This document provides an overview of services from the Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) and Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), which assist small businesses with government contracting. It discusses writing proposals for government contracts, including analyzing solicitation documents, researching regulations and past awards, and preparing competitive proposals that address evaluation criteria. The presentation covers submitting proposals on time and in the required format, and the evaluation process for determining if proposals are responsive, responsible, and technically acceptable.

1. Procurement Technical
Assistance Center (PTAC)
Proposal Writing Basics
LaNell Grissom
910-672-1727
lgrissom@sbtdc.org

2. Agenda
Please turn all cell phones to vibrate
Please feel free to ask questions
• SBTDC and PTAC Services
• Writing Proposals
• Submission and Award
• Final Thoughts

3. Small Business and Technology
Development Center (SBTDC)
Confidential one-on-one counseling
• General Business Services – planning, marketing,
financing, human resources, operations
• Strategy and Organization Development Services
• Export Financing Assistance
• Technology Development and Commercialization
• Boating Industry Services
• Government Procurement Assistance
– Procurement Technical Assistance Center
www.sbtdc.org

4. Procurement Technical
Assistance Center (PTAC)
Assistance selling to federal, state and local
government entities
• Understanding government rules and regulations
• Completing mandatory registrations and certifications
• Researching award histories
• Identifying contracting opportunities
• Reviewing bids and proposals
• Understanding Federal Supply Schedules

5. Getting Started

6. Before Submitting Response
• Determine solicitation type, procurement method, and
contract type
• Read all solicitation documents associated with the
opportunity
• Understand applicable Terms and Conditions
• Determine capacity for timely delivery or successful
performance

7. Understanding Federal Procurement
Public Notices
• Presolicitation
• Sources Sought
• Special Notices
• Request for Information
• Solicitation
– Request for Quote
– Request for Proposal
– Invitation for Bids
• Modifications
• Award Notice

8. Procurement Methods & Solicitation Types
Procurement Method Solicitation Type
• Simplified Acquisitions • Request for Quotation (RFQ)
• Formal Acquisitions • Invitation for Bid (IFB)
• Request for Proposal (RFP)
• Commercial Items • Request for Quotation (RFQ)
• Request for Proposal (RFP)

9. Simplified Procedures
Request for Quotation
• Exceeds micro-purchase thresholds & up to $150,000
– Competition required on ALL purchases
• Under $10,000 oral solicitation of quote allowed
– Publicizing & Competition required at $10,000 & up to $25,000
• Usually publicized (posted) on agency e bulletin boards
– Publicizing on FBO required for $25,000 and up
• Solicitation type Request for Quote (RFQ)
– RFQ must state eval factors and basis for award
• Notification to unsuccessful quoters only if requested

10. Formal Procedures
Sealed Bidding
• Procurements over $150,000
• Publicizing in FBO required
• Solicitation type is Invitation for Bid (IFB)
– Solicitation in Uniform Contract Format
– Bids publically opened & read aloud at time set for bid opening
– Non-negotiated procurement – discussions not allowed
• Basis for Award is always
– Lowest price
– Responsive, and Responsible bidder

11. Formal Procedures
Request for Proposal
• Procurements over $150,000
• Publicizing in FBO required
• Solicitation type is Request for Proposal (RFP)
– Format may be UCF or Commercial Items
– Negotiated – discussions allowed but not always conducted
• If conducted, usually with “short list” (competitive range) offers
• Basis for Award is generally
– Best value, or
– Low price technically acceptable (LPTA)

12. Contract Types
• FFP – Firm Fixed Price
– Commonly used
• FP – Fixed Price
– Can include EPA (economic price adjustment)
• CPFF – Cost Plus Fixed Fee
– High risk projects
• T&M – Time and Material
– Some services contracts (least desirable – prohibited in some instances)
• IDIQ – Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity
– Commonly used with Federal Supply Schedules
– Used by agencies for Facility MR&Upgrade type work

13. Solicitation Forms
• SF 1449 - more simplified format
• RFQ (Simplified Procedures)
• RFP (Formal Procedures – usually commercial items/svcs
• SF 33 – UCF (Uniform Contract Format)
• Sealed Bidding
• Negotiated Procurements
• SF 1447 – SCF (Simplified Contract Format)
• Simplified “construction” procurements

14. Uniform Contract Format (UCF)
Solicitation Parts
• PART I – The Schedule
– Section A – Solicitation/Contract Form
– Section B - Supplies/Services and Prices/Costs
– Section C - Description/Specifications/Statement of Work
– Section D - Packaging and Marking
– Section E - Inspection and Acceptance
– Section F - Deliveries or Performance
– Section G - Contract Administration Data
– Section H - Special Contract Requirements

15. Uniform Contract Format (UCF)
Solicitation Parts
• PART II – Clauses
– Section I: Contract Clauses
• PART III – List of Documents, Exhibits, & Other Attachments
– Section J: List of Required Attachments
• PART IV – Representations & Instructions
– Section K: Representations, Certifications, & Other Statements
– Section L: Instructions, Conditions, & Notices to Offerors or Quotes
– Section M: Evaluation Factors & Basis for Award

16. Uniform Contract Format
• Section L: Instructions, Conditions, and Notices to Bidders
– How to
• Prepare,
• Organize,
• Format, and
• Submit your proposal
• Section M: Evaluation Factors/Subfactors & Basis for Award
– Criteria to measure all offers against solicitation requirements
– Basis used to select awardee from among all evaluated offers

17. Determine Your Potential
(Competiveness & Successful Performance)
• Is the opportunity consistent with your business plan?
• Do you have adequate plant capacity, equipment, and
personnel?
• Can you beat the competition?
• Is the risk manageable?
• Can you make money?

