Once we have successfully worked with government program and project managers to provide them with the IT-based solutions, do we provide them with the knowledge and the means to suggest to the contracting officials the preferable manner to use in acquiring the solution?

As we approach the end of the federal fiscal year, there is often end-of-year money that is used to acquire needed contractor support services and/or products. Program people rarely have in-depth knowledge of acquisition methods and procurement procedures. Why should they, when they have a contracting shop that already possesses the essential knowledge for the execution of the contract?

Agency management and contracting officers generally have a keen awareness of the socio-economic goals that they are tasked with accomplishing. As the fiscal year closes, an agency often must accelerate the money they spend and the contracts awarded to each of a series of set-aside categories. HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned, small disadvantaged business and small business as well as a handful of additional set-aside categories need to be considered for awards in order to meet the goals set forth in law and presidential executive orders.

The importance of informing your client of these set-aside categories can, at times, add greatly to the speed, simplicity and effectiveness of the acquisition. For example, your client may require a support service from you and there exists a mandate that this genre of service must go through the agency’s governmentwide acquisition contract (GWAC). Generally, GWACs are multiple award, requiring competition among the GWAC prime contract holders. However, if you are part of, or aligned with, an 8(a) firm or a service-disabled veteran-owned small business, a speedy sole source acquisition may benefit all parties.

Agency management and contracting operations are always striving to meet their goals, so you invariably have “buy in” by some of the most important constituencies in the agency – always a good thing, but of particular importance when you are attempting to greatly shorten the contracting cycle. Since this “buy in” exists there should be little problem in exempting the buy from the mandated contracting vehicle, such as an agency-sponsored GWAC.

Simultaneously serve the interests of your client, agency management and the contracting office by using one of the instruments described above. You can aid your client in obtaining quick, clean contracting methods while serving the goals of all parties to the transaction. All it takes is a little education by you for the client.

(Peter can be reached at padler@SenecaCreekConsulting.com.)