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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.

Freedom of Information
By Mike Berger, Vice President, Advantage Consulting, Inc.

When we talk about competing for work in the Federal marketplace, the question about Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests usually arises. Many firms know how to use the FOIA effectively, particularly if they are involved in a re-competition, but surprisingly many firms do not.

As you know, under the FOIA, Federal agencies are obligated (with certain exceptions) to provide information they have on file upon receipt of a proper request. Any firm seeking to compete for a contract held by another company should automatically submit a FOIA request at the earliest possible date to obtain as much information as possible about the on-going effort. We suggest that submitting a FOIA request at least two years or more before an RFP is anticipated is not unrealistic.

But, what many firms don't understand is that there's a "Catch22" associated with each request. If, for example, you ask for a copy of a current contract, the Federal agency is obligated to advise the incumbent that you have made the request, and the incumbent has the right to request that proprietary portions of the contract be redacted (removed). But more important, you "telegraphed" to the incumbent that you, "Company X" are interested in their contract.

So, a key rule for any FOIA request is that you must not submit it under your own letterhead. Since a request does not require a reason, virtually anyone may submit one; we strongly recommend you use an identity that cannot be tracked back to your company.

So, what should you ask for and where can you find that information? Ask for anything you can think of related to the contract, including any delivery or modification orders and copies of monthly reports regarding the contract prepared to date. Your request should include as much information as possible including the name of the prime contractor, contract number, award dates, and so forth. A visit to www.fedspending.org will usually produce details on virtually all prime contracts. You can search that site in many ways, including by company name.

We also recommend that you ask for pricing information. In that regard, if you are gutsy, you can remind the agency that in the case of Racal Milgo vs. SBA No. 81-1840, December 28, 1981, U.S. District Court of Washington, DC, the judge stated, "Disclosure of prices charged the Government is a cost of doing business with the Government." You may or may not get the information, but you have nothing to lose by asking.

Finding winnable opportunities is what Business Development is all about. Please give me a call and we'll meet and talk about how Advantage Consulting can help your company grow. Mike Berger, mberger@acibiz.com 703-642-5153, cell 703-861-0726.

Is FedBizOpps Your Best Source for Leads?
By Sid Jaffe, Advantage Consulting, Inc.

Time and again we are contacted by Business Development professionals whose message of woe is something like the following: "The boss says we don't have enough in the pipeline. I have been told to look through FedBizOpps every day and find things to bid on. The boss says we have to bid to win and we have to bid a lot to win. We need to bid more." Their next statement is, "But we aren't winning the bids we find on FedBizOpps."

Going through FedBizOpps in that manner is akin to responding to every job in the want ads that interests you whether you would be of interest to the employer or not. Can you get hired? Sure. Are you likely to get hired? I think not.

There is of course a correlation between pipeline and success and bidding and the ability to grow the business. But like a job search, the best opportunity to win a job, or contract, is where you have done the homework and found the right opportunity and then earned it.

What is the alternative to unproductive bidding from FedBizOpps? It is four steps: first is to do more research on projects and future agency needs using public domain information and services. Second is to verify the opportunity by meeting the sponsors and following up. Third is to have a system, like WinAward, to track opportunities and help you to make supportable pursue/no pursue decisions: and, finally, put the right, trained, people on the opportunity to follow-up.

For more information on implementing the four steps to success contact Sid Jaffe, sjaffe@acibiz.com at 703-642-5153.

What to Do When you Don't Have Anything To Do?
By Bill Hamilton, Vice President, Advantage Consulting, Inc.

Business development operations and challenges come in cycles. Frequently, though, companies don't make the best use of time during non-proposal periods. Proposals are frequently crisis periods that could be calmed by using "dead time" more effectively.

Two major problem areas faced by services companies are: maintaining current resumes and maintaining past performance histories. Resumes are not just a document for a job search. Companies use them to qualify their specific capabilities and staffing on a project. Don't just ask a human resources director to review resumes for currency. Make it a line managed project involving the particular individual and their managers. Build a reference resume that can be edited to support the different types of proposals the person could specifically be assigned. By using the managers, who could very possibly be prospective project or program managers, they learn more about the individuals they will have to manage. By being accountable, the managers will take more initiative and the job really will get done.

Accurate and extensive past performance histories are vital in developing a justification for a bid. Many companies will frantically edit them for a particular solicitation and then forget about them until the next time. One way to avoid a potential crisis is to update the histories periodically and add items of broad interest that could be edited in the future to address the needs of a future bid. As above, make this a project and appoint a manager who is a senior manager and was involved in the former projects or very knowledgeable about them. You are looking for history that addresses many aspects of a project so you can have the necessary substance to tailor for a future bid.

Now is the time your technologists can be active outside the company. Get them involved in developing and presenting technical papers at symposia or other meetings. This is a time, too, when they can assist your business developers by making technical calls, attending meetings or by supporting other technical business development efforts. If you haven't activated a Technology Team, do so and keep it active. This team is a resource for the entire company, not just a single project.

What is important to your target agencies and what is new in the market? Expand your business development processes and expand your networks. Keep visible as a company in the associations to which you belong. Go out and make a new friend.

The single, most important thing is to keep active and keep learning about your market and your target agencies. Keep your all important reference material current and don't wait for things to happen.

Want to discuss how to keep your staff active during a down turn in activity? Call me at 703-405-8912 or contact me by e mail at bhamilton@acibiz.com and let's talk.