Course Outline / Agenda

8:00-8:30 AM

> Registration and Complimentary Continental Breakfast

8:30–10:30 AM

> Introduction

The Federal Government Market—How the federal government procures services, defines projects and selects design teams

• The competitive environment
• Brooks A-E Act
• Procurement processes
• Selection processes
• Central Contractor Registration (CCR)
• Online Reps and Certs (ORCA)
• DUNS Numbers
• NAICS Codes
• Contract vehicles

> What you need to know—Important background information that will give you the edge

• FAR knowledge
• Contracts and negotiations
• Ethics
• E-commerce
• Project management
• Project performance
• Trends

> Processes and procedures—What your firm needs to understand and implement before seeking federal work

• Required firm infrastructure
• Auditable processes (time and cost accounting)
• Electronic payment
• Project management
• Small business utilization
• Subcontracting
• QA/QC
• Health and safety
• Project performance

> Finding the clients and the project opportunities

• Research and intelligence gathering
• Developing and managing agency relationships
• Getting the most out of FedBizOpps
• Lead services
• Special opportunities (advertised and unadvertised)
• PRO-Net and SUB-Net

10:30–10:45 AM

> Refreshment Break

10:45 AM–12:00 Noon

> Reading and Understanding a FedBizOpps Notice

• Identifying project components
• Recognizing requirements and evaluation criteria
• Outlining points requiring clarification by question or research
• Making the go-no go decision
• Team exercise: Brainstorm and gather information
• Group Discussion: Make a go-no go decision

> Assembling a Team

• Special team composition requirements
• Identifying specialty expertise
• Addressing socio-economic requirements
• Meeting geographic requirements
• Evaluating working relationships
• Reviewing relevant experience with project type or client
• Checking references
• Investigating a joint venture

> Developing a Submittal Strategy

• Assembling the brainstorming session
• Determining critical issues
• Considering unique approaches
• Identifying key messages to differentiate your team
• Outlining research and submittal assignments
• Determining schedule
• Group discussion: Brainstorm strategy, identify key messages, generate buy-in to the production schedule

12:00–1:00 PM

> Lunch

1:00–2:45 PM

> How preparation has changed

• Information collection and management
• Relational databases
• Software for forms generation
• Other users and uses of the form
• Working with SF254/255 and SF330
• Modifying the form-format and appearance

> Completing the form: Part I—Contract-Specific Qualifications

• Section A: Contract Information
• Section B: Architect-Engineer Point of Contact

> Presenting the Team Members (Section C)

• Section C: Proposed Team
• How to establish team structure
• How to maximize team introduction
• Team exercise: Expand team member role to reflect the FedBizOpps notice

> Illustrating Team Organization (Section D)

• Section D: Organizational Chart of Proposed Team

• How to make it a working document
• Identifying team individuals and roles
• Group discussion: Review organizational structures

> Tailoring Resumes (Section E)

• Section E: Resumes of Key Personnel Proposed for this Contract
• Identifying relevant qualifications and projects
• Connecting the experience to the FedBizOpps notice
• Team Exercise: Edit a standard resume to portray individual as a differentiator

2:45–3:00 PM

> Refreshment Break

3:00-4:45 PM

> Tailoring Projects (Section F)

• Section F: Example Projects which Best Illustrate Proposed Team’s Qualifications for this Contract
• Selecting the best projects for the team
• Making the projects relevant
• Team exercise: Mold a project description into a tool that lends credibility to the experience

> Completing the Section G Matrix

• Section G: Key Personnel Participation in Example Projects
• Making it a working document
• Using it as a tool rather than a driver
• Compensating for weak connections
• Q&A: Address unique challenges faced by attendees

> Writing a Section H Response

• Section H: Additional Information
• Developing an outline
• Deciding what to emphasize
• Overcoming perceived weaknesses
• Promoting strategic messages
• Group discussion: Unique ways to present information to support requirements and strategy
• Section I: Authorized Representative

> Completing the form: Part II—General Qualifications

• Understanding the purpose
• Deciding how to represent staff and experience
• Completing ORCA (Online Reps and Certs Application)
• Block 1: Solicitation Number
• Blocks 2 through 8: Firm Information
• Block 9: Employees by Discipline
• Blocks 10 and 11: Profile of Firm’s Experience and Annual Average Revenue
• Block 12: Authorized Representative
• Q&A: Address unique challenges faced by attendees

> Preparing for the Next Step

• Sharing information
• Planning for the interview
• How to request and participate in a debriefing

4:45–5:00 PM

> Conclusion and wrap-up

• Question & answer session

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