Understanding Government Contract Source Selection

Understanding Government Contract Source Selection

by Margaret G. Rumbaugh
Released March 2010
Publisher(s): Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ISBN: 9781567263114

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Book description

Your Go-to Resource for Government Contract Source Selection!
From planning to protest and all the steps in between, Understanding Government Contract Source Selection is the one reference all government acquisition professionals and contractors should keep close at hand. This valuable resource provides straightforward guidance to ensure you develop a firm foundation in government contract source selection.
Government acquisition professionals can reference this book for guidance on:
• Preparing the acquisition and source selection plans
• Drafting evaluation criteria and proposal preparation instructions
• Creating a scoring plan and rating method
• Drafting the RFP and SOW
• Conducting a pre-proposal conference
• Preparing to receive proposals and training evaluators
• Evaluating technical, management, and cost proposals
• Avoiding protest
Contractors can reference this book for guidance on:
• Selling to the federal government
• Reviewing a draft RFP and providing comments
• Participating in a pre-proposal conference
• Preparing a proposal that complies with RFP requirements
• Developing a strategy for teaming agreements, subcontracts, and key personnel
• Negotiating a contract
• Getting the most out of post-award debriefings
• Filing a protest
PLUS! Understanding Government Contract Source Selection provides a source selection glossary, an extensive case study, and sample proposal preparation instructions in the appendices to help you navigate the federal competitive source selection process. This complete guide is an indispensable resource for anyone striving to build their knowledge of government contract source selection!

