This document discusses teaming tactics for small businesses working with larger prime contractors. It covers determining fit between potential partners, different teaming types like prime/subcontractor relationships, joint ventures, and mentor-protégé agreements. The benefits of teaming for both small and large businesses are presented, such as accessing new opportunities and expertise. Key factors that make teaming successful or fail are also outlined.

1. Top Teaming Tactics:
From “In” to “Win”
Judy Bradt, CEO

2. INTRODUCING:
NAME, COMPANY
5 WORDS
TO DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO

3. Tools For Each Steps
 Strategy
 Focus
 Process
 Competition
 Teaming
 Relationships
 Marketing
3

4. What You’ll Learn
 Defining Fit:
What Primes Really Want
 Determining Fit:
Creating Your Checklist
 Teaming Types
 Teaming Agreements & Beyond
 Building Fit:
The Meeting & Briefing Toolkit

5. What Is a Small Business?
 SBA Size classifications:
– Small
– Other Than Small
 Varies by NAICS
– Average annual receipts over 3 years or
– average number of employees over 12 months.
– You pick your NAICS, but . . .
– . . . The Contracting Officer (CO) assigns the
NAICS that sets the size criteria for that
procurement.

6. Why Size Matters
 Affiliation
– Can disqualify companies for “set asides” due to
partners’ combined size.
– Locations / industries irrelevant.
– One business has real/apparent power/control over
another. 13 C.F.R. § 121.103.
– Prime is an Ostensible Subcontractor
 Ostensible subcontractor
– Subcontractor performs primary/vital requirements of
prime contract. Business are considered to be affiliated.

7. Why Team?








8. Why Team?
 Leverage SBA affiliation rules
 Increase competitiveness
 Reduce risks & costs
 Gain past performance
 Address licensing / certifications / bonding
 Access contract vehicles (Large & small)
 Meet small business / subcontracting goals
 Ensure local roots

9. Teaming By The Numbers:
76 – 54 – 8 - 62
 Large to Small
 Small to Small
 Large to Large
 Complex Teams

10. 2011 3-Year Bidding:
Down 50% From 2007
2011 VIP® Survey: Trends in Federal Contracting for Small Businesses

11. 3-Year Win Rates Down
(Prime and Subcontracts)
2011 VIP® Survey: Trends in Federal Contracting for Small Businesses

12. Benefits: To “Big” Businesses
 Meet small business subcontracting goals.
 Access “set aside” contracts
 Project-based access to niche expertise
– Keep focused on core competencies.
– Get essential expertise @ variable cost

13. Benefits: To Small Businesses
 Access set asides and niche expertise.
 Contracts are becoming more complex, larger
(“bundling”) and geographically dispersed. A small
business by itself may not have the resources to do
the whole job.
 Build past performance & reputation by association
 Economies of scale: More purchasing power
 Easier access to capital and bonding.

14. Why Does Teaming Fail?






15. Pre-Teaming: Gap Analysis
 Can you go it alone? Go for it!
 Requirements exceed your core competencies?
Gap analysis to pick partners.
RFP My Capabilities My Partner
Agency Needs: I Have: Must Have:
A. = A. + a.
B. B. b.
C. c. C.
D. D d.
E. E. e.

16. Clues To Poor Fit





17. Determining Fit
WORKING GROUPS:
FIT CHECKLIST

18. Determining Fit Between Partners
 Unqualified  Basic Fit  Exceptional Fit
(Coaching) (Connection) (Introduction)

19. Picking Prospective Partners
Advance Research Speed Dating

20. Central Contractor Registration
www.ccr.gov
Register,
Search
for
Partners,
Get
Sourced

21. Where can I find a small partner?
Dynamic Small Business Search @ www.ccr.gov

22. Potential Partners Matching Your Criteria www.ccr.gov
High Priority:
Veteran-Owned

23. Want Primes To Return Your Call?

24. Partners Look For…








25. “Bring
opportunity.
Do your
homework.
Know what
we do.”
Chireda Gaither, Computer Sciences Corporation
Manager, Supplier Diversity Program for North American Public Sector

