CIS 434 - Exam 1

Defining the Real Problem

1) Find the Stated Need 2) Find the Greater Context, If Success, If Failure, and Personal Impact 3) Determine the REAL Problem

Choosing Active or Passive Voice

Active voice sentences are more persuasive, decisive, and confident. Use active voice unless you have a specific reason to choose passive voice. USE "WILL DO" RATHER THAN "WILL BE DONE" "We recommend" over "it is recommended"

how can you Present a viable solution

Answer this question: §What will you deliver to solve the client's problems? §Include key parts of your proposed solution

how to Offer a compelling value proposition!

Answer: §Why you? §Provide organizational strengths §Identify your unique offerings §Demonstrate how offerings benefit the client Present "Win Themes"

Color Reviews:

Blue Team (optional) Pink Team Red Team Gold Team info on each can be found in DevPost Understanding the RFP

Common Proposal Roles

Capture manager solution architect proposal manager proposal coordinator volume/section lead Authors pricing lead info on each can be found in DevPost Understanding the RFP

Proposal Writing should be

Clear, Concise Writing objective: •Make it easy for reviewer to evaluate and understand why you are the best choice •Start with main point, then provide details •Develop story from top down Method/Order: •Understanding: Summarize requirement, show government you understand them •Solution Overview: Tell them what you are going to do •Solution Details: Tell them how you are going to do it •Qualify Your Experience: Tell them why you are qualified to deliver the solution

The executive summary should...

Demonstrate your understanding! §Summarize the client's goals and business needs §Don't just re-hash the RFP §What's the impact on the client if they do nothing? §Demonstrate knowledge of their desired outcomes §Use your knowledge and experiences to expand on your understanding

Proposal Features

Establishing win themes identifying differentiators hot buttons

Use Lists to Make Points More Obvious

Good List: - name the list - make items parallel - use bullets (unless order is important) - limit number of items - highlight with white space poor list: - numbering isn't needed - entries are complete sentences (should be short) - nested lists can be confusing (unclear font variations, mixed indicators, not parallel) - inconsistent format Rules for optimal use of display lists in proposals are more specific and restrictive than in other business documents. The reader will assume a descending order of importance unless some other scheme is obvious (alphabetical, etc.).

What's a "Win Theme"?

It's a clear, concise, customer-focused message that frames your proposal as the best overall solution.

Key Components

Key Personnel Staffing Plan Quality Assurance Plan Subcontractor Management Reporting/Schedule Tracking Transition Plan Assumptions

Structuring Response

Let Section L Guide You Map to "Traditional Proposal Response" (your standard company model) ¨Technical Volume ¨Executive Summary ¨Corporate Information ¨Technical Approach ¨Management Approach ¨Resumes/Staffing ¨Pricing Volume ¨Pricing ¨Contract-specific data ¨Past Performance

how to win RFP bids

Looks for cues from the RFP ¨Evaluation Criteria - how is it weighted ¨Reference to incumbent (incumbent = org currently doing it; gov can ask that incumbent NOT reapply) ¨Response Time/Date is Feasible ¨RFP is difficult to "read into" and/or very high level ¨Technology Requirements ¨Period of Performance ¨Others: contract type, required technologies, period of performance, staffing requirements, and more

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

Organization wide software that can be commercially bought off the shelf (COTS) that can help firms determine where to allocate resources (ie figures out classroom size, inventory management, payroll, etc.; MyMadison is an ERP)

Purpose of cost proposal

Pricing is an integral aspect of the procurement process and is a key component when developing and conveying the overall strategy that is 1.Reasonable 2.Competitive Profitable A cost proposal will: •Price out the multiple technical elements of the proposed solution •Quantify the Benefits/Value of your solution to the customer •Instill general confidence with the customer in your understanding of the procurement and that the proposed cost to deliver solutions is reasonable and competitive •Help generate important metrics for internal decision making (i.e. revenue, margins, etc.) •Provide insight to other internal groups who will need to be ready upon award (Delivery, HR, Recruiting, etc.)

