FPS Podcasts

In this Podcast, we talk with Susan Manning from Credly to explain the benefits of digital badging.  Recently, FPS adopted digital badging using Credly to enhance the customer's experience and provide a way to highlight the accomplishments of hard work and continuing education in the world of Federal Contracting.  FPS is proud to offer digital badging and it is free to anyone taking our cours...

In this podcast, Jeff White and Randy Shelby discuss the advantages of automating repetitive processes in the procurement of goods and services in the federal contracting marketspace. 

In this episode, I have an opportunity to interview Jeff White and Randy Shelby of JA White & Associates while at the FPS Las Vegas week long conference in September 2023.  We discuss a number of things including Randy's background at DCMA and the importance of documentation 

In this episode Larry Allen of Allen Federal discusses the recent COFC decision on GSA's Polaris contract.  This impacts a multitude of small businesses who spent countless time preparing and submitting proposals to be a part of this multi-faceted contract only to see multiple bid protest arise over the NDAA Section 871 clause and a COFC decision to make GSA re-think the contract.  Larry expl...

In this Podcast, we talk with Christine Williamson of CohnReznick and Kim Koster of Unanet about the 2023 GAUGE Report.  This report has been benchmarking the federal contracting industry and every year a new update to the report is released.  This year Christine and Kim want your participation. In this podcast they briefly talk about previous years' findings and how to participate for 2023. ...

In Episode #51, we talk with Sean Jones of Revolution Payments about how contractors could benefit from level 3 credit card processing.  The option has been around for years but not every contractor realizes it.   Though some contracts require level 3, others do not, yet contractors can still take advantage of the savings.  Sean explains the history of level 3 and its  savings. 

In FPS Podcast #50, we discuss with Jeff White of JA White and Associates the challenges and solutions subcontractors have with price analysis.

On March 31st of  the FPS' Orlando Government Contracts Week conference, I recorded Podcast #49 with Jeff White of JA White and Associates.  Since 2020 there have a been some significant changes to how CPSRs are conducted by the DCMA.  These changes have been mostly positive, but as a vendor to the US Federal Government, you need to ensure your documentation and files are both accessible and...

In Episode #48, we talk with Jeffrey White of JA White and Associates about Supply Chain Management and Compliance.  This might be one of a few discussions around supply chain as it is  very complicated and very broad.  We not only have threats to the supply chain, we have shortages in supply chains which neither is desirable for government suppliers and their customers.   This  episode is brought...

In episode 47, I talk with Eugene Pickarz, a retired contracting officer and instructor for FPS about his new course on Statements of Work.  Listen as he explains the development of the SOW, the parties involved and the importance for both the contractor and the federal procurement professional.   

In Episode #46, I talk with John Hindman of RSM as we discuss EPA's - known as Economic Price Adjustments (EPAs).    Recently, this has surfaced has a hot topic in the federal government contracting community as inflationary pressure has increased prices for energy and supplies creating situations where costs of finished goods have skyrocketed.   The government is keenly aware of the challeng...

In Episode #45, we speak with Nathan Castellano from Jenner & Block about a very important topic to contractors who enter into agreements with the Federal Government.   In May 2022 issue of " Briefing Papers " Published by Thomson Reuters , Nathan discusses in length Exemption 4 where in 2019 the Supreme Court decided a case in Food Marketing Institute v. Argus Leader Media on that t...

In Episode #44 - We talk with Mike LaCorte of HKA about records retention.   The FAR has specific requirements for contractors on how long contractors need to keep records related to the contract.  Similar to publicly traded companies who have guidelines to follow for the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Government sets guidelines for contract retention.   However, contracts may spe...

In early May at our FPS La Jolla Weeklong, we had a chance to catch up with Eric Crusius of Holland & Knight to discuss CMMC 2.0.  With the new federal fiscal year just around the corner, the CMMC requirements are coming into focus.  If you are a DOD contractor - large or small, you at least have to be certified at Level 1.  But what does all that mean?   Eric explains what "Level 1"...

This is Episode #42 .  During our La Jolla Government Contracts Week, I sat down with Anthony Kim and Jackie Spalding of Capital Edge Consulting to talk about the importance of a compliant accounting system for government contractors.  

In this Episode, I talk with Dan Rusert of JAMIS during the FPS La Jolla week May 2-6th.  JAMIS Is a long time sponsor of our programs and has a wealth of knowledge related to business systems. They are a leading provider of business systems software in the GovCon space!   

In Episode #40, I discuss the current employment landscape in the federal contracting industry with consultant Eric Norvell.   Eric has been helping federal contractors find qualified mid and upper level professionals for over two decades.  The demand for candidates was hot before COVID and now there is even a greater need in our industry.  As we saw with the 'great resignation' a lot of...

In Episode #39, I speak with Jason Miller, Executive Editor for Federal News Network.  He has been tracking the POLARIS Contract.  POLARIS is a small business GWAC contract which is being released in 'pools' over the coming months.  However, there already is some controversy and a bid protest with one of the 'pools' related to past performance requirements.  Jason explains the...

In construction, cost escalation is not an uncommon thing as the price of raw building materials fluctuate often.  More recently, prices have been increasingly volatile since the start of the pandemic due to swings in supply and demand as well as political posturing.    In this episode, James Newland of Seyfarth Shaw's construction practice discusses cost escalation and the remedies during an...

The Davis Bacon Act - (DBA) has been an act since the 1930s and covers prevailing wages for federal construction contracts.  The DBA as gone through a number of updates over the years including a large overhaul in the 1980's.  Now, the Biden Administration through a a few executive orders,  and the Department of Labor has proposed new rules that, if enacted may impact not only federal constru...

This is FPS Episode #36.  It is an update to Episode #35 where we talked with colleagues of Barnes & Thornburg on Russian Sanctions.  Things move fast and more sanctions were imposed on Russian imports from and exports to Russia.  This episode covers the latest and recaps the early March 2022 sanctions and changes.   

In FPS Podcast #35 - We are joined by Barnes &  Thornburg's International Trade Group colleagues Nicholas Galbraith, Adetayo Osuntogun, and Luis Arandia to discuss the most recent Russian Sanctions on trade and financial transactions which went into effect on March 1, 2022.  This is one of a few planned podcasts FPS will present regarding Sanctions in the coming months.   In this Podcast,...

FPS Podcast #33, Avoiding Fraud in Federal Contract Claims, I talk with Seyfarth Shaw's Teddie Arnold and Stephanie Magnell .  As a contractor, you have the right to file for a claim for a number of reasons.  However, you may want to make sure you are on solid ground to file the claim against the government or you could be looking at a number of actions the federal government could take again...

This is FPS Podcast #34 with the McKelvey Group. Companies spend an incredible amount of time making their Technical, Past Performance, and Price Narrative volumes look professional before submission. But they rarely do the same with the Excel Pricing Model, and evaluators notice this. The McKelvey Group’s Marc Hamann and Vinny D’Amore explain why taking the extra effort in making your Excel Prici...

I episode #32 - I talk with Deb Nixon of Crosshair Advisors and we examine cost accounting practices for government contractors.