Podcasts about contracting officers

The key to maximizing your income potential with military experience is government contracting. In this video USAF veteran Rick Howard walks through 2 paths to use their experience to land high paying account executive positions or start a profitable consulting business.Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification Free Book Download: https://www.dodcontract.com/Watch these videos next:3 Ways To Make Money In GovCon: https://youtu.be/w69_xF5rZJs5 Steps To Your First Client: https://youtu.be/UCGoArfOGJwThis video provides an in-depth look at consulting for government contracting. The speaker, a former Air Force procurement officer, explains the benefits and opportunities within this niche market. He details his journey from military service to running a consulting business that helps companies sell to the government. The discussion includes key areas such as sales strategy, reverse engineering government spending patterns, proposal writing, and the necessary certifications and processes. Real-life examples are shared to illustrate common challenges and solutions. Rick touches on the benefits of consulting versus running a government contracting business, the potential for quick revenue generation, and various specialties within the consulting field. Towards the end, the Rick addresses questions about living internationally while consulting, transitioning into the field without prior experience, and customer acquisition and relationship building. The session concludes with a look into the certification program offered, which includes training on starting and running a consulting business in the government contracting space.00:00 Introduction to Government Contracting Consulting00:54 Understanding the Needs of New Government Contractors01:19 Reverse Engineering Government Spending02:14 Consulting Services for Government Contractors02:42 Challenges and Solutions for On-Contract Companies05:06 Benefits of Consulting Over Direct Government Sales06:21 International Consulting and Remote Work07:39 Starting a Consulting Business Without Prior Experience07:59 Certification Program Overview14:24 Identifying Your Niche in Government Contracting21:53 Subcontracting in Government Contracts31:59 Tech Startups and Government Contracts34:21 Exploring Contract Administration and Subcontract Management35:03 Navigating Government Subcontracting Opportunities36:33 Building a Government Sales Team38:02 Understanding the Role of Contracting Officers and Program Managers41:21 Starting a Consulting Business in Government Contracting46:44 The Pitfalls of the Middleman Strategy52:55 Proposal Writing Tips and Best Practices01:03:45 Final Thoughts and Course Information#remotework #consultingbusiness #startabusiness

The Office Of Management and Budget and General Services Administration have been fielding a data integration tool to help contracting officers. Dubbed Co-Pilot, it gathers data from various governmentwide procurement systems, and presents buyers with pricing histories, vendor information and other data to help their decisions. How's the first month been going? We get an update from the senior advisor at the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, Christine Harada. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Complaints coming from contractors on the General Services Administration's multiple-award schedule. They say contracting officers are trying to re-negotiate finished contracts and making unreasonable demands for information. For more, Federal Drive Host Tom Temin talked with federal sales and marketing consultant Larry Allen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(1/2/24) - In today's Federal Newscast: Congress wants to know how many people have access to secret information. The Department of Transportation sees some big cybersecurity improvements coming in 2024. And the new year brings in new rules for GSA contracting officers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Picture this. You've identified a contracting officer who buys what you sell. The next step is crafting the perfect email to get their attention. You write the email and hit send. If this is your first time doing this, you get a big smile on your face because you know how close you are to getting a contract. To your surprise, nothing happens. You don't get a reply. You try this 100 more times and you don't get a single response. Why? The short answer is that a lot is going on behind the scenes and in each contracting officer's inbox that you aren't aware of. We sat down with Kevin Jans to discuss what's going on in each contracting officer's inbox, the order in which they respond to emails, and how to get your email to stand out so that you increase your odds of getting a reply. ----- Join our Coaching and Training Platform Today! - Our clients have won more than $14.6 Billion in contracts - Over 24K government contractors trained - Every document, strategy guide, and template you need - More than 150 video trainings - Email Support - Monthly Inner Circle Live Q&A Call Podcast SPECIAL -- SAVE 50% on your first month! Go check out this special offer today at https://federal-access.com/gamechangers

In this episode, we dig into the OASIS+ contract. OASIS stands for One Acquisition Source for Integrated Services and the + is that this is the second version of the contract. In OASIS+, the contract structure is very different from the original OASIS. We explain the basics of what OASIS+ is, how it works, and why Contracting Officers would use it and why industry would care about it.Kevin welcomes Joe Luetke from the Skyway Team to help explain the OASIS+ “family of contracts”, along with some of the differences between this and the original OASIS and how best to navigate them.**The first 400 episodes are still free**Episodes 401 and beyond are inside The Skyway Community.Click here to access your Podcast 2.0 license and start listening today!