Cost Management Lifecycle

Proposal Objective: Fully integrated cost, technical and schedule solution •Develop Baselines •Develop Schedule •Develop WBS •Identify Resources to Execute •Identify Non-Labor Needs •Assumptions, R&O, Dependencies Program Objective: Successfully execute on program requirements within budget and on schedule

Key Takeaways

Resumes Fit Requirements: •Tailor resumes for the position in which you are bidding the person - ensure you use the same format for all resumes Staffing Plan vs. Key Personnel: •Key personnel should be highlighted in your staffing plan - these people are required upon contract award; others may be swapped out Quality Assurance: •Never skimp on quality - worth doing it right the first time as it will lead to strong references and follow-on work Reporting: •Remain in constant communication with your client(s) and raise issues immediately

Legal Requirement for BOEs

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is the principle set of regulations issued by agencies of the federal government of the U.S. to govern the "acquisition process" through which the government purchases or acquires goods and services •The FAR is codified in Title 48 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations and issued pursuant to the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act of 1974, Chapter 7. •The FAR and its agency supplements are said by the federal courts to have "the force and effect of law" •FAR 15.401 defines "price" as cost plus any fee or profit applicable to the contract type •FAR 15.403 covers the requirements for obtaining certified cost or pricing data •FAR 15.404-1(a) requires contracting officers to ensure that the final contract price is fair and reasonable

Detailing the Estimating Methodology

The estimating methodology write-up should •Explain the thought process •Explain the estimating rationale •Justify the hours and skill mix •Show the math •Explain relationship to past experience to demonstrate the applicability/reasonableness of the correlation.

Hot Buttons

What are hot buttons? •Hot buttons are the most pressing and important issues facing the client •Hot buttons may not be identifiable from reading the RFP or from listening to what the client tells you •Like themes, identifying hot buttons requires research Why hot buttons matter •You will win more business by showing you understand the client's key issues - Demonstrate how you support the client's issues and mitigate them with your service or product solution •The hot buttons aren't always directly related to the requirements of the RFP

request for qualifications (RFQ)

a document often distributed before initiation of the RFP process. It is used to gather vendor information from multiple companies to generate a pool of prospects.

Remove Redundant Words

absolute essentials = essentials and so as a result = as a result past history = history until such time as = until Redundant words or phrases unnecessarily qualify other words or phrases. Eliminating them can help meet page limitations.

The Proposal Process

color reviews Strategy Session Document a solution storyboard

Avoid Cliches

includes: best of breed, raising the bar, enterprise level, team player, in the loop, think outside the box, paradigm shift, we are pleased to propose Replace cliches with simple, direct words that are understandable by any reader. Actual Example: Our level of superior performance is evidenced by the fact of selection in competitive procurements, our longevity in these efforts, along with expanded work activities (clients tend to give more load to the horse that pulls).

Use Headings to Guide Readers

introduction (telegraphic) = proposal organized for easy evaluation (informative) organization = flat organizational structure reduces overhead cost design = T700 Bearing design based on successful demonstration program implementation = continuous support through a three phase implementation

characteristics of winning proposals

nCompliance—Have all bid request requirements been addressed and all instructions followed? nResponsiveness—Does the proposal clearly and directly address the prospect's needs? nStrategic Focus—Is it obvious why this offer should be selected? nCompetitive Focus—Is it obvious why this offer is better than competitive offers? nQuality of Writing—Is the writing customer-focused, well organized, clear, and correct? nVisualization—Do visuals clearly communicate major selling points? nPage and Document Design—Is the proposal professional and easy to evaluate?

Resumes

nDemonstrate impact and effects ("So what?") nEmphasize successes for the client nTailor resume to speak to the specific effort as described in the SOW using 'key words' in your experience nDo not simply create a list of duties nTailoring resumes is important! -SOW Wording: Provide assistance to the Financial Management Directorate in accomplishing Property, Plant and Equipment (PP&E) audit remediation -Tailored Resume: Assisted an Intelligence Agency to address audit remediation of PP&E recommendations including designing metrics to measure progress and accomplishments.

Past Performance (how well you've done it)

nDescribe how well you (the contractor) performed the work (i.e., accomplishments) nThe rating comes from how well the Government (or client) views the contractor's work nEmphasize successes for the client Although Past Performance is related to Corporate Experience, they are not the same thing!

basics of Technical Approach

nHow will you perform the tasks in the SOW? -Understanding of the Requirement -Methodology/Approach -Deliverables/Timeline, WBS, etc.

