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Overview

There is nothing more fundamental, more critically basic, to the success of a Government contractor than preparing proposals. One of the keys to preparing successful proposals is knowing how they are evaluated by the Government. Another is how the source selection process works -- especially in the new acquisition environment of performance-based contracting and oral presentations.

As the detailed Course Curriculum illustrates, this program provides an analysis of the proposal preparation and source selection processes -- from both the contractor and Government perspectives -- and is designed for executives, marketing personnel, proposal writers, program manager, attorneys, engineers, contract specialists, cost analysts, and all support personnel to a competitive proposal.

Learning Objectives:
The benefits attendees will receive include solid reviews of: 

  • Understanding the customer's organization and regulations
  • What you must know and do before the RFP is released
  • How and when to gather information helpful to your proposal
  • How to start writing your proposal before the RFP is issued
  • The proposal: Maximizing your score...tips that really work
  • Source Selection Evaluation Boards -- how they work, how ratings are assigned
  • The role of price in winning; what "best value" really means
  • How to turn a weak rating into a strong rating
  • Written and oral negotiation strategies
  • How final decisions are made and documented
Dates/Locations
July 25-26, 2024
The Westin Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island, SC, United States
Travel Info
Request Group Quote
Fill out this form and someone from FPS will contact you shortly. You can fill out as much or as little information as you would like. Prefer to talk to us? Call 651.666.2030.
Submit
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You will be contacted shortly.
September 12-13, 2024
Planet Hollywood Resort
Las Vegas, NV, United States
Travel Info
Request Group Quote
Fill out this form and someone from FPS will contact you shortly. You can fill out as much or as little information as you would like. Prefer to talk to us? Call 651.666.2030.
Submit
Thank You
You will be contacted shortly.
October 28-29, 2024
American Management Association
Arlington, VA, United States
Travel Info
Request Group Quote
Fill out this form and someone from FPS will contact you shortly. You can fill out as much or as little information as you would like. Prefer to talk to us? Call 651.666.2030.
Submit
Thank You
You will be contacted shortly.
Agenda
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Hilton Head, SC and Las Vegas, NV
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Orlando, FL
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Las Vegas Government Contracts Week
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
All other locations

1.     Preparing for the Request for Proposal

a.     The purpose of the RFP

b.    Initial review

c.     Tie into information gathered during the market assessment process

d.    Establish team

2.     Reviewing the Request for Proposal

a.     Review each section of the RFP for critical items

b.    Part I — The Schedule
(a) Section A — Solicitation/contract form
(b) Section B — Supplies or services and prices/costs
(c) Section C — Description/specifications/statement of work
(d) Section D — Packaging and marking
(e) Section E — Inspection and acceptance
(f) Section F — Deliveries or performance
(g) Section G — Contract administration data
(h) Section H — Special contract requirements

c.     Part II — Contract Clauses
(a) Section I — Contract Clauses

d.    Part III — List of Documents, Exhibits, and Other Attachments
(a) Section J — List of attachments

e.     Part IV — Representation, and Instructions
(a) Section K — Representations, certifications, and other statements of offerors or respondents
(b) Section L — Instructions, conditions, and notices of offerors or respondents
(c) Section M — Evaluation factors for award

f.     Identify critical requirements

g.    Compliance matrix Review of evaluation criteria

h.     Deploy resources to focus on those areas the RFP identifies as critical to the customer

3.     Organizing to Prepare the Proposal

a.     Establish budget for preparing the proposal

                                          i.    Dollar amount

                                         ii.    Time line

b.    Identify proposal manager

c.     Assign a team

                                          i.    Identify skills consistent with the importance of the proposal

                                         ii.    Identify the people with the skills and assign them to the proposal

d.    Identify volume managers

                                          i.    Management

                                         ii.    Technical

                                        iii.    Cost

e.     Establish control points

4.     The Technical Approach

a.     Dissect the statement of work or statement of objectives

b.    Identify main requirements

c.     Evaluate technical trade-offs

d.    Ensure ambiguous requirements are thoroughly assessed

e.     Prepare Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

                                          i.    Use the customers first two levels if provided

                                         ii.    Complete the WBS to appropriate level

                                        iii.    Establish appropriate work packages

                                        iv.    Prepare WBS dictionary

                                         v.    Consider the establishment of an Organization Breakdown Structure

f.     Storyboard the technical volume

                                          i.    Document assumptions

                                         ii.    Establish ground rules

                                        iii.    Establish discrete section where appropriate

                                        iv.    Create themes

                                         v.    Identify artwork and graphics

                                        vi.    Identify strengths and develop a strategy to capitalize on them

g.    Begin writing

5.     Technical risk management

a.     Identify technical issues that present cost, schedule or performance risks

