FED GOV CON - Winning Proposals

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-Protégé 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

ALL WEBINARS WILL BE RECORDED AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD ON OUR WEBSITE
UNDER THE WEBINAR TAB
PLEASE VISIT WWW.JENNIFERSCHAUS.COM AND SELECT “WEBINARS”

Jennifer Schaus & Associates
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS
WEBINAR SERIES
Winning Proposals –
What a Company Needs to Focus On
August 21, 2014

• 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 – 2 0 2 – 3 6 5 – 0 5 9 8
http://www.JenniferSchaus.com

SPONSOR ANNOUNCEMENT…
Unanet provides software to over 1,000 Government Contractors that facilitates:

•  DCAA Compliant Time Tracking & Approvals
•  Expense Reporting Automation with Federal Per Diems
•  Real-Time Reporting on Direct & Indirect Costs
•  KPIs on Profitability, Utilization, Actual vs. Budget, etc.
•  Billing & Revenue Recognition
•  Budgeting, Planning & Resource Forecasting
•  Contract Management
WEBSITE: www.Unanet.com
CONTACT: MFranklin@Unanet.com

Winning Proposals
AGENDA:
Speaker Introduction & Background
Speaker Presentation
Audience Q & A
Conclusions & Wrap-UP

Michael A. Hordell
•Chair, Government Contracts Practice Group of Pepper
Hamilton LLP
•Holds Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented
Information clearance/access
•Advises small and large businesses on a range of
government contracts issues, including:
- proposal preparation, business counseling and
rights in technical data
- teaming agreements, joint ventures and
strategic alliances
•Bid protests and disputes
•Investigations and compliance matters
•Co-author “Winning Proposals and Pricing/Cost
Strategies: A Guide for the Federal Contractor” (2014)
Winning Proposals

Winning Proposals
Robert T. Leahy
•Associate, Government Contracts Practice Group of
Pepper Hamilton LLP
•A member of the firm’s Sustainability, CleanTech
and Climate Change Team
•Represents clients before the Government
Accountability Office and the U.S. Court of Federal
Claims
•Represents clients in government investigations and
regulatory compliance matters
•Experienced in Major Defense Acquisition Programs
(MDAPS) and Major Automated Information Systems
(MAIS) acquired pursuant to DoD Instruction
5000.02

Winning Proposals

Winning Proposals –
What a Company Needs to Focus On
Winning Proposals

The Government as a Customer
• World’s largest customer
• Not like a commercial customer
Winning Proposals

Set Up the Framework
• Administrative steps
− Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code
− SAM.gov
− Accounting system
− Small business certification
− Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system
• Implement a system to identify potential business
opportunities
Winning Proposals

Initial Steps – Coordinated Attack
• Determine the product you wish to sell
• Determine the customer(s)
• Get on the “bidders list”
• Start homework – budget, funding, estimates, prior and
current needs
• Track opportunities
− respond to expressions of interest
− attend industry days and proposal conferences
• Identify and push any advantage, especially if a small
business
• Set up infrastructures and procedures
Winning Proposals

Before the RFP Is Even Issued…
• Conduct advanced intelligence gathering
− current and prior contracts
− previous solicitations and proposals
• Prepare preliminary proposal information as
appropriate
− draft boilerplate
− gather resumes and other documents
− gather photographs of facilities, products or
sites
− draft initial “shell” proposal and theme ideas
Winning Proposals

Initial Review of RFP
• Primary goal – make bid/no bid
decision quickly
− check all pages, amendments,
attachments
− review specifications
− create a “procurement library”
− organize questions
Winning Proposals

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)
Winning Proposals

The Bid/No-Bid Decision
• Research
• Historical data
• Potential competition
• Business goals and strategy
• Realistic assessment
Winning Proposals

The Initial Proposal
Development Process
• Build the proposal preparation team
• Select the right person for the job
• Enough people, enough time
Winning Proposals

The “Kick-Off”
• Procedures are agreed-to and in place
− set the ground rules
− assign specific responsibility and
deadlines
− share information
• distribute schedule
• solicitation and other documents
Winning Proposals

Developing the Compliance Checklist
• Compliant, complete, and compelling
• Checklist based on requirements
review
Winning Proposals

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!
Winning Proposals

The Continuing Proposal Preparation Process
• Risk analysis refinement
− cost or pricing strategies
− information security / cyber
risks
• Subcontracting decisions
• Teaming/joint ventures
• Make or buy
Winning Proposals

Writing the Proposal
• Write for non-experts, experts, and non-
experts who think they are experts
• Volumes must “stand alone” but be
consistent
Winning Proposals

Proposal Content
• Consistency
• Easy to read and evaluate
− explain how the offer meets the agency‘s
needs
• Free from ambiguity
• Use themes
• Executive Summaries
− draft as if these are the only part of the
proposal that will be read
Winning Proposals

Technical Volume
• Frequently most critical part
• Be realistic
• Detail the specific solution
• Crosswalk to pricing
Winning Proposals

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
Winning Proposals

Cost or Pricing Volume
• Demonstrate the realism and
reasonableness
• Supporting rationale
• Double (even triple) check for accuracy
• Crosswalk with technical proposal for
evaluator ease
Winning Proposals

The Magic Circle
• Direct Costs
• Indirect Costs
− Overhead Cost Pools
• Unallowable Costs
• Intermediate Cost Pools
• General and Administrative
Cost Pool
• Home Office Allocated Costs
Winning Proposals

Past Performance
• Support company capabilities
• Address “negative” past performance
• Simplify reference checks
• Make no assumptions
Winning Proposals

Other Proposal Pieces
• Follow format requirements, page limits
• Title Page
• Informational and clear
• Proprietary legend – title and each page
• Marketing Materials
─ a part of your proposal
─ current, up-to-date and no
contradictions
Winning Proposals

Red Team and Legal Review
• Red Team
− review volumes individually and as a
whole
− replicate the actual evaluation
process
− thoroughness and candor a must
• Legal
− risks and liabilities
− understand intellectual property rights
Winning Proposals

Proposal Delivery
• Confirm delivery information
• Leave sufficient time
• Follow-up
Winning Proposals

The Next Steps
• Competitive Range Determination
• Discussions and Clarifications
• Oral Presentations
• Final Proposal Revision
Winning Proposals

Award and Debriefing
• Periodically check award status
• Request a debriefing whether you win or
lose
• Lessons Learned Analysis
Winning Proposals

Questions ? ? ?
Winning Proposals

Winning Proposals
Conclusions . . .

Winning Proposals
Contact Info
Michael A. Hordell
202.220.1232
hordellm@pepperlaw.com
Robert T. Leahy
202.220.1274
leahyr@pepperlaw.com
JSchaus@JenniferSchaus.com
http://www.JenniferSchaus.com
+ 1 – 2 0 2 – 3 6 5 – 0 5 9 8

FED GOV CON - Winning Proposals

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