Theme Statements

nMake sure to: -Tie benefits to features -Be specific -Be concise -Quantify benefits -Add "proof points" Support strategy The best theme statements give an evaluator justification for scoring the section highly and choosing your offer. They include claims competitors cannot make. Gotham City can reduce the cost of employee prescription services by selecting our Smart Claimsä Software. (reduce the cost is the Benefit, Smart Claims Software is the Feature) Gotham City can reduce the cost of employee prescription services by 13.5 percent by selecting the only benefits management organization backed by our Smart Claimsä Software. (reduce the cost and 13.5 percent is the Quantified Benefit, only benefits management organization is the Discriminator, Smart Claims Software is the Feature)

References for Writing Guidelines

nPropLIBRARY.com −How do you write from the customer's perspective, when you don't know the customer? http://proplibrary.com/page/articles.html/_/newsletter/how-do-you-write-from-the-customers-perspe-r115 nLohfield Consulting Group −Creating winning technical solutions http://www.lohfeldconsulting.com/news-knowledge/2013/07/creating-winning-technical-solutions/ nCapturePlanning.com −Business proposal writing advicehttp://www.captureplanning.com/!hc_proposal_writing.cfm nShipleyAssociates −Resource Libraryhttp://www.shipleywins.com/training-library.php

Evaluation Factors/Criteria

nProposals can ONLY be evaluated on the basis of factors and subfactors listed in the solicitation, per FAR 15.303(b)(4) nImportance of factors must be furnished in the solicitation -FAR only requires 'relative' indications -Often the importance is vague so that the Government has flexibility in their evaluation -Often times the solicitation provides a weight or score for specific sections of the proposal nProposals are (supposed) to be evaluated solely on the information provided in the response nStandards -Quantitative nThe Contractor must be no more than 30 miles away from ABC Agency's location at 1000 Norfolk Drive, Norfolk, VA. -Qualitative nThe Contractor must be close to the ABC Agency's locationat 1000 Norfolk Drive, Norfolk, VA.

Corporate Experience (what you've done)

nReflect whether you (the contractor) have performed similar work before nWrite about what your project accomplished for your client, not just about the mundane tasks

The "Basics" of proposals

nResumes nPast Performance nCorporate Experience nTechnical Approach nManagement Plan nPricing

Management Plan

nStaffing, organizational structure, roles and responsibilities nProgram/project, task order, and subcontractor management nQuality and cost control, risk management, customer satisfaction, security, confidentiality, etc.

tips for writing proposals

nUse headings that mirror the RFP (Section L, M, C) nFollow the customer's language, use key words from SOW nSubstantiate claims by providing proof points, validate experience with quantifiable examples n"Answer the Mail" - make sure to be responsive to what the client is asking for, not what you believe they want nSummarize key content. nUse graphics, when appropriate.

Brainstorming & Messaging

nWhat are the client's needs? What are their "Hot Buttons"? -Hot buttons are key terms, issues, methodologies, or technologies that will elicit a strong response from the client/reviewer (positive or negative) - authors should eliminate discussion of negative hot buttons, and maximize discussion of positive hot buttons. nWhat are our "Win Theme(s)"? -Win themes are one-sentence boasts that describe specific solution features and associated (and quantified) benefits to the client, cross referenced to the opportunity evaluation criteria. Win themes directly support the win strategy. Each evaluation criterion must have a corresponding win theme to define and quantify the value we offer. nWhat are some of our Discriminator(s)? -A positive discriminator is one that works in KPMG's favor, a strength of ours -A negative discriminator is one that works against KPMG, a weakness of ours or a strength a competitor brings nWhat is our "Understanding" of the work to be done? -What do we know about the client? -Are there guidance documents, policies, regulations, etc. that need to be followed to do this work? -Do we have Subject Matter Experts (or "thought leadership") that would help demonstrate our understanding? -How can we tie our understanding to win themes/discriminators and include customer 'hot buttons' as appropriate? nDo we know of any potential Risks/Challenges? -What challenges will we face in performing the work? How will we overcome them? -What are the risks in performing the work? How will we mitigate them? nWhat is our Approach to completing the tasks? -How will we accomplish the tasks/requirements of the solicitation? -Do we have a methodology that would address the requirements? -How will we ensure that the deliverables are completed? nWhat Examples/Proof Points/Experience do we have in this area? -What relevant/similar services do we have? Need to identify relevant work/clients so that we can substantiate claims. -What specific elements of our experience/past performance will convince our customer that we can successfully execute our proposed approach? -Why is our experience relevant? -Do our key personnel have direct experience with the customer? -Will we use subcontractors or other internal groups that further demonstrate our experience? -Do we have any awards, citations, industry rankings, proprietary tools, and other important achievements that will directly support our claims? nWhat Personnel will be used to complete the tasks? -Do we have the "right" people (required education, certifications, years of experience, etc.) to complete the tasks? -Who are our "key personnel"? nWhat "Lessons Learned" do we have from prior experience? -What lessons learned can be used to support our approach and benefit to client? nWhat are the Benefits of contracting to us? -What specific features (and their corresponding benefits) will provide value to the customer? Why us? -How will we benefit the customer (for example, Improvements to schedule? Cost savings? Enhanced performance? Better quality product? Minimized risk? Innovation?)? nAre there any key Graphics to use in our response? -What visuals can be used to help describe our intended approach? Graphics can often be used to replace a lengthy textual discussion and provide an easy-to-grasp view of the topic being presented.

