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Better Efficiencies,
Defined
What does the Government mean when
department heads start talking about creating "better
efficiencies" and "delivering greater value to the taxpayer"
in the procurement process? Many believe that it means
an expanded Government workforce that will take on the role
that contractors now play. The evidence?
The
Department of Homeland Security announced in October that it
would convert over 3,000 contractor jobs to Federal positions.
The Department of Defense (DoD) announced in April that it
would convert 11,000 contracting acquisition jobs to workforce
and additionally expand the DoD workforce by 9,000. Stimulus
job-creation data in Government outpaced that of the private
sector so far this year.
As
Steven L. Schooner, associate professor of law and co-director
of the Government procurement law program at The George
Washington University Law School said to Government
Executive.com, "When you say you are going to cut contractors
it means one of two things: you are either increasing the size
of the Government in terms of personnel, or you are going to
provide less services - And neither one is an option right
now." |
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A
Mandate to Cut 7%
In July, the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) called on Federal agencies to reduce
their contract spending by 3.5% in Fiscal Year
2010 and another 3.5% in FY11. Further, OMB asked
agencies to reduce by 10% their use of "high-risk"
procurements - presumably those that run the risk of
being higher-cost - including sole-source,
cost-reimbursement and time-and- materials
contracts.
While OMB projects that
contracting savings could amount to $40 billion each
year, they left it up to each agency to determine how to
achieve those savings. Agencies submitted their savings
and efficiency plans to OMB at the beginning of
November, and specifics have not been
released. |
Savings
Strategies
According to Government
Executive.com, which surveyed agencies as they were
preparing their plans, several strategies were among
those being considered:
- Converting
cost-plus contracts to fixed price
- Using
technology to create efficiencies
- Evaluating
whether contracts coming up for renewal should be
continued, modified or canceled
- Bringing
the work in-house
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The
Opportunity
When tax revenue declines, as
it has during this recession, Governments tend to do two
things: Compete with the private sector for Government
funding, and bring services back in-house. The
opportunity for private organizations lies in two key
areas: Specialized expertise and cost-savings. You have to make the
argument that you have the specific experience,
resources and specialized expertise to make contracting
more effective and cost-effective than in-sourcing. And
then show them the savings - or get a job in the Federal
Government! |
About
Proposal Pro
Keep current, and keep getting
contracts. Here at Proposal Pro we know a thing or two about what needs to be
incorporated in proposals; we write nearly 150 each
year. Proposal Pro writes to win - helping businesses
and non-profits to secure the large-scale, multi-year
contracts that ensure their growth and profitability. We
offer technical writing, complete proposal preparation
and strategic consulting that get results for our client
- including more than $50 million
in Government grants and contracts last
year. |
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Win
Your Next Government Contract
Proposal Pro's Write to
Win™ training materials provide the inside
information that savvy proposers use to win
large-scale contract awards. Our audio CD reveals what
to read an RFP for, what the evaluators want to see, and
what mistakes to avoid. In addition to providing a
step-by-step review of a Government RFP, each disk
includes the worksheets and forms that we use to create
proposals that evaluators respond to - with contract
awards! And remember, the purchase of
training materials is a tax-deductible business
expense.
To purchase,
contact us at 914-633-3352 or visit our website at http://www.wingovtcontracts.com |
For further information or a free
10-minute consultation,
contact:
Judie
Eisenberg
President
Proposal Pro,
Inc.
914-633-3352
info@proposalpro.com
Send
Story Suggestions, Questions or Comments
to
info@proposalpro.com
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