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FEDERAL PUBLICATIONS SEMINARS PRESENTS: AN ARONIE/ALLEN CREATION

ADVANCED ISSUES IN MULTIPLE AWARD SCHEDULE CONTRACTING.  Feeling uncertain about your company’s Multiple Award Schedule management and/or compliance?  Join Larry Allen and Jonathan Aronie of Sheppard Mullin October 25-26, 2017 for the award-winning Advanced Issues in Multiple Award Schedule contracting.  Here are the Top 10 Reasons to attend:

10. Special 2-for-1 discount for friends of Larry or Jonathan.  (If you received this email, consider yourself a BFF of Larry or Jonathan.)

9. Be a part of the course that past attendees have called:  “One of the very best government contracts courses I’ve attended in the last 29 years”; “Absolutely the best seminar I have ever attended”; and “Learned more than in 20 years selling to the government.” (These are real, by the way.)

8. A couple off-the-clock legal questions to Jonathan during a break easily pays for the course.

7. Learn about all the new craziness going on in commercial items procurement, including (a) GSA’s ongoing price-above-all-else philosophy, (b) GSA’s “now you see me, now you don’t” Transactional Data Reporting Rule, and (c) the hard-to-believe Congressional effort to force all DOD COTS purchases through two non-competitively-awarded commercial marketplaces instead of through existing commercial or Government procurement vehicles.

6. Easy way to get your CLE, CPE, and other continuing education credit before year’s end.

5. Chance to hear about the successes (and missteps) of other Schedule contractors without having to take a competitor to dinner.

4. Opportunity to ask questions that begin with “I have a friend who . . . .”

3. Experience the most riveting discussion of the Price Reductions Clause, Trade Agreements Act, False Claims Act, teaming, audits/investigations you ever will hear!

2. Check off a box toward compliance with FAR 3.10 Business Conduct and Ethics regulations (which, incidentally, will be discussed in depth at the course).

1. Personal attention from two of the leading practitioners in the MAS community (if we do say so ourselves).

This comprehensive course, taught by Jonathan Aronie and Larry Allen, has received consistently outstanding reviews since it first began about 20 years ago. The course is designed to cover the primary “high risk areas” of Schedule Contracting, with a special focus on compliance, audits, and risk avoidance. Detailed discussions of the Price Reductions Clause, Commercial Sales Practices Format, Industrial Funding Fee, Contractor Teaming Arrangements, Out of Scope Contracting, Transactional Data Reporting, and the Trade Agreements Act will serve as the vehicles to examine all three subject areas. The course will provide practical advice on how to recognize the benefits of contracting with the Federal Government while minimizing the risks by, among other things:

  • Negotiating (or renegotiating) a realistic and flexible contract as the primary means of ensuring future compliance and minimizing future risk,
  • Implementing a functioning internal compliance program, and
  • Dealing with compliance issues as they arise during contract performance, especially in the context of the Price Reductions Clause, as it relates to pricing and discounting to commercial customers.

To register or for more information, contact Rachel Hafiz, Conference Coordinator, at 651-666-2023 or visit www.fedpubseminars.com for more info.  Be sure to ask for Larry’s and Jonathan’s “Advanced Issues” class, and don’t forget to ask for your “Friends of Larry and Jonathan 2-for-1 discount.”

NEW FAS LINE UP DESIGNED TO DRIVE MORE GSA BUSINESS

GSA Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Alan Thomas rounded out his management team last week, appointing several new people to permanent and acting positions.  Taken together, the moves are a strong sign that Thomas intends to increase FAS’ share of federal acquisition.   The appointments of Mary Davie to be permanent Deputy Commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service and Kay Ely to be the permanent Assistant Commissioner for IT were just two of the announcements.  Davie is well-known in the federal IT community and her Read more

FED LEADERS SAY “WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, BUT KNOW OUR MISSION”

Sometimes it seems like senior federal customers are hiding in some remote Afghan cave when your firm is trying to set up a meeting.  While this may certainly be the case sometimes, more often feds say that contractors don’t know anything about their agency’s mission when they want to get together.  That makes the discussion one-sided and, as such, not productive.  Taking the time to know your agency’s mission, however, is just one part of the process.  A Read more

COULD NORTRHOP-ORBITAL DEAL SPARK A NEW ROUND OF M&A ACTIVITY?

While defense budgets may increase this year and next, there is still likely pent up demand for mergers or acquisitions among government contractors. The preceding multi-year period of stagnation has left many companies looking for a “what’s next?” strategy that could include growing market share via acquisition.  Specialized firms, too, may be looking for suitors as a way to become more stable by becoming part of a larger enterprise.  While some Defense officials Read more

POST FY MAKE SURE YOUR PEOPLE STAY CURRENT ON COMPLIANCE, ETHICS

Annual training on contract compliance and ethics is a best practice and absolutely essential for any contractor that takes its federal business seriously.  October and November are great times to get your staff to get up to speed on new Schedule rules, compliance issues, gift giving in advance of the holidays and more.  While some of these topics can make paint drying in Louisiana look like fun, Allen Federal’s presentation keeps you on the edge of your seats and may even amuse you.  Either way, you and your staff will be engaged.  Don’t put off critical training that can help prevent or minimize future problems.  Contact Allen Federal at info@allenfederal.com today and we’ll be happy to put together a presentation just for you.