Keys to Winning by AOC Key Solutions

Learn about the components that make up a successful capture infrastructure, including the people, processes, and timelines. Guest: John Crowley, Capture Services Manager, AOC Key Solutions For a full post and resources: https://info.aockeysolutions.com/podcasts/capture-management-a-beginners-guide

How can small businesses in GovCon break through the online noise to get customers? We talk to Meg Kerns, a Digital Marketing Strategist on how companies can use their digital presence to turn "cold leads" into "warm handshakes" and measure their Social ROI. Guest: Meg Kerns, Owner, MOKup Media Full post: https://info.aockeysolutions.com/podcasts/how-small-businesses-can-leverage-their-websites

Graphics tend to get short shrift, but they anchor your ideas and serve as visual guides that help evaluators score your proposals. Learn what graphic elements to include in your proposal and how to enforce visual consistency and unity across all proposal sections.  Guest: Ashlie Alvarado, Production Manager, AOC Key Solutions Transcript available: https://info.aockeysolutions.com/podcasts/how-to-design-for-proposals

Learn what defines the role of a technical writer vs. a subject matter expert, how to set clear expectations for each role, and tips on collaborative best practices. Guest: Ellen Perrine, Proposal Development Consultant, AOC Key Solutions

Executive summaries set the tone for the entire proposal. Learn what makes a perfect executive summary, from page length, to organizational structure, and graphics. Guest: Harry Pritchett, Vice President, AOC Key Solutions Full transcript: https://info.aockeysolutions.com/podcasts/what-is-an-executive-summary-and-how-to-write-one

Agile is a buzz word that's been somewhat overused the last few years in the proposal industry. But what if we told you, to forget what you think you know about Agile. In this episode, learn what Agile and Scrum are and how these methodologies can help you improve your proposal process. Guest: Brian Mowbray, Agile Institute Lead, Accenture Federal Services

Pricing can be an almost hidden part of the proposal development process. In this episode, we break down how pricing works, from shredding the RFP to the final formula. Guest: Tom O'Connor, Pricing Specialist Transcript: https://info.aockeysolutions.com/podcasts/a-guide-to-federal-proposal-pricing

Over the years, we have run across a variety of proposal resources that were good, but difficult to understand without extra training. To address this challenge, we created a simple, digestable manual for both capture and proposals using our proven processes and tools. Ashley Kayes of AOC Key Solutions shares how this guide can help you respond to RFPs more effectively. Check it out: https://store.aockeysolutions.com

When bidding on a federal contract, an RFP often asks for a risk management plan, a description of risks and how you plan to mitigate them. Michael Cushman shares how to identify and address risk in your technical section. Guest: Michael Cushman, Cushman & Associates Transcript available: https://info.aockeysolutions.com/podcasts/how-to-address-risk-in-your-technical-solution

When you're managing a proposal you quickly learn, not everybody is likable. Not everybody is a go along. Not everybody even wants to be on the proposal team. So what do you do? Use these soft skills to help lead your team to a winning proposal. Transcript available at https://info.aockeysolutions.com/podcasts/the-soft-skills-proposal-managers-need-most Guest: Jim McCarthy, Founder, AOC Key Solutions

Ellen Perrine shares how to develop strong past performance references that mirror the scope of work in the RFP and help you score higher. Guest: Ellen Perrine, VP, AOC Key Solutions Full transcript and resources: https://info.aockeysolutions.com/podcasts/how-to-develop-powerful-past-performance-references

Credentials are a necessary standard in an industry that attracts all kinds. We discuss why APMP certification is important for companies and consultants alike, and how to get it. Guest: Ben Bartunek, Proposal Development Specialist, AOC Key Solutions Transcript available: https://info.aockeysolutions.com/podcasts/getting-your-apmp-certification

The financial impact of the average cyber breach exceeds $8 million, with reputational damage superseding even the worst financial losses. From front-line employees to the C-Suite, security is now an entire organization’s responsibility. Use these simple and effective measures to help protect your data. Guest: Victor Marchetto, Senior Information Security Field Solution Architect, CDW

According to GAO stats, about HALF of bid protest cases result in some significant remedy. Learn how to protect your bid in the pre-award phase, red flags to watch for in the post-award phase, and when to engage legal intervention. Guest: Christian Curran, Government Contracts Attorney, Crowell & Moring LLP Full transcript available: https://info.aockeysolutions.com/podcasts/how-to-protect-your-proposals-from-protests

Learn how to successfully sell your technical and management approach to the government during oral presentations using the 5Cs method. Guest: Sara Freeman Marchetto, Vice President, AOC Key Solutions Full transcript: https://info.aockeysolutions.com/podcasts/orals-coaching-part-two

Learn about the fundamentals of the government orals presentation format, including the Q&A session, preparation methods, what to expect from the panel, and more. Guest: Sara Freeman Marchetto, Vice President and Orals Coach, AOC Key Solutions Get the full interview transcript: https://info.aockeysolutions.com/podcasts/orals-coaching-part-one

Mid-tier contractors are on their own in GovCon. They lack the set-asides and other legislative supports of small businesses and yet they don't have the depth of resources that large businesses do. Learn what defines a mid-tier contractor and what's being done to level the playing field. Guest: Andrew Hunter, Director of the Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group at the Center for Strategic and International Studies Host: Ray Thibodeaux, AOC Key Solutions

Veteran Owned Businesses generate about $1.4 trillion in sales per year and employ nearly 6 million people but sometimes still struggle to compete for federal contracts. Learn about the specific resources available to VOSBs to compete in the federal market and the SBA programs boosting veteran entrepreneurship. Guests: Barbara Carson, Deputy Associate Administrator, Small Business Administration For the full episode transcript visit: https://info.aockeysolutions.com/podcasts/empowering-veterans-in-govcon-programs-and-resources

Keys to Winning shares practical advice for GovCon professionals from industry experts. Here are 3 reasons you should tune into season 2!

We sit down with Jon Baker and John McCarthy, attorneys at Crowell & Moring to get their insight on the government’s stepped-up efforts to obtain technical data rights and intellectual property from contractors. It seems like a bargain for taxpayers, but for contractors, not so much? We also talk to Jim McCarthy of AOC Key Solutions as he offers a cautionary tale for those who put together proposal outlines. Guests: Jon Baker, Partner, Crowell & Moring John McCarthy, Partner, Crowell & Moring Jim McCarthy, Founder, AOC Key Solutions

In this episode, Maria Panichelli with Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman discusses how investigations of Affiliation can arise during the bidding phase as a competitor seeks to disqualify you and what you should do. Jim McCarthy, Founder of AOC Key Solutions also discusses the subtle distinctions between compliance and responsiveness.