Use Ghosting to Counter Competitors

safety problems (competitor's weakness) = safety record (you stress) labor unrest = reliable work force high design cost = low overhead poor reliability = high mean time between failures extended down time = built in diagnostics, local service cost overruns = care estimating, meeting budgets, planning vs actual cost history Ghosting calls attention to unnamed competitor's weaknesses by highlighting alternative approaches.

Simplify Wordy Phrases

shorter is better have the ability to = can conduct an investigation of = investigate with the result that = so that

Proposals can ONLY be evaluated on

the basis of factors and sub-factors listed in the solicitation

Eliminate False Subjects

there is some evidence of late completion of task orders = some task orders are late it is certain that changes will need to be made to this design based on the results of the pilot program = design changes will be needed based on pilot program results False subjects are words like it and there that refer to nothing. Removing them makes proposal text shorter and more powerful.

Use Precise, Descriptive Verbs

vague = consideration is being given to... precise = we are considering... our project manager performs task reviews = our project manager reviews tasks

Identifying "Win Themes"

§Identify key client requirements §Identify your key strengths and weaknesses §SWOT Analysis §Identify high level ideas and concepts that highlight your ability to address requirements

The Value of "Win Themes"

§Lays out the organization of your proposal strategy §Identifies your differentiators and business strengths §Multiple writers can stick to the same themes §Demonstrates that you understand the client and their problem §Focuses your content on what your client values most §Reinforces the theme of "why you" throughout the proposal

Where do you place "Win Themes"?

§Title page and page headers §Cover/transmittal letter §Executive summary §Section Introductions §At the granular level, where appropriate

First Step - Analyzing the RFP

¨Don't be overwhelmed ¨Break down the RFP into its substantive parts: •Pricing Tables - "Section B" •Scope of Work - "Section C" ¨Assess the "do-ability" (technical/management/staff) ¨What is the Problem to be Solved? ¨Assess the "risk" (technical, management, schedule) ¨Assess the "win-ability"

Past Performance

¨Main Points Structure - Introduction plus Project Summaries Start with list of ALL required skills/functional areas Introduction - include "measles chart" Project Summaries ¨Strictly follow RFP guidelines for biographical data ¨Project description is crisp, tight, well-structured ¨Explain precisely the project's relevance to RFP ¨Adhere to page limitations ¨Notify referenced client of possible call

Corporate Information

¨Main Points Properly placed in proposal (RFP guidance?) Reinforce win themes What are you emphasizing? ¨Size, soundness, longevity - shows confidence ¨Experience - functional and technical ¨Corporate knowledge/incumbency If teaming team, state "why" for each partner! Avoid boilerplate look and feel - rewrite each time

Executive Summary

¨Main Points Reflect the structure and points of your proposal What is your solution Touch all your Win Themes Cite your specific strengths: ¨Staff ¨Experience ¨Corporate knowledge/incumbency Power Summary-provide an actual summary of the proposal with your solution

Resumes/Staffing

¨Main Points Structure - Introduction plus (key) Resumes Staffing approach - how many people and what kinds of skills do we need to accomplish this work? ¨Show understanding of key staff structure ¨Use "measles chart" in introduction ¨Show correspondences with client management/staff Resumes ¨Organize each exactly as RFP states ¨Clearly show position of individual ¨Use relevance or requirements-match box ¨Do a hard word-check - tenses, person, spelling, caps §Technical staff don't always make good resume-writers!

