How do you pick the winner? How can you increase the likelihood of being the winner yourself? One of the most critical steps facing agencies and contractors in government contracting is source selection — the process agencies follow to choose among competing proposals. In response to demands for improvements in the quality of supplies and services, federal agencies are increasingly using best-value criteria to award contracts. While the process gives agencies great latitude, the procedures are demanding of agency personnel and competing offers. In addition, the rules give you little guidance on how best to select evaluation factors and evaluate proposals.

Through lectures and comprehensive case studies, this hands-on course will provide you with a solid understanding of what the rules mean and skill training on the principles and processes of sound business decision analysis and decision making. In addition to being of enormous value to government personnel, this course offers industry professionals a wealth of insights into the source selection process and the tools to use those insights to develop effective, winning proposals.

DAWIA/FAC-C Equivalency:
CON 111 DAWIA and FAC-C Level 1

1. The Competitive Source Selection Process

a. Source selection road map, terms and concepts
b. Source selection team members
c. FAR Part 15 regarding rewrites and source selection
d. Procurement integrity
e. Conflicts of interest
f. Requirements for competition

2. Market Research and Acquisition Planning

a. Market research
b. Differences between “commercial” and “noncommercial” items
c. The acquisition plan
d. Degrees of risk
e. Method of procurement
f. Simplified acquisition procedures (SAP)
g. Sealed bidding
h. The trade-off process and the LPTA process
i. The source selection plan

3. Solicitation Preparation

a. Factors to review on a purchase request
b. Request for proposals
c. Solicitation development
d. Uniform contract format
e. Section C — Descriptions/Specifications/Statement of Work (SOW)
f. Performance-based contracting
g. Design-based contracting
h. Presolicitation exchanges of information
i. Public inquiries prior to award
j. Advisory multi-step process
k. Section L — Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors
l. Oral presentations
m. Section M — Evaluation Factors for Award Solicitation preparation strategies
n. Proposal modification, revision and withdrawal
o. Late proposals rule

4. Development of Evaluation Factors and Instructions

a. Best value
b. Evaluation factors and standards
c. Developing evaluation factors
d. Rating and scoring methods
e. Risk rating
f. Evaluating cost or pricing
g. Developing instructions

5. Contractor Proposal Development and Submission

a. Bid/no-bid decisions
b. Key business decision factors
c. Understanding the solicitation
d. Proposal preparation
e. Preparing oral presentations

6. Evaluating Proposals

a. Proposal evaluation methodology and process
b. Consensus
c. Evaluation of noncost factors
d. Evaluation of cost or price
e. Past performance

7. Contract Pricing

a. Government pricing objectives
b. Price analysis
c. Cost analysis
d. Cost realism analysis
e. Cost or pricing data
f. Comparing and adjusting prices

8. Exchanges with Offerors

a. Award without discussions
b. Exchanges with offerors
c. Competitive range determination
d. Limits on exchanges
e. Negotiations
f. Proposal revision requirements
g. Negotiation documentation

9. Source Selection and Award

a. Presenting evaluations to the source selection authority
b. Comparative proposal analysis
c. Trade off analysis
d. Source selection documentation
e. The selection decision

10. Postaward Activities

a. Notifications and debriefings
b. Protests
c. After contract award

"The instructor presented the materials in a way that benefited both the agency and contractor. The instructor used good examples to explain how good written communications is so important in the proposal/selection phase."

Vickie Peterson, Contract Manager
Dell Computer Corporation

"I have gained more practical knowledge from this course than I ever expected. I have come away with tools and procedures that I can utilize immediately upon return to the workplace."

David Jellison, Manager of Project Services
Lower Colorado River Authority

"ESI provides excellent training. This is my fourth class and all have been excellent. I particularly appreciate the excellent, experienced instructors. The course was well structured and the material aligned with it. The exercises and teamwork in this particular class worked well to aid in the learning process...ESI as a whole does an excellent job in all areas always. "

E. Gaynell Tse, Unit Chief
Federal Bureau of Investigation