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. About the Author
  5. Dedications
  6. Contents
  7. Preface
  8. Acknowledgments
  9. Chapter 1: The Legislative History of Source Selection
    1. The Truth in Negotiations Act
    2. The Competition in Contracting Act
    3. The Procurement Integrity Act
    4. The Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act
    5. The Federal Acquisition Reform Act
    6. Streamlining the Source Selection Process
    7. Chapter Summary
  10. Part I: Getting Ready for Competition
  11. Chapter 2: Planning the Acquisition
    1. Market Research
    2. Acquisition Planning Requirements
    3. Case Study: Inadequate Planning
    4. Selling to the Government
    5. Methods of Acquisition
    6. Contract Types
    7. Chapter Summary
  12. Chapter 3: Writing Evaluation Factors
    1. Mandatory Evaluation Factors
    2. Common Evaluation Factors
    3. Past Performance Evaluation Factors
    4. Using Subfactors
    5. Case Study: Unstated Evaluation Factors
    6. Selecting Evaluation Factors
    7. Distinguishing Effective Evaluation Factors
    8. Evaluating Risk
    9. Expressing the Relative Importance of Evaluation Factors
    10. Common Problems Associated with Evaluation Factors
    11. Chapter Summary
  13. Chapter 4: Scoring Plans and Rating Systems
    1. The Adjectival Rating System
    2. The Color Coding Rating System
    3. The Numerical Rating System
    4. Combining Scoring Approaches
    5. Supporting Rating Systems with Narrative Descriptions
    6. Chapter Summary
  14. Chapter 5: Writing the Rest of the Solicitation
    1. The Uniform Contract Format
    2. The Statement of Work
    3. Proposal Preparation Instructions (Section L)
    4. Organizing Section L
    5. Drafting the RFP
    6. Reviewing the Final RFP
    7. Chapter Summary
  15. Part II: Preparing Proposals and Preparing for Evaluations
  16. Chapter 6: Conducting a Pre-Proposal Conference
    1. When and Why to Have a Pre-Proposal Conference
    2. Topics to Cover at a Pre-Proposal Conference
    3. Planning for a Pre-Proposal Conference
    4. Government Considerations
    5. Industry Considerations
    6. What Happens Next?
    7. Chapter Summary
  17. Chapter 7: Preparing the Proposal
    1. Capture Planning
    2. Knowing the Customer
    3. Assessing the Competition
    4. Teaming Agreements
    5. Key Personnel Considerations
    6. Subcontracting Implications
    7. Analyzing the RFP
    8. Proposal Preparation
    9. Chapter Summary
  18. Chapter 8: Preparing for Proposal Evaluations
    1. Selecting Evaluators
    2. Case Study: Challenging the Evaluators' Qualifications
    3. Training and Orientation
    4. Facilities and Security
    5. Receiving Proposals
    6. Chapter Summary
  19. Part III: Evaluating Proposals and Making the Award Decision
  20. Chapter 9: Evaluating Proposals
    1. The Proposal Evaluation Process
    2. Evaluating Technical/Management Proposal Volumes
    3. Evaluating Past Performance
    4. Evaluating Oral Presentations
    5. Scoring Evaluations
    6. Case Study: Scoring Methodology
    7. Documenting Evaluations
    8. Reaching Consensus
    9. Chapter Summary
  21. Chapter 10: Awarding without Discussions
    1. Stating an Intention to Award without Discussions
    2. Proposal Weakness and Awarding without Discussions
    3. Special Considerations
    4. Streamlining the Source Selection Process
    5. Considering Precedents
    6. Case Study: Awarding without Discussions
    7. Clarifying Proposal Information without Discussions
    8. Case Study: Clarifications versus Discussions
    9. Documenting the Award Decision
    10. Notifying Unsuccessful Offerors
    11. Chapter Summary
  22. Chapter 11: Establishing the Competitive Range
    1. Defining the Competitive Range
    2. Communicating with Offerors before Establishing the Competitive Range
    3. Case Study: Making a Competitive Range Determination
    4. Limiting the Competitive Range
    5. Case Study: Efficient Competition Determination
    6. Case Study: A Revised Competitive Range
    7. Case Study: A Competitive Range of One
    8. Preaward Debriefing
    9. Chapter Summary
  23. Chapter 12: Discussions, Negotiations, and Proposal Revisions
    1. Distinguishing between Discussions and Negotiations
    2. Planning Negotiations
    3. Identifying Topics for Discussion
    4. Conducting Negotiations
    5. Revising Proposals
    6. Documenting the Negotiation
    7. Chapter Summary
  24. Chapter 13: Making Trade-Off Decisions
    1. Comparing Proposals
    2. Case Study: Making a Cost/Technical Trade-Off Comparison
    3. Exercising Independent Judgment
    4. Documenting the Source Selection Decision
    5. Case Study: Documenting the Source Selection Decision
    6. Chapter Summary
  25. Part IV: Completing the Source Selection Process
  26. Chapter 14: Conducting Debriefings
    1. Why Conduct Debriefings?
    2. When to Conduct Debriefings
    3. How to Conduct Debriefings
    4. Attending Debriefings
    5. Documenting Debriefings
    6. The Protest Clock
    7. Case Study: An Untimely Protest
    8. Chapter Summary
  27. Chapter 15: Filing and Responding to Protests
    1. Key Definitions
    2. Deciding Whether to File a Protest
    3. Common Causes for Protest
    4. Filing a Preaward or Postaward Protests
    5. Protesting to the Agency or the GAO
    6. Avoiding a Protest
    7. Chapter Summary
  28. Appendix I: Sample Proposal Preparation Instructions (Section L)
    1. L-1. General
    2. L-2. Requirements for Proposal Volumes
    3. L-3. Communication with the Contracting Office
    4. L-4. Executive Summary Factor Volume Requirements (Volume I)
    5. L-5. {Factor Name} Factor Requirements (Volume II)
    6. L-6. {Factor Name} Factor Requirements (Volume III)
    7. L-7. Cost Factor Requirements (Volume IV)
    8. L-8. Contract Information Volume Requirements (Volume V)
  29. Appendix II: Case Study: Boeing Tanker Protest
    1. The History
    2. The RFP
    3. Evaluation Factors
    4. The Proposals
    5. Proposal Evaluations
    6. The Source Selection Decision
    7. The Protest Decision
    8. Lessons Learned
    9. The Air Force Re-Compete Solicitation
  30. Acronyms
  31. Glossary
  32. Bibliography
  33. Index

Product information

  • Title: Understanding Government Contract Source Selection
  • Author(s): Margaret G. Rumbaugh
  • Release date: March 2010
  • Publisher(s): Berrett-Koehler Publishers
  • ISBN: 9781567263114