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If you need help designing and executing your capture program or proposal to win this procurement contact Doug Allston, at 703-642-5153.

Getting Your Foot in the Door
By Mike Berger, Vice President, Advantage Consulting, Inc.

I had a great conversation with a very knowledgeable client last week. The subject turned to long-term planning and he mentioned the frustrations that so many firms have when they bid and lose opportunities they find in FedBizOpps.

He noted that he enters those situations with his "eyes wide open," knowing full well that the odds are completely against him winning, but they have proven to be a good approach for him to meet more people at the Agency, and that even the debriefings, which inevitably told him why he lost, proved of value in terms of relationship building.

As most of you know, when the government's opportunity announcement process was known as the CBD, we said the acronym didn't mean Commerce Business Daily, but rather, "Contractors 't mean it is impossible to win something you find in the FBO, its just that the odds are overwhelmingly against you.

We continue to believe that you will have the highest probability of success (winning) is when you can answer "yes" to the seven "magic" questions (below) and back up your answers with solid evidence. If you can't, the next question needs to be, "Why are we bidding?"

If you continue to struggle with some of these issues, perhaps its time to give me a call. Mike Berger, mberger@acibiz.com, 703-642-5153, cell 703-861-0726.

Insourcing - Unintended Consequences
By Doug Allston, President, Advantage Consulting, Inc.

My observation, over many years, has been that more bad things are done as unintended consequences by trying to do something good then are done on purpose - solving one problem often causes three other problems. The federal government needs to recruit high-quality people with in-demand skills and experience. Insourcing is the chosen solution. They are going to use contractors as their recruiting source. In fact, one of our clients told me of a contract that basically stated that the contractor was to furnish specific people and hold them until the government could process them on to the government payroll.

The government's response to contractors complaining about their poaching (that is what it is called when one contractor recruits another contractor's people) is that the contractors have poached on the government for many years. Turnabout is fair play! For many years contractors have hired government employees -- mainly retired employees or those who left government service for some reason. However, seldom did the contractor purposely go after government employees, and in most cases the government benefited by keeping the retired government employee's experience and knowledge.

I see all kinds of unintended consequences to this institutionalized government poaching on contractors: First, contractor rates are going to go up. You can't be a solution contractors, a service provider contractor, and recruiting firm without it costing more money; contractors must charge for their services.

Second, what is the government going to do when half the key people in their organization sitting on the source selection board for the recompete contract used to work for the incumbent? What am I going to do as the competitor?

Third, for political reasons, my guess is that this poaching is more likely to be exercised against the smaller contractors who may be the least able to handle it. How is that going to affect the set-aside program?

Fourth, how is the government going to deal with the turn-over that they will directly cause? Blame the contractor? What about the contractor's performance? It is hard to manage and perform on complicated, technology-based projects when key people keep getting removed and recruiting has to be started over again?

Fifth, did anyone ever think that maybe these employees the government wants may not want to work for the government? I can tell you that I have met far more unhappy government employees then unhappy civilian employees. I am not aware of any thundering heard of contractor people just waiting to be recruited into government service. So how is that going to work?

Insourcing is a solution to one government problem. Ultimately, I see it the source of many other unintended consequences (problems). Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for; the solution maybe worse than the problem.

Happy hunting! Questions and comments to Doug Allston at dallston@acibiz.com or call me at 703-627-5820.

The Ubiquitous Blue Bird
By Bill Hamilton, Vice President, Advantage Consulting, Inc.

They are everywhere and appear often when least expected! I am referring to the favorite procurement, the blue bird that flies in over the transom.

No company is immune, large and small. Many fall victim to these little opportunities that seem so right but in most instances are so wrong.

The typical blue bird is a project that looks like it came out of your capabilities statement. At a glance, the opportunity seems to have been written for you even if you had nothing to do with the writing. Beware of this little bird, they are expensive and rarely provide the gift they promise.

The usual response we get when we ask about a blue bird is, "It is what we do best." The answer to our next question is not so positive. Do you know the customer? The first thing you should do if you are attacked by a blue bird is ask yourself whether you know the customer and whether the potential customer knows you. What does he think of you? Are you well regarded? Are you respected? Are you trusted? I did not ask if you were technically competent and at this stage, neither would the customer. If you have a chance at the opportunity, he will know that you are. If the answer to other questions are no, my recommendation is that you don't waste your time or money to bid.

If you are not well known, respected and trusted you probably did not have any influence in preparing the bid. Some other company did and they are probably an incumbent or have a very close relationship with the customer. Your chance of winning is very low. Even early stage companies that feel that they have to bid to grow, should be aware that there are two ways to increase your win average: bid more winners and bid fewer losers. Do your homework. Know a customer as well as you can. Know your competition as well as you can. Know your capabilities as well as you can. Finally, give the customer a solution to their problem as best you can.

Beware of the beauty of the ubiquitous blue bird; don�' fall for its beautiful song. Question everything about the bird and maintain a thorough capture effort. Sometimes companies do win blue birds but only by complete capture work and, yes, a little luck. The odds are not with you in blue bird safaris. Avoid them whenever you can.

Want to discuss birds or just go bird watching, call me at 703-405-8912 or contact me by e mail bhamilton@acibiz.com and let's talk.

Establishing Your Predictability
By Sid Jaffe, CEO, Advantage Consulting, Inc.

Most Government employees are more risk adverse than they are entrepreneurial. As such, your predictability, that is, the consistency by which you work and deliver your solutions, is a key element in how you are evaluated and for that matter, how you are trusted. A low price or innovative solution will only go so far if the client can't rely on your delivery of that price and solution. All customers should expect services and products to be performed and operate on a consistent, predictable basis. Be certain that you and your team pay attention to the details and communicate regularly and effectively with your client.

Communication is a two-way process. Be certain that your team has good listening skills and follow-up habits. Strong, predictable performance is the road to add-on work. The evidence of a company being successfully predictable is; their people are on time, every time, with the right solution the first time.

To learn more about this concept contact Sid Jaffe, sjaffe@acibiz.com at 703-642-5153.