26. Supplier Portal Registration
Be Selective!

27. “Nobody
Does
Everything.
Tell Me
Your
Specialty.”
Lillian Magero, Small Business Liaison Officer, IBM

28. Avoid The Kiss of Death
“We Do Everything”

29. Partners Look For…
 What business you bring
 Where can you take them? Buyer contacts
 Core capabilities & differentiation
 Past performance & reputation
 Price, financial strength
 Personnel experience & low turnover
 Location
 Dependable, responsive team player

30. What Can You Bring?







31. What Can You Bring?
 New Task Orders on Incumbent Business
 New Projects You Can Help Them Win
 Solutions to Known Problems
 Contacts You Can Offer
 Benefits For Their Clients
 Track Record On Relevant Past Projects
 Cleared Staff
 Location

32. Affiliations
& Joint Ventures
Relationships Without Dirty Dancing

33. Teaming in Federal Contracting
FAR Subpart 9.6
– An agreement:
 between two or more companies to form a joint venture or
partnership to act as a potential prime contractor (JV model);
or
 between a prime contractor and one or more companies
proposed to act as subcontractors under a particular
Government contract or acquisition program (prime/sub
model);
– Entered into prior to the submission of a proposal in
response to an RFP; and
– Must be recognized if disclosed in a proposal, or after
contract award if approved before becoming effective.
– Temporary, not permanent

34. Other Key Teaming Concepts
 Project-specific is typical
 Mentor – Protége: Expanding!
– Contingent & Non-Contingent
 8(a) & MP Programs under review

35. The Big Four Teaming Types
 Prime Contractor / Subcontractor
 Joint Venture
 Mentor – Protégé
 General Services Administration (GSA)
Contractor Teaming Agreement (CTA)
Others: Licensing, distribution, coop R&D

36. Prime Contractor/Subcontractor
 Most common
 Prime has direct contact and responsibility
(privity) with the government
 Prime is in control
– Wants flexibility (vs. subcontractor desire for
guarantees)
 Subcontract might require review by
contracting officer and/or finalization prior
to the final offer to the government.

37. Prime Contractor/Subcontractor
FAR clauses that can “flow down” to the sub:
 Mandatory: FAR requires these. Often public policy (e.g. equal
opportunity, drug-free workplace)
 Advisory: Included to protect the prime. (e.g., termination for
convenience, changes)
 Negotiable: Situational usage / Discretionary
Read, Review, Reflect…and be ready to Revise or Reject.
Understand compliance & costs.
Get Legal Advice, Early & Often.

38. Prime Contractor/Subcontractor
A Small Business must perform a minimum
work percentage for set-asides:
– Service: > 50% of the cost of the work.
– Supplies: > 50% of the manufacturing costs,
excluding materials
– General construction: > 15% of the costs,
excluding materials.
– Specialty construction: > 25% of the costs ,
excluding materials.

39. Mentor - Protégé
 Experienced contractor assists a less
experienced small business.
 Mentors benefits can include:
– Management, financial and/or technical
assistance
– Loans and/or equity (40% limit) investments.
– Cooperation on joint venture projects
– Opportunities to subcontracts under its prime
contracts

40. Mentor - Protégé
 Mentor benefits can include:
– Credit toward subcontracting goals
– Financial reimbursement
 Common Mentor Requirements
– Might be large or small
– Capability & commitment to assist Protégé
– Profitable the last two years
– Knowledgeable in government contracting and
in good standing

41. Mentor - Protégé
 Protégé requirements vary by program:
– Must be a small business
– Some require socio-economic designation.
– MP programs include: SBA , Army, DHS, DOE,
FAA, NASA, HHS, State Department, Treasury
Department, DOD, GSA
 Cost Reimbursement / Credit Varies
– DoD Programs often cost-reimbursed
– Civilian agency programs usually credit-only

