Advanced Source Selection

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  • Apply in-depth, practical knowledge of the best-value source selection process
  • Apply your understanding and skills in buying or selling using best-value source selection
Course Credits
Course CPE
28
Course PDUs
24.0
Course CEUs
2.4

** Important: Credits may vary by delivery method, click here for more information

In-depth knowledge is the key to success in the government’s best-value source selection process. With in-depth knowledge, the acquisition team can plan and execute streamlined, innovative source selections that result in timely selection of high-quality contractors. With thorough knowledge, suppliers can design customer-focused, fully compliant proposals that clearly articulate their technical and cost solutions.

This course provides the comprehensive knowledge and practical skills needed to develop first-rate requests for proposals (RFPs), and execute highly efficient source selection evaluations. Those already familiar with the basics of source selection will progress to a deeper level of understanding and skills mastery. Participants will gain an increased understanding of and experience with the critical challenges, common pitfalls and numerous opportunities for innovation that are now available in the government’s best-value process.

  • Building a Results-Focused Acquisition Team
    • Characteristics of results-focused acquisition
    • Role of the acquisition team
    • Key challenges for the government acquisition system
  • Researching the Market and Interacting with Industry
    • Market research
    • Benefits of market research
    • Steps in the market research process
  • Buying Results Through Performance-Based Acquisition
    • Three types of orientation in defining requirements and managing effort
    • Key steps and products in performance-based acquisition
  • Planning Streamlined, Innovative Acquisitions
    • What is acquisition planning?
    • Potential acquisition approaches
    • Source selection streamlining techniques
    • Lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) vs. trade-off
    • Oral presentations
    • Advisory multistep process
    • Auctions
  • Identifying and Developing Discriminating Evaluation Criteria
    • Evaluation criteria
    • Best value (the critic's view)
    • Evaluation criteria requirements
    • Key considerations in selecting noncost criteria
    • Quadrant mapping
    • Criteria development process
  • Proposal Preparation Instructions: The Key to Efficient Competitions
    • Best practices to consider
  • Managing Successful Proposal Evaluations
    • Best-value source selection: What worries government managers?
    • Evaluation process
  • Writing Customer-Focused Proposals: The Contractor's Perspective
    • Are your proposals easy to evaluate?
    • Best-value decisions are built on perceived benefits
    • Addressing risk in your proposal sections
    • Your executive summary
    • Common complaints from evaluators
  • Past Performance and Cost Evaluation Techniques and Strategies
    • Past performance information sources
    • Performance risk ratings
    • Tips for effective use of past performance information (PPI)
    • Analyzing cost or price
  • Setting the Competitive Range and Conducting Meaningful Exchanges
    • Exchanges
    • Clarifications and award without discussions
    • Communications
    • Weakness, significant weakness and deficiency
    • Exchanges with offerors after receipt of proposals
    • Conducting "meaningful" discussions
    • Final proposal revisions (FPR)
    • Exchanges: The contracting officer's balancing act
  • Comparing Evaluation Results and Documenting the Decision
    • Making the cost/technical trade-off decision
    • Best-value decision
    • Price premium justifications
    • Source selection decision document (SSDD)
    • Weighting exercise
    • Documenting the decision
    • Quantifying the price premium
  • Delivering Effective Debriefings
    • Your best line of defense
    • Purpose of debriefings
    • Debriefings: best practices
    • Final thoughts: managing protest risk


"I’m looking forward to using what I learned on my upcoming source selections."

Supervisory Contract Specialist

Department of the Interior



"The materials show step-by-step the process for good source selection. I’m sure I’ll use them over and over."
Program Control Specialist

Edwards AFB



"Enjoyable and informative. Well integrated text, slides, and reference materials."
Senior Materials Specialist

Marconi Integrated Systems, Inc.