Management Approach

¨Main Points Weave win themes throughout the entire proposal! This section tells client you can manage their project Main areas (order driven by RFP or common sense) ¨Staffing organization/org chart/key personnel/corporate support ¨Recruiting/retention ¨Clearance requirements ¨Methodologies (CMM/ISO) ¨Transition ¨Reporting/client interaction ¨Managing continuous improvement Summarize strong - this is a job interview for the company

Technical Approach

¨Main Points Well-organized, well-thought-out, conclusive Suggested Default Structure (absent RFP guidelines) ¨Introduction ¨Task Understanding ¨Choice of approach options/reason for selection ¨Our approach (use steps; cite deliverables of each step) ¨Metrics/measures to gauge success ¨O&M aspects/continuous improvement ¨Summary Back up your methodology - ISO, CMM, past experience Consider use of call-out boxes, past success vignettes

Three Key Factors for Cost Evaluation -

ëCompleteness is assessed by evaluating the responsiveness in providing cost data for all requirements and items in the SOO/SOW, and assessing their traceability to ensure capability of successfully performing the contract tasks for a cost that is reasonable and complete. ëCost realism, or the lack thereof, is an assessment of the measurement of understanding of the requirements and the degree of confidence in the ability to perform at or within the estimate of cost. Part of this confidence is based on both the evaluation of the Basis Of Estimates (BOEs) by the Technical and Management Panels. (Does it pass the giggle test, i.e., you've got to be kidding me?? ë ëReasonableness is evaluated by assessing the acceptability of the methodology used in developing cost estimates, to an assessment of how well the proposal supports the elements of cost, work hours, loading factors and rates over the contract life. (Does the BOE make sense? Is it readable? Does it flow?) ë 3 TAKEAWAYS: Convincing, Credible, Defendable

what to do after examining key sections?

•After examining key sections, read through the document once with a critical eye •Are there special reserves or set-a-sides •Minority or female owned •Military veteran •Small business •Are there special compliance issues or standards •FAR NIST •IEEE OMB •Are there special qualification issues for staffing •Project management •Security •Described as "Key Personnel"

Three BOE Methodologies

•Analogous/Comparative •Parametric •Bottom's Up/Engineering Estimate

Transition Specifics

•Assume the client likes a few key individuals •Identify those individuals first and see if they'd be interested in joining your firm and staying on the contract •Gather as much information from the incumbent so you know any subtle nuances before the team leaves

Analogous / Comparative Methodology

•Based on the historical cost data of a similar (analog) item •Uses adjustment factors to account for complexity, technical, or physical differences between the items. •Comparing the job to be done (or portions of it) to all parts of a previously completed job with valid and comparable cost and technical information •Can be applied to any level of work, detailed or summary, for estimating the cost producing elements, or the cost itself. Comparison ratios may be used. •Adjustments could be based on •Programmatic information •Physical characteristics •Performance •Government versus commercial practices •Contract specifics •Economic trends •Best results are achieved when •Similarities between old and new systems/programs are high •Adjustments can be quantified •Subjective adjustments are minimized

Subcontractor Tidbits

•Be cautious - they are an extension of you from the client's perspective, but may not always be thinking bigger picture •Only use when necessary based on a skillset you do not currently have on staff •Only use trusted subcontractors - recommend maintaining a subcontractor register of approved subcontractors •Ask yourself this question - is there a reason I need to use a subcontractor versus hiring someone with that skillset? •

Sample Assumptions

•Clarify period of performance •Clarify place of performance •Clarify security clearance requirements •Clarify scope of work

Considerations

•Clear traceability from costs (BOEs/BOM) to services. •Delineate requirements and service enabling BOE effort identified to the service (little to no overlap) •Transactional costing for each service will be based on the total of BOEs for that service •Competitive / Lean •Only estimating what is needed to meet the customers requirements •Not proposing based on what we "know they want" rather than the requirement stated in the RFP. •Proof Points (empirical data) •Target: no more than 5% of labor based on SME judgment or Engineering Estimate •Target: 100% of material / ODC estimates tied to current quotes (if applicable)