In today's training, GovCon Chamber president Neil McDonnell shows you how to find federal contracting officers who LOVE 8(a) small businesses. Federal agencies will award over ONE BILLION in government contracts to 8(a) firms in the next two months.Which contracting officers are responsible for contracts aligned with your field of expertise. and core competency?✅ Today's Insights:Identify federal agencies awarding the most sole source / direct awards to 8(a) small businessesCreate a list of Contracting Officers (KOs / COs) who actually sole source contracts to 8(a) small businessesUse USA Spending and FPDS to find award data and direct contacts✅ Watch the live video demonstration on YouTubeHow to Find Contracting Officers that Sole Source to 8(a) Small Businesses–––––––––––––––––––––––––HOST | Neil McDonnell, president GovCon Chamber of CommerceSmall business owners​ trust Neil to​ show them HOW to earn federal government contracts and subcontracts.​A passionate 'evangelist' for business development​ in the federal marketplace, Neil has helped 1000s of small business contractors collectively win over $3B (federal contract value)Neil's Daily LinkedIn Live and YouTube training have been viewed over 1 Million x.​ ​

Love 'em or have 'em, federal proposed rules have a habit of becoming final. For contracting officers in the Defense Department, the latest acquisition regulation means they're obligated to use the Supplier Performance Risk System in evaluating bids. For what it means to contractors, Federal Drive hotst Tom Temin spoke with Piliero-Mazza attorney Kevin Barnett. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Contracting Officers are often required to do provide a debriefing to contractors when they are unsuccessful. However, the means to how that debriefing happens is open for the Government to choose.  In this episode we explain why Contracting Officers often choose to do a written debriefing instead of one in person. 

The Homeland Security Department's procurement shop was busier than ever last year, spending almost $24 billion on about 60,000 transactions.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)This is the 400th episode of the Contracting Officer Podcast.  Thank you to all the listeners who have encouraged us over the years and challenged us to tackle new topics in our quest to make government contracting better, one contract at a time. For the 400th episode we review a few foundational topics that have grown from podcast conversation pieces to full blown training events.After over eight years of podcasting, we're going to decrease the frequency of podcast releases here on the open feed. To learn more, give this episode a listen. _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

The Office of Management and Budget is solving two long-standing issues for contracting officers with the stroke of a pen, and months of effort. A new memo obtained by Federal News Network details how the Biden administration will bring the entire federal government — Defense and civilian agencies — under one education and training standard for contracting officers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Skyway Acquisitions CEO Kevin Jans joins host Mark Amtower on this week's Amtower Off Center to discuss RFP, CPARS and other issues affecting government contracting officers.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)In this "companion episode" to The Three Deciders, Kevin and Paul discuss how roles change after contract award (during The Execution Time Zones (TM)) and describe how the contractor becomes part of the team of "doers" required to deliver the products or services successfully._________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

Scott and Jim have Sal Cianci, Professor of Contract Management at DAU, back to continue our discussion on the changes to the DoD Source Selection Procedures.  In part 4, Sal talks about the two techniques introduced in Appendix D (Streamlining Source Selection) of the guide.  These two techniques discussed are Past Performance Tradeoff (PPT) and Highest Technically Rated Offeror (HTRO).  Both have been around and used by different DoD organizations, and DoD/DPC thought it would be good to in inform Contracting Officers of these methods/techniques, for their consideration for future source selections, where it makes sense.This is a 5 part series - In Part 5 of this series, we will be talking with Kurt Webb, Professor of Contract Management, and a lawyer, about Appendix E, Intellectual Property. The SS Procedures can be found at:  https://www.dau.edu/pdfviewer?Guidebooks/DoD-Source-Selection-Procedures-(SSP).pdfFor a more detailed presentation with DPC and OSD, watch this great webinar:  https://media.dau.edu/media/t/1_1786v50yThe Aug 2022 updated procedures have several classes that are recommended for Source Selection training - here are the courses and links:CON 0072 Source Selection:  https://icatalog.dau.edu/onlinecatalog/courses.aspx?crs_id=12350WSC 032 Source Selection Simulation (SSS) Workshop: https://icatalog.dau.edu/onlinecatalog/courses.aspx?crs_id=12653WSC 005 Source Selection Workshop:  https://icatalog.dau.edu/onlinecatalog/courses.aspx?crs_id=1633SBP 201 Intermediate Small Business Programs, Part A:  https://icatalog.dau.edu/onlinecatalog/courses.aspx?crs_id=2094CLC 028 Past Performance Information:  https://icatalog.dau.edu/onlinecatalog/courses.aspx?crs_id=247DAU Mission Assistance:   https://www.dau.edu/consulting-services YouTube link for Contracting Conversations:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbF8yqm-r_M5czw5teb0PsA

