Large Business Perspective on Teaming with an 8a Company Georgette Alexander-Morrison Orbital Sciences Corporation February 12, National 8a Winter Conference

Outline  Working with a Large Business  Your Company and Your Strengths  Teaming  Finding Teammates  The Proposal  Contract Execution 2National 8a Winter Conference

Working with a Large Business  There are two primary reasons for teaming with a Large Business  Large Business as a prime requires niche subcontractors  Small Business −as a prime - needs a Large Business for capabilities or −as a subcontractor - needs a prime for a contract vehicle 3National 8a Winter Conference

Working with a Large Business Large Business Teaming – One Process  Large Business is the Prime  Need niche or specialty small businesses and/or  Need small (adjective or not) businesses to fulfill procurement requirements  In services contract opportunities  Full and Open opportunities usually have −Small Business Utilization requirements −Small Business Subcontracting goals  Large Businesses may have existing Small Businesses with whom they have previously partnered  New businesses are often needed −Difficulty in finding adjective small business with specific capabilities ◦ e.g., a WOSB with embedded code experience −Use of region-specific such as HUBZone  Small Businesses need to know how to make their presence known to Large Businesses −Match capabilities/status to procurement −Resource capability to support proposal effort 4National 8a Winter Conference

 Orbital reviews known subcontractors and capabilities and searches for new Small Businesses  Existing teaming arrangements on competitors or other contracts for that customer  Company websites  Customer small business databases  SBA databases – useful for identifying specialty (adjectival type) small businesses −NOTE: Keep your company’s listing up to date with past performance, customers, NAICS, and descriptions  Orbital holds a teleconference or meeting to discuss teaming idea with the Small Business  Large Business will usually have a brief presentation that is specific to procurement  The presentation will accent (further details an following charts) : −the small business need coupled with specific capability −interface to date with the customer −any employees with important background/connections with customer 5National 8a Winter Conference Working with a Large Business Large Business Teaming – One Process

Working with a Large Business How to Select a Small Business for Teaming?  Small Businesses Are Selected as a Teammate Because They Improve the Large Business’ Chance of Winning  Decision is based upon What We Know of the Small Business  SB Offering −Provides a unique and needed skill set (maybe one that the prime can not supply) −Has “something special” (e.g. research, technology, software) and applicable to the opportunity (e.g. cyber security experience, collaboration tools)? −Is a “difficult to find” adjective small business (SDVOSB, HUBZone)  SB Experience / Past Performance −Performs similar services on relevant contracts −Experience is a good past performance reference −On the incumbent team or currently supporting the current effort −Currently has a prime contract or subcontract with this customer  SB Cost Effectiveness −Costs/rates low and will reduce the prime’s overall cost  SB Knowledge −Knows the customer −Has information on the incumbent’s performance 6National 8a Winter Conference

Working with a Large Business A Small Business Needs A Large Business  Small Business is pursing an opportunity  We will concentrate on the case where the SB needs the Large Business as a subcontractor  Why would the Small Business need a Large Business  Capabilities  Past performance  Customer knowledge  Once the need is identified, the Large Business may pursue the large or visa versa  Discussions can begin  Large Businesses will evaluate their probability of winning following a process similar to the Large Business Prime situation  Because the Small Business is the prime, Large Business may place more importance on the Small Business’ ability to be as cost effective as possible 7National 8a Winter Conference

Working with a Large Business A Small Business Needs A Large Business (continued)  Large Business will want to know: what is the small business’ objective for pursuing the contract?  Growth  Extension of current capabilities  New customer or current customer  R&D applications  Large Business will want to know if the Small Business has done their homework: Research the procurement and the customer  Met and talked to the customer(s)? What do they want?  Is it a re-compete of an existing contract or a new effort?  Has the size grown? Compare original value vs. current funding levels −If a federal contract, use the Federal Procurement Data System - Next Generation ( to review the funding  Is the incumbent performing well? −Review Award Fee Letters (submit FOIA requests) −Review press releases (safety issues, audit results) −Talk to people via customer meetings, other contractors at that location, contractor councils or meetings in the local area  Give the Large Business your elevator speech.  Be prepared and be ready to use with potential other teammates and customer(s)  2 – 3 minute max summary of your company, the procurement, and why they are a great match 8National 8a Winter Conference