42. A Word On Mentor-Protégé
“Give Me
Your Car
Keys.”
John Long, VP Business Development,
Civil Systems Division, Northrop Grumman

43. Joint Venture
 Limited purpose partnership. Each party
liable to government & 3rd parties.
 Can be JV agreement or new legal entity
– e.g. LLP/LLC/Corp, DUNS, CCR, ORCA, banking
– JV partners “affiliated” for size classification.
 Qualified SDVOB, 8(a) and Mentor – Protégé
JV’s may be exempt from affiliation, based
on size of contract and sizes of participants

44. Joint Venture
 Must be approved before proposal submitted
– Size eligibility: FAR 19.101(7)(i)
– Defines how partners share work, risk,
responsibility, profits
 Each party has privity with the government
 3/2 rule: JV can do up to 3 proposals in 2 years
 Agencies may have preferred
JV arrangements / forms. Ask!

45. GSA Contractor Teaming
Arrangement (CTA)
 GSA schedule contractors create joint
turnkey offering that neither could provide
alone.
 Not a subcontract or JV: Each contractor
has privity. No new legal entity is formed.
Note: Non-schedule holders can’t do a CTA, but may
subcontract to schedule holders using traditional
subcontracts.
More
:

46. When Teaming Becomes
Affiliation
 FAR & SBA Definitions
 Key Concept: Control
– direct or indirect; actual or potential; mutual or
third party
– Ownership (eg voting, stock, options, trusts)
– Management or common facilities
– Contracts (JV, franchise, licensing, teaming)
References: FAR Subpart 19.1 & SBA 13 C.F.R 121.103
GCME: p 115

47. Steps to Teaming Agreements

48. The Teaming Agreement (TA)
 Private contract between two or more parties
governed by contract law & Uniform Commercial Code
– Interim agreement
– Superseded by negotiated post-award contract
 Post 2010, law requires
– Bid-win-perform on subcontracting plans
– 90 day payment accountability to subs
 Terms & obligations govern relationship of the parties.
 Enforceability requires specificity & clear statements.

49. Nondisclosure Agreement (NDA)
Precursor / support for teaming
– Defines proprietary or confidential information
and exclusions
– Provides the purpose for disclosure
– Limits use by teammates and disclosure to 3rd
parties
– Protects existing client and vendor relationships
– “One-way” or “two-way”
Read theirs. Draft yours.
Get Legal Help.
More
:

50. Other Potential
Non-Binding TA Precursors
On-Ramps from discussions to a TA
 Letter of Intent (LOI)
 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
 Agreement to “explore the relationship”.
E.G.: issues to be addressed in TA,
minimum binding terms, key points

51. Mini-Case #1
 Agency publishes RFP
 Your past performance covers 4 out of 6
mandatory requirements
 Your company holds a GSA Schedule
 Contract is set aside for HUBZone
 Your company is WOSB/SDVOB
– Would you bid solo, or team?
– If team, what kind & why?
– What else would you want to know?

52. Teaming Agreement Essentials:
What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

53. Teaming Agreement Essentials
How Will You Handle:
 Proposal Costs  FARS Flow-down
 Bid & WIN  NonDisclosure
 Pricing & Payment  End User Access
 Exclusivity  Intellectual Property
 Confidentiality  Key Resumes
 Terminations  Employee Poaching!
 Shared Expenses  Liability
Resource: National Contract Management Association www.ncmaHQ.org

54. Rock Your Teaming Meeting

55. Building Fit:
The Meeting & Briefing Toolkit
1. Market Research Essentials
2. The Unique Value Proposition
3. The Tailored Capability Statement
4. Six Simple Slides in 600 Seconds
5. The Follow-up Sweet Spot

56. Pre-Teaming:
Find The Business
Example Notes Reactive Proactive
>$25K open/awarded & pre-
√ √
solicitation info
Prime subcontracting needs √
Procurement forecasts √
Subcontracting directory &
√ √
procurement forecast
DOD subcontracting plans √ √
Procurement histories √
Shows, publications,
Other matchmaking, prime √ √
websites, industry days

57. Key Market Research Tools
USASpending.gov & FFATA.org
GSAAdvantage.gov
SSQ.GSA.gov
CCR.gov

58. Typical Research Questions
 Which agencies’ problems do I solve?
 When do current contracts expire?
 What contract vehicles do they like?
 What set-asides do they favor?
 Who are the incumbents / competitors?
 How soon do I position for teaming?
 Who are “small” partners / competitors?