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Skyway team member Joe Luetke discuss the importance of timely and efficient contract closeout.  Listen and learn how neglecting contract closeout can complicate the process for both government and industry.    __________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 opportunities and better equipped to manage the challenges of government contracts.  Members have access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and training resources from Skyway's team of former COs, including the ability to get the perspective of the entire team in the “Ask A Contracting Officer” Forum, get specialized training from on-demand webinars and articles, targeting support through the RFP Score™ assessment tool, as well as custom consulting from Skyway's team of former COs who help solve your unique puzzles. To learn more, visit askskyway.com.___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks.  Admittedly, the podcast's name sounds very limiting.  It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession.  Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin welcomes special guest Brian Burns to revisit "the three deciders", a concept you'll recognize from episode 118 that is also woven into many of our podcasts.  Listen and learn how each of the three deciders impacts the acquisition process and how the roles differ between purely commercial sales and the government acquisition world.  Brian is the CEO of the B2B Network of Podcasts and the host of multiple podcasts including The Brutal Truth About Sales & Selling Podcast.  (b2brevenue.com)  __________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 opportunities and better equipped to manage the challenges of government contracts.  Members have access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and training resources from Skyway's team of former COs, including the ability to get the perspective of the entire team in the “Ask A Contracting Officer” Forum, get specialized training from on-demand webinars and articles, targeting support through the RFP Score™ assessment tool, as well as custom consulting from Skyway's team of former COs who help solve your unique puzzles. To learn more, visit askskyway.com.___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks.  Admittedly, the podcast's name sounds very limiting.  It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession.  Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.   

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul discuss the process that industry uses to review proposals prior to final submittal.  Listen and learn why a red team review can make or break a proposal.         _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin talks Other Transactions and consortia with Mica Dolan, Chief Operating Officer at Advanced Technology International (ATI).  Learn why other transactions (OT)have become a more common acquisition strategy and how an OT consortium may be the manager of the acquisition process.  (and the key to winning government business)       _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

This podcast covers my top eleven ways to reach contracting officers. I talk about the obvious ones such as email, phone, and small business representatives, and then get into some not-so-obvious ways. I also talk about some of the simple and practical tactics that I use to make myself stand out to ensure that I get a return call, email, or meeting. ----- Schedule a call with Michael: https://calendly.com/michaellejeune/govconstrategysession ----- Federal Access is helping Government Contractors win more contracts. It can help you too. Here's a special offer. Visit https://federal-access.com/gamechangers today and get started for just $29. *You are going to get access to a digital copy of the Government Sales Manual. * Over 100 strategy videos * More than 30 webinars * 300 documents and templates AND * SME support. So when you run into an issue, you can email me directly for help. Go check out this special offer today at https://federal-access.com/gamechangers

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)We spend a lot of time on the podcast talking about the Acquisition Time Zones and the Execution Time Zones.  Today Kevin and Paul discuss the infrastructure that supports all the activities that occur during the time zones.  Listen and learn how this "third side" is often overlooked or undervalued by those in the other zones.       _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and special guest Alan Apple (applelaw.us) discuss why the government uses Small Business Innovative Research (SBIRs) and Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs).  (hint: to find innovation in the commercial world)  Listen and learn how Intellectual Property is managed with each of these acquisition tools.  _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork 

In this episode, Nicole and Aubrey discuss training that would educate Contracting Officers and benefit Woman Owned Small Businesses (WOSB). However we uncover a key part of the WOSB that surprises both of us. Listen in and let us know if you have the same reactions we did. Link to GAO Report referenced in episode: https://smallbusiness.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=2536

