Contracting Officer Podcast 2.0 (samples)

A big welcome to our first guest on the Contracting Officer Podcast.   Michael Fischetti, Executive Director of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA), stopped by the official CO Podcast studio to discuss professionalism in contracting. ...

In this episode Kevin and Paul discuss the cost of writing a proposal in response to a Government RFP.  How much does it cost to write a proposal?  What drivers can increase or decrease the...

In this episode Kevin and Paul answer listeners’ questions. Specific topics are: What is an Award Fee Contract? What does “incremental funding” mean? What is “Certified Cost and Pricing Data? What is meant by the...

Part 2 of our interview with Michael Fischetti, Executive Director of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA). Part 1 focused on the training and education that contracts professionals receive, including questions of “depth or breadth” in the education of a CO and “specialist vs. generalist” in building your career. In this Part 2 we explore “non-FAR” based training and education oppor...

In this episode Kevin and Paul discuss the purpose of small business set-asides. Why would the Government only allow small businesses to bid on some opportunities? Learn the different types of set-asides and why they are important for both large and small businesses to understand.

In this episode Kevin and Paul discuss the balance that both industry and the Government must consider as they plan how best to meet a requirement. Industry must decide whether or not outside vendors, suppliers, or subcontractors will be needed to meet the requirements of a Government solicitation. The Government must consider whether a particular requirement can be met solely by small businesses....

In this episode Kevin and Paul describe one step of the Government’s source selection process, Competitive Range Determinations. They explain the purpose of competitive range determinations, when the determination takes place, and why the Government would limit the competitive range during a source selection. As always, learn why both Industry and the Government should care about this useful tool...

What is a Protest?  When Should I Protest?  What Can I Protest?  How Do I Submit a Protest? In this episode Kevin and Paul provide answers to these questions and more.   The discussion goes far...

What are weighted guidelines? In this episode Kevin and Paul discuss the Government’s use of a structured approach to determine fair and reasonable profit during sole source negotiations. They explain what weighted guidelines are and...

How much communication between the Government and Industry is necessary prior to release of the RFP?   In this episode Paul and Kevin the reasons why increased communications are critical to the Government acquisition process, leading...

How much time does an offeror need to submit a proposal? How much time is not enough? How much time is too much? What is the contractor doing with that time? As contracting officers, we...

What does “Color of Money” mean?   This episode explains different types of appropriations and how they impact acquisitions and the Government’s behavior.  Kevin and Paul give examples of why the color of money matters and...

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of a Government source selection?  In this episode Kevin and Paul provide a glimpse behind the curtain and answer a listener’s questions about the source selection process....

J&A (Justification and Approval) is the common term used to describe the documentation required for a contracting officer to proceed with an acquisition using other than full and open competition.  (also known as sole source...

Targeting is a critical element of winning in the federal market. Poor targeting creates many of the problems we discuss on the Contracting Officer Podcast – from miscommunication between buyer and seller, to adversarial debriefs,...

The last in a 4 part series describing the Acquisition Time Zones in greater detail.  (see Episode 003 for an overview of the Time Zones) In this episode Kevin and Paul discuss what happens after...

The third in a 4 part series describing the Acquisition Time Zones in greater detail.  (see Episode 003 for an overview of the  Time Zones) In this episode Kevin and Paul describe what information must...

The second in a 4 part series describing the Acquisition Time Zones in greater detail.  (see Episode 003 for an overview of the  Time Zones) In this episode Kevin and Paul discuss the types of...

This is the first in a 4 part series describing the Acquisition Time Zones in greater detail.  (see Episode 003 for an overview of the  Time Zones) In this episode, Kevin and Paul describe how...

What is Section L?  What is Section M?  In this 2 part episode, Paul and Kevin explain how the Government provides proposal preparation and content instructions in Section L and provides the evaluation criteria that...

What is Section L?  What is Section M?  In this 2 part episode, Paul and Kevin explain how the Government provides proposal preparation and content instructions in Section L and provides the evaluation criteria that...

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What is the difference between a Firm Fixed Price contract and a Cost Reimbursable contract?  If you’ve ever asked this question, this podcast is for you.  We provide an overview of the 2 basic contract...

In this cast, we provide an overview of the Request for Information (RFI), the Draft Request for Proposals (DRFP) and the Request for Proposals (RFP). Contracting Officers use all of these in different ways and...

In this cast, we explain the basics of what Contracting Officers do. We define the role of the CO, along with some detail on how they are appointed. We also describe the different types of...