The 5 C's of Proposal Writing

•Compliant - Answer ALL requirements clearly •Compelling - Why should they choose you? •Concise - Make it easy to understand •Clear - Make it easy to evaluate •Customer Centric - Focus on customer mission and needs

Subcontractor Management

•Describe the process for managing subcontractors •Ensure there are processes in place for clear communication of schedules and expectations •Identify assignments and scope of work up front •Identify how you will maintain and monitor subcontractor costs •Identify how invoices will be handled Identify if any reach-back capabilities can be attained from the subcontractor

Quality Assurance Plan

•Describe the process for managing subcontractors •Ensure there are processes in place for clear communication of schedules and expectations •Identify assignments and scope of work up front •Identify how you will maintain and monitor subcontractor costs •Identify how invoices will be handled •Identify if any reach-back capabilities can be attained from the subcontractor

Proposal - Development Strategies

•Development of the winning proposal: •Writing skills •Logical structure, clear, concise •Presentation skills •Credible, composed, articulate •Technical skills •Know the technology, approach, applicability to client's business needs

Discrete Pricing Variables

•Direct Cost composition has the largest net impact on price. •Total price is the sum of the individual parts. Therefore, in order to truly understand and influence price, all variables must be understood. •Other critical variables beyond direct cost are: •Indirect Rates (as defined by Corporate Structure and bound by FPR) •Profit/Fee

Bottoms Up / Engineering Estimate

•Doesn't use historical data, industry metrics •Explain the thought process behind the engineering estimate •Be as specific as possible to explain why the estimate is realistic even though prior auditable experience might not exist. •When to use: •New concepts with little or no definition •Marked by decisions based solely on individual judgment and similar experience. Should be kept to a minimum!

identifying differentiators

•Features of your solution that: 1.Differ from a competitor's offering (differentiator) 2.Are important to the customer •Differentiators represent what the customer says is important to them •They are true for your company, not for others •We have to describe the differentiators within our proposal •Incorporate at least one in every proposal •Examples: people, experience, performance, and understanding

Relevance: Where We Find Opportunities

•FedBizOpps.gov is a government portal for solicitations •Procurement Offices publicize their opportunities by posting solicitations on FedBizOpps (FBO.gov) •Hundreds of opportunities are posted daily, but it is declining •For security reasons, many RFP are now only released to "select" providers

Breaking Down the RFP (3/3)

•Goals of RFP •Why are they releasing the RFP? What are the business drivers? What is the agency trying to achieve? •Examples: •Gain cost efficiencies •Modernize an aging infrastructure •Implement a new program or legislative requirement •Tip: Incorporate key terms from PWS in your response! •Culture •Make sure you understand agency culture. Talk to people on the inside. •Example: DHS USCIS vs US Army

Staffing Questions to Ask Yourself

•Have we successfully sold the team I'm presenting? •Have we outlined why this team is better than any other competitor? •Have we described how they will all work together? •Have we explained how this team will benefit the customer?

Staffing Plan

•How will it be staffed? •Define the roles/labor categories •Note your recruiting and retention capabilities, especially if the contract is fairly large •Discuss aspects of your training program to show continuous enrichment activities for your staff •Project organizational chart showing reporting structures and reach-back capabilities •Aligns with resources needed to implement the technical approach •Show integration of subcontractors into the team

Assumptions

•Identify assumptions with regards to the RFP •Only document assumptions when something is unknown/vague that was not addressed during the question and answer period •Only use when needed - do not want to give away any of your strategy Should be used to back up your technical and management approach

A Convincing, Credible, Defendable BOE...

