Professional Proposal Services

1
Introduction to Competitive Contracting and the
Proposal Process

• Presented by
• Stephanie Gilbert, Professional Proposal Services
• SGilbert_at_PropWin.com
• Phone [phone] Fax [phone]

2
Introduction to Contracting

• What is my Business Area?
• Products vs. Services
• Evaluate your capabilities honestly
• Pros Cons of Contracting
• Employee or Contractor?
• Legal and financial considerations
• Types of Contract vehicles
• Full and Open vs. Set-aside
• TM, FFP, CPFF
• Contracting Vehicles ID/IQ, BPA, GSA Schedules,
  BOA

3
Finding Contracting Opportunities 1

• Marketing
• Marketing Materials Capabilities Briefing,
  brochures, business cards, website
• Meeting with procurement personnel
• Proactive networking
• Industry conferences, support to customers (e.g.,
  support Industry days with personnel, give-aways,
  food, sponsor golf tournaments, etc.)
• Opportunity Databases
• INPUT, ePipeline, Centurion
• Google contracting opportunities

4
Finding Contracting Opportunities 2

• Federal DoD Civilian Agencies
• www.fbo.gov
• National Laboratories in NM
• http//www.sandia.gov/bus-ops/scm/home.html
• http//www.lanl.gov/contacts.shtml
• State/Local/Native-lands
• Commercial/Industry
• Meet with Small Business Office
• Grants
• Network directly with customers

5
Preparing to Bid 1

• Know your Customer
• Your potential Customer must know you
• Visit the contracting and technical folks, leave
  marketing materials, check-in regularly
• Your Bid Library (never throw anything away)
• Past Performance citations and references
• Resumes and curricula vitae
• Awards, letters of recommendation,
  certifications, licenses, kudos, etc.
• Process/procedure documentation or How I perform
  my service or produce my product

6
Preparing to Bid 2

• Central Contractor Registration (CCR)
• www.ccr.gov
• SMALL BUSINESSES Does your business development
  strategy includes providing goods and services to
  the Federal government? Creating a profile in the
  Central Contractor Registration (CCR) and the
  Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) and keeping
  it current ensures that your firm has access to
  federal contracting opportunities, especially
  those for small businesses. Entering your small
  business profile data into CCR allows you to
  populate the Small Business Administration's
  (SBA) Supplemental Pages, known as DSBS, where
  your business information and capabilities
  statements can be viewed by contracting officers,
  large prime contractors, and the general public.
  www.ccr.gov/SmallBusinesses.aspx

7
Preparing to Bid 3

• Online Representation and Certification (ORCA)
  https//orca.bpn.gov/
• DUNS Number link off of www.ccr.gov to obtain a
  DUNS number from Dun Bradstreet or call
  1-866-705-5711 to Request by Phone
• NAICS and SIC codes
• http//www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html
• Professional development training 611430
• Public speaking training 611699
• Educational Services 611710
• Human Resources Consulting Services 541612

8
Preparing to Bid 4

• Sources Sought, Request for Information
• Used to determine adequate pool of bidders
• E.g., set-aside for SB, sole source
• Used to help formulate RFP
• Provides bidders the opportunity to influence
  RFP
• Draft Request for Proposal (RFP)
• Provides bidders the opportunity to influence
  RFP
• Provides time to form teams and pre-assemble
  proposal docs
• Allows communication with acquisition personnel,
  questions and answers
• Communicating with the customer
• Formal and informal communications

9
Preparing to Bid 5

• Teaming and subcontracting
• What is this and why should I consider it?
• Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
• Teaming Agreement (TA)
• Priming
• All contract requirements flow-down

10
Proposal Preparation 1

• Compliance PERFECTION
• Failure to provide any of the above required
  items may result in the rejection of your
  proposal.
• Prepare to discuss
• What are you going to provide
• How are you going to provide it
• How much you are going to charge
• Avoid annoying the reader/evaluator
• Minimize telling them about the wonderfulness
  of you and your company, instead address the
  solicitation requirements, convey customer
  BENEFITS
• If your proposal is not compliant or submitted on
  time there is absolutely no way to WIN

