The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) is issuing a proposed policy letter to provide guidance addressing when work must be reserved for performance by federal employees. The policy letter is intended to implement direction in the President's March 4, 2009, Memorandum on Government Contracting which requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to ''clarify when governmental outsourcing for services is and is not appropriate.'' The proposed policy letter would:
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OCI Sets New Standard for Speed
Having the largest pool of proposal talent in the nation allows OCI to provide the most responsive service in the proposal support industry. Here is an example. On 11 May 2010, we received an urgent request for 5 graphic artists. We proposed qualified talent and had the candidates approved and ready for assignment within 20 minutes. We are glad to handle urgent orders. When possible, however, a little more time is helpful.
What is “Best Value”?
“Best Value” is the common-sense manifestation in the FAR of what intelligent buyers do every day all over the world. Part 2.101 of the FAR defines Best Value as the expected outcome of an acquisition that in the buyer’s estimation provides the greatest overall benefit in response to the requirement.
Fog Index and Pace
Perhaps the main reason of writing is to communicate — arguably this is the root purpose of any writing. In order to communicate through your writing, it must be easily understood. In two-way communication — face to face — you can reiterate a point in response to a question, or simply communicate through a raised eyebrow or a confused look. Writing, however, is one-way communication, so you have only one chance to ensure comprehension. Two techniques that you can use to improve your readers’ comprehension are the use of Fog Index and Pace. The following paragraphs describe these techniques.
Difficulties in Determining Best Value
In 1961 I was involved in an RFP for a mainframe computer which was a best value RFP, and our agency did not award to IBM. How many readers can make such a claim? Not many, because the agencies then were usually not very experienced in buying IT and were very mesmerized by IBM's marketing prowess. As a result, major agencies such as Justice and the Army found ways to award to IBM, even when the performance did not justify the higher price.
An Open Letter from OCI to Our Customers
The proposal business is expected to be fast and furious during CY2010. The appropriations are done, several of the largest programs are nearing release, and a deluge of activity is forthcoming.
We believe activity will be especially intense during the Second Quarter (April, May, and June). If you anticipate needing proposal support around this time, please provide us with advance notice of your requirements. Talent selection will be limited as the demand for proposal professionals increase, making it more difficult for us to find talent to match your requirements and budget.
Give us a call at 703-689-9600 and we will help you identify the talent you will need for the program(s) you are tracking.
We believe activity will be especially intense during the Second Quarter (April, May, and June). If you anticipate needing proposal support around this time, please provide us with advance notice of your requirements. Talent selection will be limited as the demand for proposal professionals increase, making it more difficult for us to find talent to match your requirements and budget.
Give us a call at 703-689-9600 and we will help you identify the talent you will need for the program(s) you are tracking.
Proposal Resumes - Hints on Preparing Winning Resumes
During my career, I have evaluated, reviewed, edited, or written over 20,000 resumes, mostly for technical personnel. This experience was obtained in preparing staffing and personnel sections for Government proposals.
Defending Incumbent Contracts - The "Vulnerability Assessment"
Courtesy of Tim Whalen
Several contractor organizations I have known have felt they were “blind-sided,” when the government scored their proposal low and awarded the contract to a new firm. Many wished they could do the contract competition over again, including a fresh start with a hard-hitting “vulnerability assessment."
OCI Sponsors Scholarships
Starting in January 2010, OCI began sponsoring scholarships for school children in Kampala, Uganda. The scholarships will make it possible for 30 school children who would not be able to attend school to go to school.
Predictions for the Proposal Market in 2010
In this article I attempt to answer a question of interest to all proposal professionals: What will the proposal market be like in 2010? And how much business will we have? The article is based on a review of documentation and personal interviews. I reviewed public records relating to appropriations and spending from 2008 – 2010, and interviewed the following subject matter experts (SMEs):
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