b.    Develop preliminary strategies for dealing with identified risks

c.     Begin developing risk management plan

6.     The Cost Volume

a.     Estimating resource requirements

                                          i.    Document assumptions

                                         ii.    Use the WBS structure

b.    Direct labor

                                          i.    Labor Categories

                                         ii.    Labor Rates

                                        iii.    Labor Mix

                                        iv.    Learning Curves

c.     Direct material

                                          i.    Interdivisional transfers

                                         ii.    Raw material

                                        iii.    Subcontracts

d.    Other direct costs

e.     Costing estimated resources

                                          i.    Application of rates and factors

7.     Cost Accounting Standards

8.     Truth in Negotiations Act

9.     Dangers in deviating from established practices

10.  Cost realism analysis

a.     Consistency between the technical proposal and the cost proposal

b.    Ensure the technical approach described in the technical proposal is consistent with the resources estimated in the cost volume

c.     Ensure the skill sets are consistent

d.    Ensure subcontractor estimates are consistent with the technical approach

11.  The Management Volume

a.     Past Performance

b.    Earned value management systems

c.     The importance of a sound project management system

d.    Describing the management approach

e.     Integration of subcontractors into the project

f.     Special requirements

g.    Integrated project teams, and other special control teams

h.     Small business subcontracting plans

i.      Risk management plans

12.  Reviews

a.     Technical reviews

                                          i.    Review assumptions

                                         ii.    Rigorous questioning on the technical approach

                                        iii.    Look for weaknesses

                                        iv.    Importance of the right team

b.    Cost reviews

                                          i.    Review assumptions

                                         ii.    Validate rates and factors

                                        iii.    Reasonableness assessment

c.     Final approvals

                                          i.    Provide time for final reviews

                                         ii.    Ensure the proposal gets there on time

13.  Role of Policies and Procedures

a.     Importance of estimating policies and procedures

b.    Importance of following policies and procedures

14.  Characteristics of an Effective Proposal

a.     Clarity

b.    Offers what the customer ask for

c.     Responsive to the terms and conditions

 

d.    Properly supported with logic, rationale, and explanations

Experts
Accreditation
See Individual Courses For Available Credits
Certificates of Completion are provided to all seminar participants who attend Federal Publications Seminars courses following the event, upon request.
CPE: Continuing Professional Education
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
Delivery Method: Group-Live Classroom
Federal Publications Seminars is affiliated with West Professional Development and is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.
For more information regarding administrative policies such as refunds, cancellations and complaints, please contact Federal Publications Seminars at 888.494.3696.
CPE Hours
This program is eligible for: 13.0 (CPE) hours of credit
Program Level: Basic
Program Prerequisite: None
Advance Preparation: None
Method: Group-Live
CLP: Continuous Learning Points
Approved for CLP by Defense Acquisition University
Defense Acquisition Workforce members must acquire 80 Continuous Learning Points (CLP) every two years from the date of entry into the acquisition workforce for as long as the member remains in an acquisition position per DoD Instruction 5000.66. We will provide you with documentation of points awarded for completing the event.
CLP Hours
This program is eligible for: 11.0 (CLP) hours of credit
CLE: Continuing Legal Education
States have widely varying regulations regarding MCLE credit. LegalEdcenter is an approved provider in AL, AK, AR, CA, GA, IL, ME, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VI, VT, WA, WI, and WV. Credit may be applied for in other jurisdictions on request and in accordance with state MCLE rules.
Please note that because some states are changing their policy on CLE reporting, you will need to fill out the request for credit from Federal Publications Seminars within 10 business days, or we may not be able to issue credits for the program.
CLE Hours
This program is eligible for: 11.0 (60 minutes), 13.0 (50 minutes)
Travel
American Management Association
2345 Crystal Drive
Second Floor
Arlington, VA, 22202
5714812208
Hotel & Room Block Info
Federal Publications Seminars doesn’t have a room block for this location. AMA does not arrange hotel accommodations. However, AMA has negotiated preferred rates at the following hotels based upon availability. Be sure to mention that you are an AMA conference attendee to secure your reservation and preferred rates. Contact the hotels below directly. Note: that we recommend that reservations be made early, as the number of rooms at preferred rates is limited.