•Is easy to read •Is completely self-contained and stand alone •Clearly describes our solution and bounds the scope being addressed in a particular WBS •Is a record of findings and decisions to support and justify the estimate •Shows the math! •Supports the cost estimate's credibility •Aids in the analysis of changes in project cost •Enables reviewers to effectively assess the cost estimate •Contributes to information for future estimation

Request for Proposal (RFP)

•Issued at an early stage in a procurement process •An invitation is presented to suppliers (of products, services, or both) • Often a bidding process •Supplier submits a proposal •The RFP process brings structure to the procurement decision •Allows the risks and benefits to be identified upfront •Can be quite large, normal ranges are 20 to 90 pages, but can run into the 100s of pages

Overestimating and Underestimating Issues

•Overestimating can lead to planning and budget issues resulting in •Underutilized resources •Excess capacity •Wasteful, uncompetitive pricing that could decrease future win ability •Underestimating can lead to increased risk during contract execution resulting in •Insufficient resources •Inadequate basis for program level decisions •Unrealistic performance/scope expectations Invalid cost and schedule expectations

Reporting Reminder

•Overly communicate with the client •Identify risks early and notify the client appropriately - don't be afraid to tell them bad news as clients appreciate you being upfront •Monitor budgets frequently •Get creative to exceed client expectations

Pricing Proposal

•Pricing •Objective is to make money, not just cover costs •Several variables to manipulate •Labor hours •Labor category Profit

Cost Estimates are Important Because They ...

•Provide a financial metric to distinguish between different proposals (on a competitive bid) •Provide the basis for allocation of resources •Provide the financial baseline from which to measure performance and progress

Establishing win themes

•Purpose is to ensure your message is delivered within each section/question you are responding to in the RFP •Themes must be an issue or topic of interest to the customer, not just your company •Themes are compelling messages you want to continually put in front of the client while they're reading the proposal - Similar to running repetitive advertisements to get better exposure and mindshare for your product or service •The real strategy is to ensure the client remembers the messages when they are scoring your proposal

Quality Reminders

•Quality Assurance = Before there is a problem •Quality Control = After there is a problem •Quality should always be a core value - high quality work is guaranteed to pay for itself in the long run

how is an RFP issued

•RFP Issued •Specifies the format, objectives and timing of the bid process •Designates client contacts •Establishes rules, regulations, process •Defines criteria for responsive bids, being 100% compliant •Evaluation criteria revealed, technical vs. price 100% compliant means NO MISTAKES AT ALL in proposal

Breaking Down the RFP (2/3)

•SOW / PWS •Scope; What customer want to accomplish •Major task areas, performance criteria (SLAs), deliverables, deadlines, key personnel requirements • •Pricing Instructions •Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs) definition •Often have multiple CLINs •One for each major task area •Funding often comes from different sources •One CLIN can be FFP, another Labor Hour •Labor Categories, Rates •"Price to Win" strategies

Price Composition Elements

•Section 15.401 of the FAR defines "Price" as cost plus any fee or profit applicable to the contract type. •Cost can be categorized into two main groupings (direct and indirect). In order to understand price, all factors need to be considered: •Direct Cost (Labor, Material, Travel, ODC) Indirect Cost (Fringe, G&A, Overhead) ØDirect Cost Variables driven by Technical and Management Baseline Solution. ØProfit/Fee driven by Corporate Business Needs. ØDirect Labor Rates and Indirect Expense Rates as defined per Forward Pricing Rates. ØFPR are based on the Corporate structure and business base

Creating the Proposal - Sample Sections (May Differ)

•Section 1: Executive Summary •Understanding of the Business Needs •Overview of proposed solution •Section 2: Company Background •Establish credibility •Credentials in the marketplace •Section 3: Staffing Plan and Personnel •Project team org chart •Resumes of key personnel •Differences between key and representative individuals •Section 4: Representative Experience •Expertise in delivering similar work •Link to win themes and evaluation criteria •Past performance summaries •Section 5: Technical Approach (Implementation Approach) •Describes how you will implement the work and manage the overall effort (Management Plan) •Based on a proven methodology •Thorough but not overly detailed •Section 6: Labor Hours and Price Estimate •Number of resources by type and project phase •Know your competition •Know when to say when - there are times to price aggressively and times when it is not necessary •Realism is key (responsible)

Breaking Down the RFP (1/3)

•Section L - Instructions •Instructions for the response, formatting, structure, submission •Page count, how to submit, page layout •Easy way to get eliminated! Companies spend weeks of time, large budgets, only to be dismissed for not following Section L •Section M - Eval Factors •Illustrates how each proposal will be rated •Structure of response should align with Section M •Tip: Make it easy for evaluators to track! •Section C Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

