Tim Linker NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center NC State University

 PTAC Program was Established by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in  Headquartered at NC State, NC PTAC functions as the government procurement extension service of the University of North Carolina System.  NC PTAC assists with all levels of government contracting (local, state, and federal).  From , NC PTAC assisted NC business in obtaining $4 billion dollars of government contracting.

 Finding available resources to identify government opportunities  Understanding government rules and regulations  Completing necessary government registrations  Completing government certifications  Understanding solicitation requirements  Responding to a solicitation  Reviewing completed bids  Researching award histories  Getting paid

Creating a win-win team.

 What is required for the particular project? ◦ Are you building a hospital, commissary, or water treatment plant?  What are your core competencies and where will you need assistance?  Who are you working with now or in the past? ◦ Has it been successful or worked well?  What are your potential partner’s strengths and weaknesses? ◦ Key: Does your potential partner have the ability to act as a team player and possess the requisite knowledge base?

1. Skill Level 2. Reputation 3. Relevancy/Past Performance 4. Rapport/Communication 5. Technical Competence 6. Commitment to Creating the Best Value 7. Commitment to Containing Costs 8. Resources

 Explicitly define the roles and responsibilities for each partner.  What is the best way to bind the partners together for this project? 1.Teaming Agreement o AGC Document No. 499, Teaming Agreement for Design-Build Project 2.Joint Venture (JV) 3.Partnership 4.Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) 5.S-Corporation

 Determining who is the lead on the project ◦ Which partner discovered/marketed the project, and do they have an existing relationship with the buying entity? ◦ Who brings the greatest amount of resources to the project ? ◦ Who has the greatest amount of risk involved in the project? ◦ Who has the greatest amount of integration experience?

The art of convincing the Government Evaluators that your proposal is the best.

What not to do in your proposal preparation!

 Your team must be able not only to comprehend a RFP, but accurately to demonstrate that comprehension while proposing and describing an effective solution to the issue at hand.

 Get the correct solicitation and keep checking for amendments or modifications.  Determine the solicitation and contract type.  Assemble all the attachments and materials incorporated by reference (FAR clauses, etc.).  Read the entire solicitation… twice. ◦ Many companies do not fully comprehend what they are being asked to provide and, consequently, are not able to provide a proposal that completely meets the requirements of the solicitation.

 Federal solicitations provide you with details of what the government wants and with details of how it will evaluate your proposal.  For instance, Solicitation # (R a) ◦ Lost Lodge Ranger Station, US Forest Service, USDA  Section C, Statement of Work: Provides a detailed description of what the government is seeking.  Design on the construction of four buildings (23K sq. ft. total)  Section M, Evaluation Factors of Award  Technical Approach: 25 %, LEED Silver Certification and Energy Star methodologies  Past Performance: 75%, Quality of Product/Service, Timeliness of Performance, Business Relations

 Make a proposal requirements task list and a contract performance task list.  Create a plan that details what the responsibilities of each team member are and when each task is due.  Focus on meeting the proposal due date.  Provide all the required information in enough detail so that the evaluators know that you understand the requirements thoroughly. ◦ Follow the solicitations format!  Page limits, numbering, section titles, etc.

 Gather, assemble, compile, and edit all the items specified by the task lists you created.  Arrange them in the specified sequence.  Prepare a brief cover letter or executive summary.  Provide the required number of copies of the proposal in the layout the solicitation dictates.

Identify & Gather Define & Analyze Plan & Execute Assemble & Edit Submit & Debrief

 Follow all the instructions.  Follow the sequence.  Focus on the customer’s mission and goals.  A proposal’s purpose is to describe in detail what you can do to support the mission.  Check and recheck your cost data.  Start with the executive summary and end with a full-scale bragging section. In between, provide supportable facts.

 Responsive: Did your submit the required documents in the required format?  Responsible: Is your company qualified and eligible to receive the contract/award?  Competitive: Is your price “fair and reasonable” under the circumstances?  Technically Acceptable: Does your product meet the customer’s requirement?

What you need to know.

 The federal government has social goals that it tries to satisfy through Preference Programs. ◦ Federal goals 1.Small Business: 23% 2.Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)/8(a): 5% * 3.Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB): 5% 4.Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Zone: 3% * 5.Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB): 3%  Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requires that all construction projects over $1 million dollars must have an approved subcontracting plan. * Small Business Administration (SBA) Certified Preference Programs

 FAR Clause provides a model subcontracting outline ◦ Elements include:  Type of subcontracting plan: Master, Individual  Goals for each type of segment: VOSDB, SDB, WOSB, etc.  Description of supplies and services to be subcontracted  Method of identifying sources and developing goal percentages  Individual responsible for the subcontracting program  Description of the efforts to identify subcontractors  Various assurances of reporting and clause flow down  Record keeping requirements

920 Main Campus Drive, Venture II, Suite 101 Centennial Campus, NCSU Raleigh, NC ,