Contractors and acquisition policy leaders have argued for years that there are “too many” Multiple Award Contracts (MAC’s).  The cost of bidding, managing, and maintaining overlapping contract vehicles weighed contractors, and several government agencies, down.  Everyone welcomed a move toward trimming vehicles.

Now that we have it, however, via OMB’s Best-in-Class initiative, not everyone is singing the same song.  Industry, correctly, points out there appears to be little objective reasoning on what Read more

Although many government contractors are aware of the limitations of e-mail based marketing campaigns, we still do get requests from companies asking where they can obtain a list of federal agency e-mail addresses.  Let’s be clear: Your federal prospect is likely deluged by dozens of promotional e-mails each week, if not daily.   The time and money you sink into a straight e-mail approach would be better spent on a training class on the marketing approaches that do work.  So, what is it that your federal prospect might look at?  Content.  Over and over Read more

Long-time reader G. Hawn of Agoura Hills, CA writes, “My company has had a GSA Schedule contract for 13 years.  Our Schedule prices are the same today as they were at award, even though our commercial prices are now 30% higher.  How can we adjust our Schedule prices to reflect commercial reality?”  This is a very common problem, G.  Most Schedule contractors Read more

Many contract compliance problems start small.  A miscalculated payment here, a discount not extended there. Many companies figure they’ll just take care of it “later”.  As with medicine, though, ignoring the early signs often means up your company can end up in the compliance ER.  Small problems don’t have to become big issues, though.  Allen Federal can help your team check for cracks, and recommend small fixes before an audit wave floods your contract basement.  Make sure you’re compliance program is as healthy as your business.  Contact us at info@allenfederal.com.

Recent discussions we’ve had with contractors and contracting officers indicates that federal business is in full-swing.  We are now officially in the last quarter of the fiscal year. Things will only get busier from here on.  Here are three things your company should be focusing on, or not, right now:

1.  Realize that Assisted Acquisition Service Deadlines Have Or Are About to Pass: Are you and your customer seeking an outside acquisition shop to manage your procurement?  It’s already too late to bring new business to some centers, like the Interior Business Center. Deadlines for NIH’s NITAAC assisted acquisition shop are fast approaching.  If you and your customer can’t get a project together by the middle of the month, look for another route to get your business done.

2.  Be an Expert on Simplified Acquisitions and/or IDIQ Contract Use:  Your customer’s acquisition shop is overwhelmed.  To make sure your great solution gets acquired, you need to provide help and suggestions on how that can happen.  Simplified acquisitions, use of IDIQ contracts like NASA’s SEWP and the GSA Schedules, and familiarity with small business set-asides can help you help your customer get the job done fast.

3.  Set Dates By Which You Cast Some Business Away and Focus on Other Opportunities:  You don’t need to cut your pipeline in half right now, but your company should have a process in place that allows you to focus more and more on what’s “real” and not just “possible”.  Some projects that look like winners today may drop off.  Let them.  Keep your eye on fish that’s already on the line.  Follow these simple steps and you can spend October on a beach, not at an industry conference in a stuffy DC hotel.