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul talk government source selection evaluation criteria. Listen and learn how using threshold requirements and objective requirements can give both government and industry the opportunity to reach beyond "good enough" as well as the downsides of incorporating this flexibility into a solicitation.      _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Questions about the solicitation are a fact of life for most acquisitions. Kevin and Paul discuss how early engagement  with  industry can lower the quantity of questions and lead to better mission satisfaction outcomes.  Timing matters for both questions and answers!    _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul describe the process of amending a government solicitation.  Listen and learn why (as always) early and open communication reduces the need for amendments which results in faster and cleaner source selections and timely contract award.     _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is continuing its fast evolution as a standalone department, with CISA set to get its own procurement authority this month.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul discuss two hurdles a small business must leap in order to receive a government proposal.  Submitting a winning proposal that complies with all solicitation requirements is the first.  The government must also be confident that you can perform the work and/or deliver the goods.  Listen and learn the difference between responsive and responsible and why both government and industry must take care to assess both.   _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul discuss the not-very-black-and-white nature of decision making and how not making a decision is a decision in itself.  Listen and learn about why government contracting officers and industry contracting professionals must make decisions to keep business moving along.  _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and special guest (and former Contracting Officer) Angela Jacobs discuss the differences between official contractual direction, business conversations, and basic communication.  Listen and learn why documentation of communications is critical to both industry and government.  _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)The FAR has long defined commercial items, though the very term "commercial item" has created confusion for both government and industry acquisition and sales teams.  Kevin and Paul discuss the "new and improved" definitions of commercial in the FAR, including the expansion from a somewhat generic "commercial item" into commercial products and commercial services.  (which are just two of the categories in the new definition)Listen and learn how this update helps both government and industry meeting their missions.  _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Only a contracting officer can sign a contract on behalf of the government, but as the acquisitions expert, how are they to understand the details of a complex hardware or services buy?Kevin and Paul discuss technical evaluations, the key input to the government's award or negotiation strategy.  Listen and learn how a tech eval provides context for the government's business team._________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)It may be surprising to learn that the federal government sometimes duplicates effort and misses out on economies of scale when buying.  (that's a joke...)Kevin and Paul explain the Economy Act, which allows federal agencies to order goods and services from other federal agencies in order to reduce overlapping activities and leverage economy of scale.  Utilizing the Economy Act may be the path of least resistance for an acquisition, easing the process for both government and industry.    _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul return to the balance between process and relationships in the GovCon world.  Every government acquisition follows a published process and also requires some type of relationship between buyer and seller, whether it is as simple as a website or as complicated as a utilizing lobbyists and influencing legislative decisions.  What level of relationship is appropriate?  What is too much or too little?  Listen and gain perspective on how award decisions are made in this continuation of a regular Contracting Officer Podcast theme.       _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin discusses the Acquisition Time Zones with Brian Burns, podcaster (https://www.b2brevenue.com/about) and government sales guru.  Listen and learn how knowledge of the acquisition time zones can be leveraged to improve a company's chances of winning a bid and why government acquisition teams achieve better results though early communication with potential offerors.   _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)When an RFP is released, there has been some activity, maybe a LOT of activity, by both government and industry that resulted in what you see.  Kevin and Paul take a peek behind the scenes at the work that must be completed to release a solicitation.   _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul discuss OTAs - Other Transaction Authority, a non FAR/DFARS based, legally binding instrument - a much requested topic with a confusing name.  Listen and learn what an OTA is and what it isn't.  This is a high level overview of a complex and evolving government acquisition tool.  The OTA process itself doesn't have to be complex, but can feel that way because it isn't in the FAR comfort zone where most government and industry acquisition folks reside.    _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