Working with a Large Business A Small Business Needs A Large Business (continued)  The Small Business must know the customer decision point: what’s their bottom line  Price  Technical proposal  Other factors that help a Large Business decide to team with the Small Business  Other companies are on the team and their strengths and capabilities  Win strategies of the small business  Many times, these items aren’t discussed until after the teaming agreement has been mutually accepted 9National 8a Winter Conference

Your Company and Strengths  Understand the full capabilities of your company and your current personnel  What are you producing on your current contracts?  What experiences do your staff have that can be applied to a new contract or customer?  Analyze your capabilities for writing a winning proposal for this contract  Is this contract similar to something you already produce or provide services? −You already provide project management services for DOE and this contract provides project management services for NASA.  Is it an extension of complementary capabilities ? −Example: You provide configuration management services and the new customer wants data management.  Compare your small business capabilities with the requirements for the contract  Statement of Work (SOW) Gap Analysis −What does your company technically cover well −Where are the gaps  What areas does your business need additional past performance and who can provide it? −Proposal Consultants – help write your proposal but don’t demonstrate past performance −Teammates (large or small) – can help write the proposal, don’t cost you money, and can give you relevant past performance 10National 8a Winter Conference

Your Company and Strengths – The Future  Can your company’s infrastructure and assets handle the new opportunity.  If you have 25 employees now, can you manage adding 100 more? −Payroll −HR −Offices  Do you have the funds to cover the additional operating costs? −Do you have the funds on hand −Do you have an adequate line of credit  Companies must be realistic that  The SB must have the processes, procedures and assets (management systems, task management processes, personnel systems) to successfully manage the new job.  The team and the customer must be convinced that this is not an issue 11National 8a Winter Conference

Finding Teammates  Look at the current contracts for that customer’s location  Identify the existing or recent companies providing support to that customer −What kind of work did they do and how well ◦ Check award fee letters, press releases, web sites −Any candidates?  Attend national conferences or conferences at that customers’ location or local area  NASA routinely holds small business forums as part of their outreach activities  Attend local AIAA or AAS conferences  Join Contractor Associations (e.g. at MSFC, ARC, GSFC)  Talk to the customer’s Small Business Officer or Specialists  Procurement personnel have knowledge of the large businesses that are experienced with that customer  JPL’s Small Business Office sponsors a yearly high tech conference, both large and small businesses attend this event 12National 8a Winter Conference

Selected Teammates: Things to Consider  NDA executed  Teaming Agreements  Suggestions: review recent legal decisions on what/when these documents apply and what they can contain  Get your lawyer involved. The large business will have their legal and contracts representatives review it. −Be fair −Be direct −Be flexible −Be explicit on the support you need for the proposal −Decide how explicit you want to describe the SOW assignments or support to be granted during execution. 13National 8a Winter Conference

The Proposal Execution – Things to Remember Large Business Prime  The Large Business likely has a very capable Business Development group with a method for preparing the proposal  Standard processes/templates  Data submittals via or Sharepoint or other collaborative site  Schedule  RFP  Pricing discussions  Guides for successful teaming  Meet the deadlines specified in all data requests or immediately counter with a date change that allows time to respond (don’t wait until the day its due)  Have a standard introduction text that describes the Small Business and the capabilities and experience of the company  Have logo ready (multiple file types and transparent backgrounds)  Have resumes for company personnel available  Participate in all ‘tag ups’ and contribute as required  Participate in all reviews of the proposal volumes (as you are invited) or volunteer for additional reviews (use the reviews as a learning process) 14National 8a Winter Conference

The Proposal Execution – Things to Remember Small Business Prime  Depending on the age of the company and the experiences, the Small Business’ proposal processes may be very good  Others may need advice from the large business, so use their advice and suggestions  If SB process is not developed, there are actions to take  Consider bringing in support via a proposal manager and production support  Many firms specialize in producing the document; however, these firms usually don’t take on producing the customized content required for a good score  Communication with your teammates is very important  Define the proposal organization and points of contact  Define the submission process  Use a collaborative effort to dissect the draft and final RFP  Define required data calls from the team members −Set a schedule (as soon as possible) −Collect the routine data requirements early (e.g. logos, histories, past performance, introductions, resumes)  Set out for the pricing goals and strategies that your company expects from all teammates (as soon as possible”  Hold regular ‘tag ups’ to keep the team informed of progress and issues 15National 8a Winter Conference