Contracting Officer Podcast 2.0 (samples)

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul discuss how and why a contract can end before it’s actual period of performance is complete. Learn why both Government and Industry may want to end a contract early and how communication can make the process less painful for all. __________This episode is brought to you by S...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)This is Part 3 (of 3) in our series on Qualifying Opportunities. Kevin and Paul wrap up their conversation about the questions that industry should ask themselves regarding their ability to respond to an RFP (or potential RFP). Learn why Industry can’t (and shouldn’t) respond to every soli...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul return to their conversation about different types of rates in the Government acquisition and contracting world. Episode 183 began the discussion with Provisional Billing Rates. Today’s topic is Forward Pricing Rates. Learn the differences between a Forward Pricing Rate Prop...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)In this holiday encore episode, Kevin and Paul depart from the usual Contracting Officer Podcast topics and get a little “philosophical”. Well…not really. After a spirited “discussion” about how the ebb and flow of the economy in general impacts Government contractors we boiled it down to...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul discuss the Government’s preference (or lack of preference) for specific small business categories during the acquisition process. Learn how open communication can help Government acquisition teams award set-aside contracts faster and how Industry can leverage the Government...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)The Government uses contractors to conduct a wide array of support functions, including many jobs that were once performed by Government employees. Kevin and Paul discuss Inherently Government Functions and explain what types of jobs must be performed by Government employees and which role...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)In this episode of a five part series, Kevin welcomes special guest Vicky Strycharske to discuss the second of four steps that Industry should take when an RFP is released by the Government - Building a Proposal Schedule. Episode 165 (Proposals - the First Four Steps) provided the overview...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Contracting Officers must determine that a company is responsible before awarding a contract. How does a small company that has never done business with the Government convince the Contracting Officer that they are responsible? Kevin and Paul discuss FAR 19.601, Certificates of Competency...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul discuss the duality of relationships in the Government acquisition world. Does “having a friend” always help you or can your relationship actually be a negative force? Learn how properly cultivated relationships can improve the acquisition and contract execution process. ___...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)It’s time to re-compete your contract. You’re the incumbent, so this is going to be easy, right? Kevin and Paul discuss the advantages and challenges that come with incumbency on a Government contract. Learn why many incumbents lose their re-competes and how Government acquisition team mem...

Episode #200! We look back at where the Contracting Officer Podcast came from, discuss what we’ve learned, and where we’re headed. Thanks for your support over 200 episodes! __________This episode is brought to you by Skyway Acquisition. To get help with the Government market, become a Skyway Community member. The Skyway Community ensures you are better positioned to take advantage of opportunitie...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul wrap up this mini-series about different types of rates in the Government acquisition and contracting world. Episode 183 began the discussion with Provisional Billing Rates. Episode 192 continued with Forward Pricing Rates. Today the discussion turns to final indirect cost r...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)In this special holiday encore episode Kevin welcomes Skyway team members Shelley Hall (a former Contracting Officer) and Christi Gilbert (an Industry contracts manager) for a roundtable discussion about CPARS. Learn why CPARS have increased in importance over the last few years and what y...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin welcomes special guest Brian Butler to discuss the power of building relationships in the government contracting world. Brian Butler is President and CEO of Vistra Communications (www.consultvistra.com), a communications strategy and professional solutions agency providing communicat...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Why can’t the Government just stick with their current services contractors or system developers? Why do they always want to change? Kevin and Paul discuss the differences between the business-to-business (B2B) market and the business-to-government (B2G) market. Learn why the Government ca...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)When determining a fair and reasonable price it can be fairly straightforward to imagine a price ceiling beyond which the price is no longer realistic. Kevin and Paul discuss a less common cut line: the price floor. Learn what can happen when a contractor bids a price below the floor and w...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Many external factors impact both the Government’s ability to buy goods and services and Industry’s ability to sell them. Kevin and Paul discuss economic cycles and the Government’s business cycle in a way that only non-economists can. Learn why it is important for Government acquisition p...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)In Part 2 of our series on Qualifying Opportunities, Kevin and Paul dig into the questions that industry should ask themselves about their ability to respond to the RFP (or potential RFP). Learn why it is important for the Government to share details of their acquisition strategy and why i...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Profit can be a divisive issue in the Government market. How much is appropriate? How much is too much? In this encore presentation Kevin and Paul discuss why profit matters to both Government and Industry. Learn the statutory limits on profit and how the Government assesses how much profi...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin discusses Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs), an often-misunderstood contracting arrangement, with Skyway team members (and former Contracting Officers) Shelley Hall and Steve Lucianetti. Learn how BPAs differ from most Government acquisition vehicles and why both Government and Indu...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul continue the conversation from Episode 175 (Technical Leveling) to answer the question “Can the Government discuss price with offerors during discussions?”. Learn how FAR 15.306(e) “Limits on Exchanges” gives wide latitude to the Government to include context on an offeror’s...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Overwhelmed by the number of solicitations on FBO.gov? (That’s where the Federal Government posts solicitations and provides information to industry) Kevin and Paul discuss the process of qualifying opportunities. Learn how to make sure you’re spending your time bidding on the right solici...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul discuss how Industry can “provisionally” bill their costs on cost-type contracts per FAR 42.701, which defines “billing rate”. Learn how provisional billing rates are established and how they are managed in order to “meet at the end”. __________This episode is brought to you...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin welcomes special guest Shaun So to the podcast to discuss Shaun’s experience in gaining 8a certification for The So Company. Learn how the 8a Program can help small businesses win Government business and why certification alone is not enough. We introduced the 8a program way back in...

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul discuss a special kind of small business: the HUBZone small business concern. A HUBZone is a historically underutilized business zone designated by the Small Business Administration. If your small business is located in a HUBZone, you may qualify as a certified HUBZone Small...