59. UNIQUE VALUE
PROPOSITION

60. Unique Value Proposition
 Concise appeal
 In your audience’s language,
 Focused on their needs, problems, issues.
What solution
"Our interactive 3D maintenance training aids allow
Helps who
people who maintain and repair military equipment
Do what to accelerate learning in complex equipment, thus
enabling first-time-right repairs and
To solve what optimizing operational readiness
problems? at a lower cost."

61. Basic Capability Statement
 Core Competencies
 Past Performance
– Prime, Sub, or Commercial
– Relevant Projects, Value, POC
– Contract Vehicles
 Unique Value Proposition / Differentiators
 Company Data
– Revenue, Employees, Locations, DUNS, Certifications, NAICS
 Contact Information
61

62. Tailored Capability Statement
 Your Contact’s Top Needs
 Relevant Past Performance, UVP
 Suitable Contract Vehicles
 Project-Specific References

63. Capability Briefing:
Six Simple Slides
Who You Are Core Capabilities The Opportunity
Basic Company Info 1. Specific
2. agency, project
3.
4.
Unique Value Past Performance Meeting Objectives
Proposition
Show where you’ve
done it before
GCME p. 128

64. The Follow-up Sweet Spot
 Were these the right people?
– Today?
– Referral to someone else?
Apathy Pestilence
 What questions remain?
– Yours
– Theirs
 When & how to follow-up?
 Need more materials?
 Got everyone’s card?

65. Avoid Five Top Teaming Traps
Be selective.
Do your homework.
Read rules & seek SBA guidance.
Use a teaming agreement.
Bring business.

66. Due Diligence Resources
 Open (Victory In Procurement) Forum: Government Contracts
www.openforum.com/governmentcontracting
 Past Performance Information Retrieval System http://www.ppirs.gov/
 Open Ratings http://openratings.com/
 Excluded Parties List System https://www.epls.gov/
 D&B PAYDEX https://www.dnb.com/product/ptpsampl.htm
 Uniform Commercial Code
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Commercial_Code

67. Teaming Agreement Resources
 DOD Guidebook for Facilitating Small Business Teaming Arrangements
www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/docs/dod_OSBP_Guidebook_for_Facilitating_Sm
all_Business_Team_Arrangements.pdf
 SBA Table of Small Business Size Standards
www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/Size_Standards_Table.pdf
 Teaming Agreement Enforceability
http://www.whaylaw.com/Teaming_Agreement_Enforceability.htm
 Non-Disclosure Agreements
http://www.bitlaw.com/forms/nda.html
http://www.wipo.int/sme/en/documents/disclosing_inf.htm

68. Mentor-Protégé & CTA Resources
 SBA Mentor – Protégé Program
www.sba.gov/content/mentor-prot%C3%A9g%C3%A9-program
 DoD Mentor-Protégé Program
http://www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/mentor_protege/
 GSA Contractor Teaming Arrangement
http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/200553

69. What You Learned
 Defining Fit:
What Primes Really Want
 Determining Fit:
Creating Your Checklist
 Teaming Types
 Teaming Agreements & Beyond
 Building Fit:
The Meeting & Briefing Toolkit

70. Advice on Government
Contracting
 Free
 Good
 Enough
Pick any two.

71. Effective Teaming Resources
Book & Workbook
OnSite Sessions:
“Strategy In A Day”
“Awesome Market Research”
www.GovernmentContractsMadeEasier.com
Judy Bradt, CEO (703) 627 1074 Judy.Bradt@SummitInsight.com