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 move into the world of flexible workspace, tapping market trends and exploiting the changes that have occurred in how and where people work.  _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul describe the Contracting Officer's scope determination and how it impacts the government's ability to add work to a contract. (or forces a new acquisition and/or contract)         Listen and learn how the unique nature of government competition requirements can drive additional acquisition team workload in a way that might be surprising in the commercial world._________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Starting off the new year with acronym soup.  MAC (multi-agency contracts or multi-award contracts) IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contracts) are a commonly used government acquisition tool that make it easier for the government to compete and award requirements.  Easier than what?  Good question - and the answer is "it depends".  Kevin and Paul discuss the pros and cons of MAC IDIQs and how both government and industry can leverage them to efficiently buy and sell goods and services.         _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)In this holiday refresher of a previously released episode, Kevin and Paul review, refresh, and update the Acquisition Time Zones.  The Acquisition Time Zones are the way we (this podcast) describe the chronological phases of the government acquisition process. The Acquisition Time Zones help government and industry acquisition professionals and companies who are interested in the government market understand the complicated world of federal government acquisition. The Time Zones are, in chronological order:The Requirements ZoneThe Market Research ZoneThe Request for Proposal (or “RFP”) ZoneThe Selection Zone._________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time.

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)  Kevin and Paul discuss the FAR's preference for telecommuting.  (or working remotely in more modern lingo)Learn why the Government must be clear when documenting requirements for performance at a specific site and how industry can use remote (or onsite) workers to build a competitive advantage.This is a holiday refresher of a previously released episode.    _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time.    

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)The government wants innovative ideas from industry.  The catch is that a government acquisition must start with a requirement.  Chicken and egg?  How does industry submit innovative ideas that don't address a published requirement?Kevin and Paul discuss the government's process for unsolicited proposals. Listen and learn why an unsolicited proposal may not be the path of least resistance to get to contract award.          _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin discusses indirect rates with Wayne LeLand, a former DCAA auditor, current CPA and CFO from Nperspective, a provider of fractional CFO services.  Listen and learn as Kevin and Wayne discuss how integrity of a contractor's rates impacts proposals, contract execution, and audits of past, current, and forecasted costs. _________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul give an overview of the Execution Time Zones -  a helpful way to envision where and how certain topics fit into the Government contracting world.  (execution as in “contract performance”) The Execution Zones are the post-award companions to the Acquisition Time Zones and are referenced in nearly every episode.  Much like the Acquisition Time Zones, the Execution Zones are cyclical, but using contract award as the “beginning” is the easiest way to think about them.  Starting with contract award, we enter the Honeymoon Zone.  Learn what happens during the first days and weeks after contract award and why a contract kickoff meeting is valuable for both sides.  Following the Honeymoon Zone, the continuum moves through the Performance Zone, the Re-Compete Zone, and the Wrap-up Zone before circling back to the Honeymoon Zone for the next contract.   Learn when to begin the capture and business development process for your next award.  Learn when Government acquisition experts begin their market research.  The basic flow of contract execution and administration is explained.  This episode is a quick overview of each zone - be sure to listen to the zone-specific episodes for deeper insight.__________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul discuss the common question "when should I contact the Contracting Officer during the acquisition process?".  Learn the most effective times for different parties from both government and industry to get to know each other and why untargeted communications can be counterproductive.  __________If you enjoy this podcast, check out Skyway Acquisition at skywaymember.com  to begin your relationship with our team of former contracting officers. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for context in the government market. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or email us at connect@skywayacquisition.com  LinkedIn CO Podcast Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6796606/ Facebook Government Contracting Network Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GovernmentContractingNetwork ___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also worked on the industry side, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast's mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time. 

In this episode I talk about how and when Industry can interact with Government Officials

Learn how market research is performed by government officials.   Have a question or topic you would like discussed?  Submit it to nancy@byerlyenterprises.com Federal Contracting Made Easy - www.federalcontractingmadeeasy.com Byerly Enterprises-www.byerlyenterprises.com

Are you a new contracting officer, or are you in the process of becoming a contracting officer? This episode is the first in a series of episodes on notes to new contracting officers. We will talk with seasoned and new contracting officers about what they wish they would have known when they first started out as contracting officers and advice and insights they can share with the folks out in the field. In the first episode of “Notes to New Contracting Officers,” host Amber Pecoraro sits down with Bob Bochenek, Technical Director at the Air Force Materiel Command Contracting Directorate. Bochenek emphasizes the importance of asking questions and being flexible in considering different perspectives. He also shares what he finds challenging about being a contracting officer and what he enjoys most about it. If you would like to share feedback on the podcast, please submit via thecontractingexperience@gmail.com. Enjoy!

In today's Federal Newscast, the Federal Acquisition Regulation Council created a new rule to enforce the Homeland Security Department's ban on the Russian cybersecurity company.