Government Contracting News Flash
Insider Tips and Solutions
Connect with us
Facebook Logo

View our profile on LinkedIn
New website of interest

Check out Where In Federal Contracting website.

It features a wealth of information on Government contracting related topics. 

What's on Your Mind?

If you are interested in any specific topics, please let us know so we can cover them in the upcoming issues. Thank you.

Email us with topics you would like us to cover

Finance Matters
For Government Contract and Purchase Order Financing, Advances on Accounts Receivable and Inventory
 
Bid Proposals
For program management, proposal planning and development as well as system engineering, contact
 
Trade
For International trade strategies & trade compliance solutions, including Government Regulatory Compliance & ITAR Agreements,  contact

Ask the DCAA Experts 
 
Email your questions to our former DCAA auditors ready to help 
I.T. Services
Deltek hosting, design, build, maintain voice and data network infrastructure services are provided by
 

Government Cost Accounting

Have questions regarding government cost accounting, such as fringe, overhead and G&A costs, ICE Models, Rate calculations & audits, FAR & DCAA regulations?
 
Email Debbie Goode, CPA
Website: Hoyman Dobson
Selling to Government Made Easy
Selling to the Government Made Easy
If you are an established business located in Central Florida and are interested in selling your product or service to the government, take advantage of the FREE counseling available through the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at the Small Business Development Center at UCF. Start your journey into the world of government contracting with the right tools and proven strategies.
 Email Tony Espinosa, Procurement Specialist

Insurance
As a Government contractor, how can you make sure your insurance coverage fully meets your needs and the industry requirements?  With questions on  Workers' Comp, General Liability, Auto Liability, Professional Liab, Employee Benefits 
Intellectual Property
Protect your brand and your product through timely and proper trademark and patent registration. Where do you get started?
 
GSA Schedules
Let Gary help you win and administer GSA contracts, market, set pricing and manage your  GSAAdvantage! catalog!
 
Legal Solutions
Ed can help with representing Government Contractors in bid preparation, bid protests, performance issues, claims, and disputes 
 
                                    March 2011
Greetings from your Government Contracting Advisory Team (GCAT),

Here are some events you may be interested in:

Sincerely,
Your Government Contracting Advisory Team (GCAT)
Bidding on a new contract?
Ask the Question

By Ed Kinberg, Attorney,
Fellow, National Contract Management Association
Board Certified, Construction Attorney 
Kinberg & Associates, LLC 
Have questions for Ed? Send Ed an email

Based on my 25 years of experience in practicing federal procurement law, the single biggest cause of bid protests and contract disputes is the failure to "ask the question." While I can't tell you what the question is because it's never the same, I can tell you that by "asking the question" you can save a substantial amount of time and expense.

One of the core principles of federal procurement is that if you suspect something is unclear or there is a conflict in the contract documents, you have to ask for clarification. If you don't, you proceed at your own risk and are responsible for the consequences. This rule applies both before and after award.

Before award, you are responsible for asking about patent defects or ambiguities. A patent defect is a defect or ambiguity that is obvious.

Read the rest of the article>>

Your Bid Proposal Strategies
Scheduling a 30-day Proposal Activity

By David Krigelman, President   
Krigelman & Associates
Have questions for David? Send David an email
The submittal date for a proposal that is prepared in response to a Government-prepared solicitation may be 30 days, 45 days, 60 days, or 90 days after release depending on the complexity of the required documentation. In the example shown below, I have chosen a 30-day response time with no weekend work required for simplicity of presentation.

In the example, the Request for Proposal (RFP) is released on the Internet on a Tuesday, which is the last day of the month and delivered 30 days later. Is it often said that the Government intentionally releases RFPs such that the Contractor's personnel have to work over holiday periods (Christmas and New Years for example) while they are home enjoying their time off but I will leave that up to others to debate.

Read the rest of the article>>

March Government Contracting Legal Updates

By Ed Kinberg, Attorney,
Fellow, National Contract Management Association
Board Certified, Construction Attorney 
Kinberg & Associates, LLC 
Have questions for Ed? Send Ed an email

Given the recent increase new laws, regulations and policies effecting Government Contractors your GCAT team will be including brief summaries of selected laws, regulations and policies along with links to the Government website (regulations.gov) so you can read the full text of a new item and submit comments if appropriate.

On March 16, 2011 an interim rule was issued that requires agencies to prepare a Justification and Approval memorandum (J&A) for the award of any 8(a) sole source contract over $20,000,000.00 and requires the Agency to make the J&A public after award. The rule specifically requires the J&A to describe the reason(s) behind the Agency's decision to make a sole source award instead of a competitive acquisition. This rule became effective immediately upon release. Since it is an interim rule, you may submit comments before the final rule is issued provided you submit your comments no later than May 16, 2011. 

To read the full rule click here.

To submit comments, click here.

On March 16, 2011, a Proposed Rule was issued that would increase small business size standards for 35 industries.  This is a proposed rule and is open for comment until May 16, 2011. 

To read the full text of the proposed rule, click here.

To submit comments, click here.

Meet the GCAT

The Government Contracting Advisory Team

Through the independent services of the Government Contracting Advisory Team (GCAT) businesses can quickly find professional resources to help them succeed in all areas of government contracting.  
 
The GCAT Members include:
The individual companies participating in GCAT are not affiliated with each other for any purpose other than providing educational programs for issues related to government contracting.  Participating companies do not share fees and, have no obligation to refer client's to companies participating in GCAT and do not assume any responsibility or liability for information provided by any member of GCAT.