1. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level

2. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 1 Overcoming the Top 10 Challenges to Re-win Your Government Contract Breakout Session A04 Richard E. “A to Z” Agopsowicz, Managing Director, RGovAccess (A Robbins Gioia Capability) Date: Monday, July 27, 2015 Time: 11:15 am – 12:30 pm

3. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 2 What This is About and What it Isn’t About I am not here to “tell how the cow ate the cabbage…” Most of these challenges are widely known, and yet…many, if not all still occur in most incumbent losses There is a dose of “myth busting” included The solution is not that complex…nor expensive…it’s just not always executed These problems aren’t new, just repeated over and over…

4. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 3 Overview Setting the context Top 10 incumbent challenges An evaluator perspective 5 things you can and should do Call to action

5. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 4 Overview Setting the context Top 10 incumbent challenges An evaluator perspective 5 things you can and should do Call to action

6. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 5 Setting Context Speaker Background 30 yrs. DoD B-52 crew, Research and Development Engineering, Acquisition, Special Intelligence, Special Technical Operations 14 yrs. helping clients pursue & win Government procurements Team leadership of over 475 Government Procurement & Funding Campaigns across 42 clients Currently, Managing Director, RGovAccess (Revenue Growth & Opportunity Management)

7. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 6 Setting Context Information Resources Business Development & Capture Intelligence Research Supporting Over 500 Pursuit Campaigns OMB and GAO Reports (Including Protests) OSD and Federal Civil Agency Letters and News Surveys and Interviews With Over 50 Current and Recent Source Selection Personnel Significant data support these conclusions…

8. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 7 Setting Context Myth Busting: Why Incumbents Lose Myth: “If the Government wanted more of the same, they would not have a competition” Reality: Competition is mandated by policy and contract terms However, there are warning signs – e.g. a re-compete when there are unexercised options May be characterized as: “There is a change of internal direction…” (get to the bottom of this) Some truth, but a lot of myth…

9. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 8 Setting Context Myth Busting: Incumbent Win Rates??? Win Rate for Incumbents? 80%, 72%, 67%, 50%, 20%, 10% All valid data points, but… Key questions to ask: Is it current data? Is it by $ won (over $ bid) or by number of proposals? Does it separate out multiple awards? Is it in your market vertical? Does it really matter if you are explaining “why we lost”?

10. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 9 Overview Setting the context Top 10 incumbent challenges An evaluator perspective 5 things you can and should do Call to action

11. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 10 Top 10 Incumbent Challenges 1) Call planning and execution Acquisition Program Office Contracting Office Operational “Needs” Organization Users Constituents / Small Business Office / Etc. Your likely call plan when you won it the first time

12. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 11 Top 10 Incumbent Challenges 1) Call planning and execution Acquisition Program Office Contracting Office Operational “Needs” Organization Users Constituents / Small Business Office / Etc. Your competitions likely call plan as well

13. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 12 Top 10 Incumbent Challenges 1) Call planning and execution Acquisition Program Office Contracting Office Operational “Needs” Organization Users (Possible) Constituents / Small Business Office / Etc. Your most likely call plan during contract execution

14. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 13 Top 10 Incumbent Challenges 1) Call planning and execution Acquisition Program Office Contracting Office Operational “Needs” Organization Users (Maybe) Constituents / Small Business Office / Etc. Your most likely call plan for re-compete as well

15. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 14 Top 10 Incumbent Challenges 1) Call planning and execution Acquisition Program Office Contracting Office Operational “Needs” Organization Users Constituents / Small Business Office / Etc. Your competitions most likely call plan for your re-compete

16. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 15 Top 10 Incumbent Challenges 2) Using the “as is” team to capture the re-compete Typically focus only on the positive Usually little “new thinking” about more efficient & effective approaches “…forest for the trees…” when looking at problems User perspective is usually dominant with the current team…but users don’t always control the requirements and the $$ Is your current delivery team distracted and worn out on the proposal? The Government will notice! You won with high performance capture team the first time…

17. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 16 Top 10 Incumbent Challenges 3) Innovation – caught in the trap… “Why didn’t you do that before?” Maintain (or start) innovation during your current period of performance If there is a current scope limitation – you need to set and control expectations If there is “new scope” for innovation in the new SOO/SOW/PWS – why is it there? “We received an innovation wake-up call” – (it’s okay)

18. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 17 Top 10 Incumbent Challenges 4) Focus on rightsizing (and skills) of the workforce Focus often becomes maintaining jobs, rather than rightsizing to the new contract requirements The question you need to answer is, do you have the right delivery team to win? An evaluator hint: use of Level-of-Effort Basis of Estimate LOE BOEs…this is a jobs program… As an incumbent you always have an advantage as you have the data to set specific BOEs that are not LOE based Right size & set the evaluation “bar” though BOEs

19. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 18 Top 10 Incumbent Challenges 5) Denying poor past performance Past performance is NOT just this contract Do not over estimate the contribution of this contract… Poor past performance on your current contract is NOT always a show stopper As long as you recognize it and fix it in time Even with good performance, consider an independent survey of your performance during contract execution Must be early enough to find it-fix it-feature it Don’t blame the Gov’t for poor performance If that is your approach, don’t bid… Find it - Fix it - Feature it

20. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 19 Top 10 Incumbent Challenges 6-10) The next “5” Arrogance: “…how can they not choose us?...” or, “…they love us…” Underestimating your competitor’s ability to control transition risk… They will be using a high performance capture team, they know transition is their biggest risk to overcome Too much knowledge (of “on the ground” execution details) Your competition will not be encumbered by this – nor will their bid reflect it

21. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 20 Top 10 Incumbent Challenges 6-10) The next “5” Not recognizing this is a new procurement / contract It does require a transition plan, even if you are the incumbent And, my favorite…. Starting your re-compete activity too late You must also compete for your option years… Also, you should not take Task Orders on a single award ID/IQ for granted…

22. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 21 Overview Setting the context Top 10 incumbent challenges An evaluator perspective 5 things you can and should do Call to action

23. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 22 An Evaluator Perspective Common questions we get…evaluator answers 4 common questions we receive from incumbents (we put them to a team of active and former evaluators) Do they ever “just select a new company”? How do they look at incumbent past performance? How can we help prevent a protest? Where do incumbents usually end up in the priority list of potential selectees?

24. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 23 An Evaluator Perspective Common questions we get…evaluator answers Do they ever “just select a new company”? Often a perception by a losing incumbent (on small to moderately sized acquisitions) Note: Smaller companies may put more effort into their pursuit (may not have a reputation to rely on) On large multi-phased procurements (e.g. down- selects) where you assist the Government early - make no assumptions about your gained position On “troubled programs”– a “fresh start” may be needed Deliver on time/cost, execute a “keep sold” campaign – don’t let it become troubled Realism, no assumptions, on time/cost, keep sold…

25. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 24 An Evaluator Perspective Common questions we get…evaluator answers How do they look at incumbent past performance? The Government, like all of us, remembers bad things much longer and more vividly than good things… Not selecting an incumbent becomes easier when they don’t answer a CPARS which highlighted problems Individual team performance can affect a source selection team’s assessment of past performance Incumbents may know what their performance is, but they often over estimate its value on the re-compete Your performance may be an advantage, but not alone

26. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 25 An Evaluator Perspective Common questions we get…evaluator answers How can we help prevent a protest? Provide the Government a full technical data package Make your competitors price it all in Don’t give them grounds to claim “the incumbent had a data advantage…” The #1 Government comment always…follow the RFP Do not fall into the trap of “we know better” and bid that way If you do, and they select you, it’s grounds for a protest Force compliant pricing – and don’t “know better”

27. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 26 An Evaluator Perspective Common questions we get…evaluator answers Where do incumbents usually end up in the list of potential selectees? Incumbents are generally used as a “benchmark” Evaluators then need to answer: “Would this other competitor do better than the incumbent...?” When incumbents have poor performance, they usually end up at the bottom of the competitive range Don’t forget the incumbent contract is only one of your past performances evaluated Be the high benchmark, not the low one

28. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 27 Overview Setting the context Top 10 incumbent challenges An evaluator perspective 5 things you can and should do Call to action

29. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 28 Winning - Affordable & Simple 5 things you can and should do Fully develop and execute your call plan Establish your re-compete campaign as part of your internal contract program reviews Empower your program manager to “own” the win (and hold them accountable) Conduct an independent survey of performance Use a high performance capture team to win, just like you did the first time Leverage your position to win, don’t assume you will

30. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 29 Overview Setting the context Top 10 incumbent challenges An evaluator perspective 5 things you can and should do Call to action

31. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 30 Call to Action We all see this as logical… We can all help do these things within our current management processes and budget But the biggest challenge of all is… …if nothing changes, nothing changes… “Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Albert Einstein

32. Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second level Third level –Fourth level »Fifth level 31 Contact Information Richard E. “A to Z” Agopsowicz –Managing Director, RGovAccess (A Robbins Gioia Capability) –Rick.Agopsowicz@robbinsgioia.com –www.rgovaccess.comwww.rgovaccess.com