11
Proposal Preparation 2

• Download ALL of the documents and attachments
• READ the ENTIRE solicitation
• Research the Federal Acquisition Regulations
  (FAR)
• http//www.arnet.gov.far
• Read all referenced FAR sections, they are
  incorporated into the final contract and you will
  be required to abide by them
• Questions? Follow the solicitation procedures to
  submit your questions cite the paragraph/page,
  ask the question, provide a recommendation or ask
  for an answer that will help you
• Caution dont ask questions that will aid your
  competition or give your strategy away

12
Proposal Preparation 3

• Create a COMPLIANCE MATRIX
• Outline the entire proposal
• Cover Page, Table of Contents, Glossary
• Technical Approach
• Management Approach
• Staffing and Personnel
• Past Performance
• Pricing
• Representations and Certifications
• Any attachments, etc.
• Note page limits, formatting and submission
  instructions

13
Proposal Preparation 4

• Create a SCHEDULE
• Note the Due Dates for submitting questions and
  proposals
• Back schedule the proposal development activities
  from the Submission Date
• E.g., proposal due in 4 weeks, minus two days for
  final review and final production, minus one week
  for Price preparation, minus one week for
  Technical approach preparation, etc.

14
Proposal Preparation 5

• Create a high-level OUTLINE
• Follow the RFP instructions
• Number and title each section
• For each section
• List the section instructions
• List requirements from the Statement of Work
• List evaluation criteria

15
Proposal Preparation 6

• Develop your WIN THEMES and DISCRIMATORS
• Why is your firm the best one for the job?
• Why is your competition not the best choice for
  the customer (ghosting)?
• What is different about your services, personnel,
  methods, etc. that BENEFIT the customer?
• What do you know about the customer/requirement
  that can be leveraged?

16
Proposal Preparation 7

• Begin to write
• Address each of the RFP requirements
• Meet (and exceed) the Evaluation Criteria
• Use the language from the RFP
• Write for your intended audience and anticipated
  reading level
• Be organized, stick to the topic, be concise
• Use tables, diagrams, pictures to convey your
  concepts
• Make a point, tell the reader how this will
  benefit them and their goals

17
Proposal Preparation 8

• Assemble other sections
• Past Performance, references
• Resumes, personnel qualifications
• Copies of Certifications and Licenses
• Representations Certifications
• Follow all RFP guidance
• Label sections clearly
• Use tabs/dividers

18
Proposal Preparation 9

• Price to Win
• Model your financial solution (can you win and
  make money?)
• Know your customers budget
• Know your competitions rates (if possible)
• Provide value
• Have substantiation for your rates/fees
• Follow the RFP instructions
• Add explanatory notes
• Maintain Version Control of all sections

19
Proposal Preparation 10

• Assemble your proposal
• Check that you are within the page-limits
• Use your Compliance Matrix
• Label each page with your firms name
• Check for typos, bad page breaks, correct margins
  and fonts
• Assemble hard-copies and soft-copies
• Label the shipping/delivery package clearly with
  the Solicitation , date, firm name

20
Proposal Preparation 11

• Deliver/ship your proposal ON TIME
• Get a RECEIPT
• If you dont win request a debriefing
• The government is required to do this
• They will tell you how your proposal rated
  against the winning proposal
• You will gain valuable insight for next time
• If you do win Congratulations and be prepared
  to fulfill your proposal promises

21
Discussion

• Questions and Answers
• Sample solicitations
• ADVERTISEMENT?
• PROFESSIONAL PROPOSAL SERVICES
• We can lead you through the proposal process,
  develop a professional and compelling proposal,
  and leave you with a solid foundation of
  knowledge, templates, and tailored proposal reuse
  products.
• Contact Stephanie Gilbert, 505-944-5528,
  SGilbert_at_PropWin.com, www.PropWin.com