opportunity cost!

8. Bid/No Bid Questions
Where is the opportunity posted?
• FBO?
• GSA eBUY?
 Nowhere?
Who Identified the Opportunity?
 Our Capture Management Team?
 Someone We Know at The Customer Site?
 Contracting Officer, End User, Stakeholder?
Who Developed the Scope of Work?

9. Bid/No Bid Questions
 What is the Contract Vehicle?
 Who is the Incumbent?
 Open Bid or Set-Aside?
 Who Else Will Be Bidding?
 Discuss Requirement with Customer Prior to
the RFP Release?
 Last minute call asking us to bid?
 What is the customer’s fear of going wrong?

10. Bid/No Bid Questions
How did we discuss requirements?
 Webinar, Training, Site Visits, Meetings?
 Why would the customer choose us?
 What is the Customer’s fear?
 How are we offering as a “safe bet?”
What is the TRUE Value of this Opportunity?

11. Bid/No Bid Questions
What type of procurement is this?
 RFP?
 IDIQ RFQ?
 IDIQ TASK ORDER?
 GSA eBUY?
What is our investment in this bid?
 What is the Budget? Will we make money?
 Is this info accurate? Too hopeful?

12. “Wired” For A Competitor? Symptoms
To WatchSymptom What to think about
Incumbent How happy is agency with their vendor?
Set Aside Favor the incumbent? Changed at the last minute?
Proprietary Technology Advantage to those who have the technology
Poorly written RFP Favors incumbent that knows what the buyer wants
Key Personnel Emphasis Can you re-hire incumbent staff if you win?
Specific Past Performance
Emphasis
Does it favor incumbent
Under 30 days to bid Big project? Strong competitors have already started.
RPF out on a Friday Advantage to those who know it’s coming
No pre-solicitation Advantage to incumbent if the contract is large
RFP/SOW written by
incumbent
Check the properties of the document you download
“Odd” or changed NAICS
code
Selected to allow a larger-sized small business?
Non-germane
requirements
Are they relevant to contract performance?

14. Dateline: Wed 1/27 3:38 am
“I’m working on a response to an RFQ for
the National Women's Business Council…
• “timing is crazy- the RFQ came out Monday and the
response is due at noon on Friday.
• “…never worked with the government…”
• “…expecting an incumbent, trying to determine.”
• “If there is I may choose to pass…”
• “…or…use it as a way to get in front of the organization.
• “…work that I am very passionate about.”

15. POLL: Wired Or No?

16. Dateline: Wed 1/27 6:30 am
• Review the solicitation:
SBAHQ-16-Q-0016
• Short time frame
• Deliverables 5 days after award
• Purchase order
• 1 year plus options to 5/30/17
• Six-page response limit
• Emphasis on past performance & technical

18. Dateline: Wed 1/27
8:21-9:42 am
“I’m working on a response
to an RFQ for the National
Women's Business Council…
• Our related Past Performance is…
• Our relationship with the buyer is…
• Our knowledge & prep prior to the RFQ was…
• CO said “no incumbent…”
• How I felt about “crash timing”

19. POLL: What Would You Do?
 No-bid & walk away
 Nobid, but call CO, arrange to meet later
 Submit bid to “get our name out there”
 Call CO, trade “file-filler” to get office visit

20. Dateline: Wed 1/27
DECISION TIME
“I’m working on a response
to an RFQ for the National
Women's Business Council…
What did Anne decide?
Why?
Now what?

21. Build A Checklist That Works For You
Save time & cost!
Adapt from others, using:
• Your experience
• Your win rate
• Your agencies

22. Bid / No-Bid Sample Checklist Recap
• Ability to Respond
• Past Performance
• Technical ability
• Proposed personnel &
team
• Pricing
• Customer Knowledge
• Competition & “Wiring”
• Market intelligence
• Proposal resources
• Facilities/ staff/ supplies
• Program's strategic
advantage

23. Special Bonus: Fillable PDF
Government
Contracts
Made
Easier:
Strategy
Workbook
Retail: $69.95
Today: Free,
via post-
webinar
survey only
Calculates
your
weighted
bid – nobid
scores!

24. We Covered A Lot!
• Why Bid / No-Bid Matters
• What To Ask
• Wired For Someone Else? How To Tell…
• Case Study: Red212 and SBA/NWBC
• Bid / No-Bid Checklist Recap

25. Thank You To Our
Case Study Special Guest
Anne Chambers, CEO
• Independent, award-winning creative agency
• Measurable marketing campaigns
for socially conscious brands
Partial client list:
• Olay, Microsoft, Chiquita and Walmart
• Freestore Foodbank
Community Involvement
• Social Venture Network
• Committee of 200 National Partner
513 772 1020
hello@red212.com

26. One More Source For Help
Procurement
Technical Assistance
Centers
www.aptac-us.org

27. What’s Next?
Action Steps You Can Take Today
✓ Do your Competitive Analysis
✓ Know if you need a GSA Schedule
✓ Learn the Federal Sales Game
✓ Complete your certifications
✓ Know your Best Values
✓ Refresh your Capability Statement
✓ Create a targeted
Federal Sales Action Plan

28. How Summit Insight Can Help.
Find out more!
• Signup: Monthly e-News
& free webinar schedule
• Visit: blog & download free
resources
• Chat & Explore:
Answers & Federal Sales
Growth Ideas
• Get: your Book and Workbook
www.SummitInsight.com

29. What We Covered!
© Summit Insight 2016
Including Your
Participation:
• Online polls
• Chat box
• Audio Q&A
• A few LinkedIn facts
• Key elements of thought leadership
• Activities of a thought leader
• Covert activities
• Key elements of a LI profile
• More resources
• Next Steps
Stay with us now for Q&A!

30. Check Your Inbox Today!
Post-webinar notes includes
your bonuses:
• Webinar survey
• Link to webinar recording
• 30% discount on
“Government Contracts
Made Easier”
• 30-minute free consultation
(NO sales pitch. Just
answers.)
And… registration links to our next
webinars!

31. The Real Inside Track.
When will they buy from you?
When they trust you.
Learn what to say, what to do,
what to ask. And how to start.
Straight From The Heart:
Building Trust With
Your Federal Buyer
February 17th

32. Join All Our Upcoming Webinars!
• Win Federal LPTA and Profit
Special Guest Marsha Lindquist
February 10th
• Straight From The Heart:
Building Trust With Your Federal
Buyer February 17th
• Federal Webinars That Mean
Business
Special Guest Lisa Dezzutti
February 24th

33. Thank You For
Attending!
Now, Questions & Conversation
Use Control Panel
ChatBox or Raise Hand to UnMute
Please respond to the Survey!
© Summit Insight 2016
Not sure
who your audience is?
Know your agency, but need a
list & a plan right now?
Let’s talk.
Judy.Bradt@SummitInsight.com
(703) 627-1074
www.SummitInsight.com