18. Preparing a Response

19. Response Preparation
• Analyze solicitation and make working copy
– Supporting documents (specs, drawings, SOW)
– Amendments too!
• Research websites
– Rules and regulations, Government language
– Purchase and award histories
• Prepare and Compile proposal documents
– Solicitations instructions
– Evaluation factors & subfactors
– Basis for Award

20. Analysis
• Read through solicitation again more carefully, marking
all action items
• Note actions required to prepare the proposal and tasks
specific to contract performance
• Identify requirements or tasks that are unclear or for
which you need assistance
• Write all questions to submit to the contract POC

21. Research
Rules and Regulations
• Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
http://farsite.hill.af.mil/ or http://www.acquisition.gov/far
• Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/
• United States Code (USC)
http://uscode.house.gov/
• Government Acronyms
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/acronyms

22. Research
Purchase and Award History
• Federal Acquisition Jumpstation
http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/fedproc/home.html
– Research contracts and opportunities
• Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS)
https://www.fpds.gov/fpdsng_cms/
– Statistical information on federal contracting
– Detailed data for >$25K, Summary data for <$25K
• USASpending.gov
www.usaspending.gov
– Pulls information from FPDS

23. Preparing the Proposal
• Check SAM.gov
– Registration current (CCR)
– Online Representations & Certifications are current (ORCA)
• Create an Action Plan and assign tasks
• Outline your proposal
– Administrative Data
– Technical Proposal
– Pricing Proposal

24. Proposal Writing Tips
• You can never take back a first impression
• Identify company & solicitation # on each page
• Be sure the narrative description of your approach to the
work is clear to non-techies
• Use simple, straightforward writing style
• Spell and grammar check, use page numbers
• Observe specified page limitations
• Identify each line of proprietary data
• Provide current and accurate POC information

25. Proposal Pricing Tips
• Charge Enough
• Know your competition
• Know your costs of doing business
• Include a reasonable profit and G&A
• Have an accountant calculate indirect costs
• Avoid perpetuating a losing operation
• Clearly prove the price is fair & reasonable
• Verify numbers

26. Format of the Proposal
• Follow all of the instructions and sequence given in the
solicitation
• Focus on customer’s mission and goals, being mindful of
evaluation factors
• Check and recheck all cost and pricing data, provide
supporting documentation
• Provide all the required information in enough detail to
give the customer confidence that you understand
thoroughly.

27. Compiling the Proposal
• Using the tasks list or action items list, collect all the
parts
• Arrange them in the specified sequence
• Make a Table of Contents; use divider tabs
• Make a cover page, brief cover letter or Executive
Summary
• Conduct an "in-house" scrub down

28. Proposal Writing Basics
Submission and Award

29. Submitting the Proposal
• Use checklists provided by the contracting agency
• Proof read the "fully compiled" proposal packet
• Sign all documents as indicated
• Submit the original and keep a copy
• Submit your proposal on time in the manner prescribed

30. Proposal Evaluation
• Responsive – Required documents in the required format
• Responsible – Company's qualifications and capacity
• Technically Acceptable - Product or service meets the minimum
technical requirements of the solicitation
• Past Performance – Prior successful contract performance of similar
size, scope, and complexity
Competitive - “Fairness & Reasonableness” of price/cost

31. Win or Lose
• Ask for a Debrief
• If you win, find your weak areas for improvement
• If you did not win –
– Request debrief from contracting officer within 3 days
– Don’t be discouraged - No one wins every time
– Learn from the experience.
– Prepare for the next opportunity

32. Final Thoughts
• Proactive and persistent in looking for right opportunity
• When responding, determine if cost is worth item/service
• Ensure all proposal documents are signed as required
• Do not be late with your submission
• Get everything in writing
• Learn from your experiences

33. North Carolina PTAC Counselors
• Clark Fields – Asheville: 828.251.6025 or cfields@sbtdc.org
• George Griffin – Greensboro: 336.779.7339 or ggriffin@sbtdc.org
• Rebecca Barbour – Raleigh: 919-715-7373 or rbarbour@sbtdc.org
• LaNell Grissom – Fayetteville: 910-672-1727 or lgrissom@sbtdc.org
• Mark Mills – Program Director: 828-345-1115 or mmills@sbtdc.org

34. QUESTIONS?