The Source Selection Process: Two Insiders Speak Two veteran acquisition officials with the Army Corps of Engineers offered advice for companies seeking federal contracts not just from the Corps, but from any agency. Their remarks are adapted from their presentations Dec. 2 at the annual Small Business Conference in Arlington, VA, sponsored by the Corps and the Society of American Military Engineers Judith Blake, director of the OSDBU at Corps headquarters, on what to do before a solicitation is issued: Respond to sources sought notices. The response to those notices often determines whether a requirement will be set aside. Look at notices of intent to sole source. If you think you could do the job, contact the contracting officer immediately and demonstrate that you can meet the requirement. Before you bid, be sure the job is a good fit for your company. “We hold it against you if you let us down. It is really hard to overcome a failure.” Respond to the draft RFP if you have questions. Don’t guess if you’re not sure exactly what the customer wants. Attend the pre-solicitation conference. “In writing your proposal, ask yourself, ‘What are they worried about?’” she said. “and give them the solution that demonstrates that your company and only your company can provide.” Tips for improving your offer These tips are adapted from remarks by Cheryl Anderson, chief of the contracting division in the Corps of Engineers’ Seattle district office: Read the RFP thoroughly. “Pay attention to the criteria order and weights. It shows what’s important to us. Address all aspects of the criteria. Present a checklist to show the contracting officer you have addressed each one. Be succinct. “I recommend using bullets, underline, bolding … and don’t exceed the page count.” Present specific, relevant experience. If you are bidding on a construction project, such as an office building or parking garage, show that you have built the same kind of structure in the past. Make sure the qualifications of your staff match the RFP. Who’s in charge? “As a customer we want one point of contact.” Address quality in your proposal. “That tells us it’s important to you.” Address performance problems head-on. “Past performance is a critical part of every RFP we do. If there are any marginal or unsatisfactory items on your evaluation, you need to address it up front because we’re going to get to it.” Quality control your proposal. “Have an outside reviewer ensure that everything is covered,” even including spell-check. Be a learning organization. “Always ask for a debriefing, even if you’re the winner, because as good as you are there are often things you could do better… Attitude is all-important. Go to the debriefing to learn. If you come in with a chip on your shoulder, you’re not going to get the honest feedback that you need.”