How to Get Government Contracts: Have a Slice of the $1 Trillion Pie
Copyright 2012 by Olessia Smotrova-Taylor
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ISBN-13 (pbk): 978-1-4302-4497-4
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To my husband Michael Taylor, my kids Julia and
Caleb, and my mom and dad
Contents
Foreword
I have been fortunate to serve my country in both the public and private sectors, giving me a firsthand perspective of the internal discourse and processes that govern and affect decision making and subsequent action.
In my experience, I have found that the true obstacle to achieving excellence in government contracting and forming effective partnerships between the government and industry lies in the difficulty found following the regulations and processes of the contracting system.
In some respects, the sequence is straightforward. The government needs services that the contracting agency or individual contractor can provide. There exists both a problem and one or more effective solutions. This process, unfortunately, can get complicated when the needs of the government are not well articulated or the responding contractor does not understand or properly assess them. Security concerns can sometimes add yet another layer of complexity.
Initiating a federal government contract competition for an agency represents a step-by-step procedure of following the four layers of regulation that involve the U.S. Code, the Federal Acquisition Regulations, the specific agencys contracting regulations, and the subagencies policies. These four layers are necessary to safeguard the government from impropriety, empower best practices, and customize guidelines for that individual agency. Additionally, the procurement officer has to sort through the complexity of understanding the technical requirements, determine the actual needs of the government, and tackle the challenge of translating all of this into a succinct yet thorough Request for Proposal (RFP).
From the industry perspective, when the opportunity requires extensive resources or sophistication, small businesses and less experienced contractors could be placed at a disadvantage and might not able to compete as effectively.
Building a bridge that explains the government contracting process from an industry perspective in a clear, understandable methodology remains not only desirable, but essential. This book does exactly that, with step-by-step processes, tools, and techniques. In addition, Olessias essential guide will empower you beyond learning the mere mechanics of how to win your first contract or write a persuasive proposal. Instead, you will learn how to successfully grow your business in the government market, whether you are new to contracting or a seasoned enterprise.
From learning the ropes of the government market, preparing in advance for the proposal, communicating with the right government decision makers in legal and ethical ways, to preparing and delivering your compelling proposal and establishing a foundation from which to grow, this book will serve as your effective guide to understanding everything about the government procurement process. Carefully crafted by a successful contractor in her own right who has won nearly $19 billion in government contracts over the last 18 years, Olessia fills her book with insider insight, proven methodologies, and useful actionable lists to empower you to understand the process, win new contracts, and dramatically expand your business.
If winning a government contract to help the government meet its mission stands as your goal, this book is now your most valuable teammate. Having worked on both sides of the fence, I know how satisfying it can be to achieve these results. As Americans, we are an incredibly optimistic society. What we believe, we achieve. This book helps provide the processes and insider perspectives to make that happen.
Now all you have to do is go out and do it.
The Honorable Jay M. Cohen
Rear AdmiralUnited States Navy (retired)
Principal, Chertoff Group (present)