Basic Key sections of the RFP

•Statement of Work (SOW) (what the gov is asking for) •Often Section C •Describes what is to be done in detail •Often lists "Tasks" •Pricing Tables •Section B •List of tables that are provided by the issuer and to be completed in the RFP •Delivery dates of the project •Often Section F •Attachments (important to check) •Often Section J •This is where stuff is placed that is most often missed •Instruction for Submission •Often Section L •What gets submitted and when •Evaluation Criteria •Often Section M •Rating methods

Document a solution storyboard

•Storyboard - a template that allows an author to take a component of a solution and organize thoughts around it •Typically created for new requirements at very beginning of proposal process •May contain: •Description of the solution in bullet form •Outline of the proposal section addressing the solution component •Win themes and discriminators •Features and benefits of the solution •Graphic that describes the solution

The BOE Author

•The BOE author should ideally be the person / function who will perform the work (CAM / IPT lead / Functional Lead) •BOE author should be familiar with the proposed baseline solution (technical/management) to ensure explained BOE approach consistent with the solution as described in the technical and management baselines.

What is a Basis of Estimate (BOE)?

•The detailed substantiation of our solution to a requirement supporting an estimate, including •Methodology •Sources of Data •Mathematical calculations •Assumptions and dependencies

Key Personnel

•Those individuals that the client deems critical for the success of the project •Can be a clear differentiator •Must fit the requirement Must be available if awarded •10+ years of experience •5-7 years of hands on management experience •Masters Degree •PMP Certification

Transition Plan

•Typically only applies if there is an incumbent •Describe how you will transition staff, work, etc. •Discuss how you will work with the client if they would like to keep some existing staff on the project •Overlap of support during transition •Discuss any phased-approaches to staffing (i.e., bring in key personnel for transition, rest of staff later)

RFP Information

•Used to procure goods and services from vendors in a standard manner •Governed by Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) •Detailed set of policies and procedures governing federal procurement of goods and services •Evolves over time •Know the major FAR rules; Stay away from grey areas •Evaluation Types •Best Value •LPTA - Lowest Price Technically Acceptable •Payment Structures •Firm Fixed Price (FFP) •Labor Hour or Time and Materials (T&M) •Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) •Can be combination of above

Parametric Methodology

•Uses statistical relationships between Historical Costs and other program variables such as system physical or performance characteristics, contractor output measures, and manpower loading, etc. •One or more Cost Estimating Relationships for Costs •Relates a dependent variable (cost) to one or more independent variables •Based on specific factors that have a high correlation to total cost, e.g., •Number of software lines of code (SLOC) or function points •Number of pages in a specification document •Number of slides in a meeting presentation slide deck •Square feet of office floor space •Number of floors in a building for cabling estimates •Database size; number of records, etc.

Creating the Proposal - Example of Standard Volumes

•Volume I: Price Proposal •Volume II: Technical Approach •Volume III: Past Performance Volumes may be different*

Reporting/Schedule Tracking

•Weekly/monthly status reports •Cost reporting •Issue/risk reporting •Contents of reports, including specific items to be reported •Frequency of schedule updates Identification of who will be performing the reporting activities/scheduling updates

Strategy Session

•What do we know from the RFP? • •What else do we know about the customer (outside the RFP)? •Is there an incumbent or is this a new requirement? •Is the incumbent well-liked? • •Why Our Company? •What can we save them? (i.e. time, money) •What past performance will we use? •What key personnel will we bid? •Summarize what we will do •Summarize how we will do it (i.e. our steps, method, processes) •Summarize our team strengths

Assumption/Dependency Examples

•What's in, What's out •Schedule or budget constraints •Any Government provided equipment (GFX) and expected availability dates •Required facility use and availability requirements •Requirements for technology refresh cycles, technology assumptions, and new technology requirements

request for information (RFI)

•a proposal requested from a potential seller or a service provider to determine what products and services are potentially available in the marketplace to meet a buyer's needs. Government may not know what it wants. RFIs are commonly used on major procurements, where a requirement could potentially be met through several alternate means.

request for quotation (RFQ

•used when discussions with bidders are not required (mainly when the specifications of a product or service are already known) and when price is the main or only factor in selecting the successful bidder. An RFQ may also be used as a step prior to going to a full-blown RFP to determine general price ranges.