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Management & Operating (M&O) for Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12), Pantex Plant Site (PX), & Savannah River Site (SRS)

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If you need help designing and executing your capture program or proposals to win this procurement contact Sid Jaffe, at 703-642-5153.

Brown Bag Session 10: The Value Proposition
By Sid Jaffe, President, Advantage Consulting, Inc.

There are several Business Development topics and exercises that make excellent "Brown Bag" topics during a working lunch with your team. An adage in business is that for an opportunity to be of value, and for a relationship to endure, it must be of equal value to all parties involved. That makes sense, yet many organizations do not focus on the concept of a value proposition that strikes a balance.

Think of business as a three-legged stool with one leg being the client, one being the employee, and the third being the ownership/shareholders of a company. If one leg is shortened the stool is out of balance. Shorten one leg too much and the stool collapses. The strongest stools have rungs that join (or communicate) - They are solid and lasting.

Your firm's value proposition begins with communication between the three major assets of your firm: The Clients, Employees and Management/Ownership Group. A topic for your team to discuss is how communications can be strengthened between all three of the legs of your business.

For more information of BD training for your managers and technical staff contact Sid Jaffe, sjaffe@acibiz.com at 703-642-5153.

Proposal Tip: Don't Talk About Yourself
By J.P. Richard, Vice President, Advantage Consulting, Inc.

Reread your proposal early to see if you are spending a lot of time describing your company. If so, you can't win. The reviewers don't want to know who you are, nor even how good you are (because everyone will say they are good), they want to know that you understand their problems and have provided them with the best solution to their problems. You can only do that well if you have done your homework and have talked to someone in the client organization who can tell you not only what you will read in the RFP, but also what unspoken needs and problems may exist. Here's where you need to have someone who knows the agency intimately assisting you as you plan your response.

To talk about how we can support your proposal efforts, contact J.P. Richard, jprichard@acibiz.com.

So You Don't Have Enough People?
By Bill Hamilton, Vice President, Advantage Consulting, Inc.

In our business development and capture workshops we discuss the use of teams to coordinate business development and collect and evaluate information. These teams are concerned about building support for a client agency and building your business to provide those services."Customer Service Teams" support booked accounts while "Exploratory Teams" concentrate on future accounts and business. This article is oriented toward Customer Service. Exploratory Teams will be discussed in a future article.

Small companies frequently tell me they agree with the concept in theory, but feel they do not have enough resources to assign people to specific teams. They view the team effort as additional to regular duties. Actually the team efforts can be accomplished as part of regular duties and do not normally require additional staffing. These teams are not large and members are selected because of their experience, knowledge of the agency or the technology being applied. In many cases, team members are already providing services to the agency. In every case, team members are involved with the agency and its people. The team structure provides a more effective way to manage business development and information collection and evaluation. People in your company will begin to communicate more collectively leading to developing better ways to aid the client agency and so grow your business.

Team members communicate on a regular basis enhancing knowledge of agency interests, concerns and ideas. Team members can pass information for analysis and benefit to people who can use that information. Team Leaders coordinate necessary business development activities to aid in improving information collection and evaluation. This evaluation aids development of demonstrations to enhance the company position. The team provides strong coordinated consistent leadership and direction throughout the business development process.

The team concept also provides accountability. A team leader is a results oriented line manager accountable to higher management. The core team members (about 4 or so) provide management support, technical support and advice. They coordinate activities and provide the interface with the on site personnel. All of these activities are performed in conjunction with their regular operational duties but team activities and duties do not interfere with those regular operational duties.

The use of a Customer Service Team is a business decision that can grow your business more effectively. If you would like to discuss use of these teams in more detail contact me at bhamilton@acibiz.com or by phone at 703-642-5153 and let's talk.

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