GovPartners Launches SubTeamPartners Networking Website!

GovPartners has launched the much-anticipated teaming network, www.subteampartners.com. An upgrade to the previous system reduces the time spent searching for a prime or subcontractor to respond to RFPs that require multiple service and products. Not only are you able to post your needs anonymously, the network is designed to facilitate document sharing, teaming opportunity searching and posting, forum participation, capabilities postings, monthly spotlights, saved searches, archives and the use of valuable templates such as NDAs, subcontractor agreements, and teaming agreements. GovPartners is looking for companies to join the beta testing and help populate the network. Click here to join now.

Small Biz & Big Gov = GovPartners.

Did you know that over the past year, the amount of money that small business contractors have invested in seeking gov contracts has averaged $103,827, which is an increase of 21% over the previous year? HOWEVER, small businesses are bidding less. Why? The average success rates for small biz contractors in both prime and subcontracts have also declined, because of a more competitive and tighter environment. As the Gov's budget is streamlined, the lowest price/technically acceptable (LPTA) buying practice is more prevalent. It is time to get creative and manage costs, maintain a reasonable profit, while remaining competitive.

With Congress poised to slash spending to cut the deficit, more large companies are seeking an edge in the competition for federal dollars by acquiring small contractors.

Acquisitions of small government vendors rose by 22.4% last year to 71, the highest level since 2000, according to calculations by Houlihan Lokey, an investment bank in Los Angeles.

Last year was "the most transactions in this space ever," and this year's acquisitions are on pace to match it, said Jean Stack, a managing director at Houlihan Lokey. Read Full Article

Don't miss this powerful one day conference featuring procurement and marketing workshops, an opportunity for you to meet and network with GSA program managers, building managers, leasing specialists, senior procurement associates, as well as small business advocates from DOD and other Federal agencies. Attendees will also be exposed to prime contractors seeking to partner with experienced small businesses to help meet and exceed their company's Subcontracting Plan goals.

Date:
October 6, 2011
Registration opens at 8:00 a.m.
Location:
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004

Don't miss the afternoon Prime Introduction and Networking Session!

Access to Success will close out the day by giving small businesses the chance to hear directly from large prime companies looking for small business subcontractors. These large businesses currently have contracts for major projects with the GSA and other Federal agencies. Prime representatives will introduce their firms in the open forum before they break out into individual meeting rooms. Learn about subcontracting opportunities and their vetting process for selecting small business subcontractors. The Prime participants will include: Clark Construction, Verizon, Level 3, General Dynamics and more. Plan to stay all day; great things don't just happen before lunch! Learn more.

No. 10. General Atomics wins Air Force UAS support contract. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. won a $266 million contract for program and technical support for the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial systems.

9. SAIC captures $351M Navy contract for technical and engineering support. Under a five-year, $351 million Navy contract, Science Applications International Corp. will support the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane Division and the Joint Special Operations Response Department.

8. General Dynamics wins $387M Army contract. General Dynamics Corp. will provide a variety of technical support and training advisory services to the Army under a five-year contract that could be worth as much as $387 million.

7. CGI Federal wins $395M follow-on State Department contract. Under a $395 million, 10-year blanket purchasing agreement, CGI Federal Inc. will provide systems integration and consulting services and support for more than 5,000 State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development users of the Joint Financial Management System at more than 300 posts and missions around the world.

6. SRA wins $500M contract to modernize farm programs. SRA International will work with the Agriculture Department under a $500 million contract to help the agency modernize the technology and business processes it uses to serve farmers across the country.

5. SAIC secures $625M Navy award. Science Applications International Corp. won a $625 million contract from the Navy’s Program Executive Office of Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence. The contract calls for the company to develop software as well as modify and enhance existing C2 systems.

4. Raytheon wins $886M award to boost GPS accuracy.  Raytheon Co. has won a contract from the Air Force worth $886 million to develop a new element of the Global Positioning System that will improve the accuracy of information from GPS satellites.

3. Lockheed scores $940M anti-IED award.  Lockheed Martin Corp. will produce Improvised Explosive Device jammers for the Navy under a indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract that has a ceiling value of $940 million.

2. Lockheed, Northrop win CANES contracts worth nearly $1B.  Defense contracting giants Northrop Grumman Corp. and Lockheed Martin Corp. will assist the Navy with its Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services program known as CANES. Each won separate contracts. Lockheed Martin’s has a ceiling of $937 million and Northrop’s is worth $775 million.

1. CSC, Stanley share $2.8B State Department contract.  Computer Sciences Corp. and Stanley Inc. each won a prime contract to run non-immigrant visa application processing for the State Department. The Global Services Strategy contract is worth $2.8 billion over 10 years and the two companies will compete for task orders for work around the world.

Read full article.

The NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) is performing a technical assessment to form the basis of a possible proposal for the NASA Science Mission Directorate DiscoveryProgram opportunity. This assessment is focused on conducting scientific exploration ofthe planet Mars using ARES, a robotic aerial platform (ARES: Aerial Regional-scaleEnvironmental Surveyor).The purpose of this announcement is to enable LaRC to obtain potential providers toparticipate in the development of the technical concept, proposal, and mission elementimplementation of several mission areas in response to the upcoming NASA DiscoveryProgram Announcement of Opportunity (AO). Specific mission areas where LaRC is seekingassistance include:(1) The ARES Science Team.(2) ARES Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) Team(3) Design and development of the aerial platform structures and mechanisms subsystemincluding the composite airframe, associated hinging and latching mechanisms, and controlsurfaces. (4) Design and development of the liquid rocket propulsion subsystem for the aerialplatform. (5) Design and development of the command and data handling, flight software, and thenavigation sensors (only for entry and flight over Mars). (6) Design and development of the telecommunications subsystem for the aerialplatform and entry system.(7) Design and development of two complete cameras.Discovery Program investigations address NASAs planetary science goals as described inSolar System Exploration, NASAs 2006 roadmap for planetary science. The roadmap may befound at nasascience.nasa.gov/about-us/science-strategy/ . While Discovery investigations may focus on any body in the Solar System, excluding the Earth and the Sun, and including Mars and the Moon, the ARES synopsis focuses on the exploration of Mars. Discovery investigations will be led by a Principal Investigator and will be comprised of scientists in partnerships, potentially involving NASA Centers, academia, and industry.These teams will pursue missions of high scientific value utilizing observation platforms of their choice and design.Release of a draft Discovery AO is expected by the end of CY 2009. It is anticipatedthat approximately two to three Discovery investigations will be selected for 9-month Phase A concept studies.  Read Full Article:www.fbo.gov/index

Have you noticed that the scopes of work in recent government solicitations are increasing in size? Many services and products are all part of one request for proposal. This can be considered good or bad. Requirements once performed by separate contract vehicles may be consolidated under only one. As a result, teaming is becoming more popular and necessary, especially among qualified government contractors. For many companies who are regularly too small to win or perform these large contracts alone, teaming has become a fundamental part of their strategic planning. A successful prime/subcontractor partnership can be as rewarding as a successful contractor/government relationship, and it can be a great way to enter into the market successfully.
It seems with the shift of multiple contract vehicles to consolidated ones, the government is promoting teaming arrangements. Not only does it help them reduce costs, it streamlines the communication and project management. The prime contractor is customarily the liaison for the team which reduces the workload for the government contracting team.

Teaming - Defined
FAR Subpart 9.6- Contractor Team Arrangements defines the term "Team Arrangement" (i.e., teaming) to mean:
(1) Two or more companies form a partnership or joint venture to act as a potential prime contractor; or
(2) A potential prime contractor agrees with one or more other companies to have them act as its subcontractors under a specified Government contract or acquisition program.
9.602 - Contractor team arrangements may be desirable from both a Government and industry standpoint in order to enable the companies involved to--
Complement each other's unique capabilities; and Offer the Government the best combination of performance, cost, and delivery for the system or product being acquired.
Companies normally form team arrangements before submitting an offer. They may enter into an arrangement later in the acquisition process, however, only after a contract has been awarded.
9.603 - The government will recognize the integrity and validity of contractor team arrangements, provided the arrangements are identified and company relationships are fully disclosed in an offer, or, for arrangements entered into after submission of an offer, before the arrangement becomes effective.

The above FAR provisions can be interpreted to mean teaming is encouraged when it is in the best interest of all parties.
The most familiar type of a teaming arrangement is a prime contractor/ subcontractor partnership. The prime/sub approach works well for both parties as long as the roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. In all cases, the prime contractor is in control and the subcontractor must follow this structure.
Usually prime contractors select subcontractors and make them a part of their proposals. A subcontractor can often be a key selling point in a prime contractor's proposal, and this should be used in negotiating the teaming agreement. 

What's in a Teaming Agreement
When entering into a teaming agreement, your company should consider the following:
1.  Is the subcontractor exclusively with the prime?
       - If so, is this in your best interest? Or, can the subcontractor be a part of other competitor's proposals? This is a very important clause depending on the type of contract vehicle and the volume of business associated with the clause. Some teaming agreements may prohibit you to execute teaming agreements with other prime contractors prior to award. This could hurt your competitive chances of winning.
2. Does this prime offer the best teaming solution for the requirement? 
3. Is the subcontractor part of a minimum guarantee of revenue? 
4. What are the performance clauses? 
5. Will the subcontractor be required to participate in negotiations with the government? 
6. What is the pricing structure for the contract? Is it cost plus, firm fixed price or time and materials? How and   when will the subcontractor be paid?
7. Are you the only subcontractor providing the service/product? If not, how will the work be awarded? Will your company have first right of refusal?
8. What FAR’s are passed on to the subcontractor?
9  What is the scope of work and has your company been provided with terms and conditions related to your service/product offerings?                                                                                                                                                           
If you are new to the government market, try to become a team member. Subcontracting is a great introduction to the government market. It is also a great way to build the experience needed to become a competitive government contractor. and can reduce time and investment required to enter the market as a prime contractor.
Sign Up for SubTeamPartners today to form your FY10 contractor team.  GovPartners News Brief: 01 Oct 2009: By Cynthia Karnik