Hyatt Regency Crystal City
Click here to reserve using the AMA preferred rate. For AMA’s preferred rate enter corporate code 00433. 
Reagan National Airport
2799 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA 22202
AMA Reservation Number 1-703-418-1234

Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel
Click here to reserve using the AMA preferred rate.
2800 South Potomac Avenue
Arlington, VA 22202
AMA Reservation Number 1-703-413-1300

METRO RAIL LINE:
Yellow & Blue Line – METRO Stop – Crystal City
From the METRO - AMA is 2 blocks east and 4 blocks south on Crystal Drive
http://www.amaconferencecenter.org/washington-directions-maps.htm

General Information
Continental breakfast and lunch will be served (DC Week ONLY). Coffee (regular & decaf), tea and water will be served throughout the day with an afternoon snack (baked goods) break. 
Planet Hollywood Resort
3667 Las Vegas Blvd South
Las Vegas, NV, 89109
8669197472
Hotel & Room Block Info

There is a room block for this location. The rate is $99/night plus taxes. To reserve your room, click here. Reservations must be made by August 6, 2024.

Please note that upon booking your reservation, your credit card will be charged a deposit equal to the first night's room and tax. To avoid forfeiture of deposit, please ensure all changes and cancellations are made at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled arrival date.

General Information

Food & Beverage
Continental breakfast and lunch will be served.

The Westin Hilton Head Island
2 Grasslawn Avenue
Hilton Head Island, SC, 29928
8436814000
Hotel & Room Block Info

The room block rate for The Westin Hilton Head Island is SOLD OUT.  Please refer to the following list of nearby hotels on the island:

NOTE: Federal Publications Seminars does not provide shuttle transportation to/from the host hotel (The Westin) from overflow hotels.

Government Per Diem

Government Per Diem rates are now sold out.

General Information

Food & Beverage
Continental breakfast and lunch will be served.

In-House
Bring Federal Publications Seminars to your location! If you would like to offer this course in-house, please contact us.
Schedule Training
Schedule Training
Fill out this form and someone from FPS will contact you shortly. You can fill out as much or as little information as you would like. Prefer to talk to us? Call 888.865.9082.
Request a Quote
Thank You
You will be contacted shortly.
CMBOK Alignments
Leadership
Character
Collaboration
Competence
Emotional Intelligence
Vision
Management
Business Management
Change Management
Financial Management
Project Management
Risk Management
Supply Chain Management
Guiding Principles
Communication and Documentation
Contract Principles
Regulatory Compliance
Situational Assessment
Skills and Roles
Standards of Conduct
Team Dynamics
Pre-Award
Plan Sales
Plan Solicitation
Prepare Offer
Request Offers
Award
Manage Disagreements
Plan Negotiations
Price or Cost Analysis
Select Source
Post-Award
Administer Contract
Close Out Contract
Ensure Quality
Manage Changes
Manage Subcontracts
Learn
Continuous Learning
Individual Competence
Organizational Capability
Level
  • 100
    Basic or fundamental subject matter is covered. Courses are geared to general knowledge or can be taken as a refresher.
  • 200
    Specific topics or issues within a topic area are covered. Students should be familiar with terms of art and general concepts concerning the course topic.
  • 300
    Workshops and class discussions cover specific subject matter in-depth, and participation is strongly encouraged. Attendees should have at least 2-3 years' experience in the area of study.
  • 400
    Courses build upon students' knowledge and experience, and cover complex issues within the subject matter. Should have 4-5 years' mastery of subject for in-depth analysis.
  • 500
    Masters-level programs designed for professionals with 5+ years' experience. Courses cover in-depth and technical analysis on specific subjects and updates on current issues.