During this webinar, we'll discuss the structure of RFPs including the individual sections, review steps for proposal preparation, compile questions for internal evaluation of your proposal, and review best practices for proposal preparation.

1. Reading &
Responding to RFPs

2. We Know Government
Contract Accounting

3. Who we are
Left Brain Professionals is a boutique accounting firm that serves
government contractors. We specialize in accounting system design
& implementation, audit support, training, and cybersecurity
compliance.

4. Our Services

5. Our Team
Robert E. Jones
Government Contracts &
Accounting Expert
CPA, CPCM, NCMA Fellow
Melissa Metzger
Government Accounting &
Finance Advisor
MAFM, CPA Candidate
Steven Bressler
Government Contract
Associate
steve@LeftBrainPro.com
melissa@LeftBrainPro.com
robert@LeftBrainPro.com

6. Learning
Objectives
• Describe the structure of RFPs
including the individual sections.
• List steps for proposal preparation.
• List questions for internal evaluation
of your proposal.
• Describe best practices for proposal
preparation.

7. RFP Structure

8. RFP Structure
• Part I: Sections A thru H
• Part II: Section I
• Part III: Section J
• Part IV: Sections K thru M
• Read the entire RFP Including all attachments and referenced clauses
and documents!
• Do not assume that all RFPs are equal.

9. Steps for Proposal
Preparation

10. Part I
Section A: General Information
• Often consists of a single-page solicitation
form (e.g. SF33)
• Provides basic information such as:
• Solicitation Number
• Type of Contract
• Where and When to Submit Your Bid
• Contact Information
Cont…

11. Part I, Continued…
Section B: Supplies or Services and Prices
• Summary description of the contract requirements.
• Often bulk of RFP in terms of pages.
• All requirements listed as CLINs.
• Includes other billable items such as travel and ODCs.
Section C: Description/Spec/SOW
• Detailed description of the work to be performed.
• Heart of the proposal: what the agency needs.
• Describe how you’ll fulfill the contract – be certain your solution meets all specs.
• May include specific labor category requirements.
Cont…

12. Part I, Continued…
Section D: Packaging & Marking
• Contains packaging, packing, preservation, and marking instructions.
• Products may require UID labels.
• Many shipments require MIL-SPEC packaging that resists water or sand.
Section E: Inspection & Acceptance
• Identifies inspection and acceptance requirements.
• Inspection may occur during manufacturing, before shipment, or after
delivery.
• Acceptance may occur after delivery and testing.
• Acceptance can impact revenue recognition.
Cont…

13. Part I, Continued…
Section F: Deliveries or Performance
• Identifies the “where” and “how” delivery requirements.
• Product may be shipped to multiple locations, in different quantities, or by
different methods.
Section G: Contract Administration Data
• May include:
• Status reporting
• Accounting and appropriation data
• Contact information for key agency personnel
• Some tasks or functions may be delegated.
Cont…

14. Part I, Continued…
Section H: Special Contract Requirements
• Requirements not address elsewhere.

15. Part II
Section I: Contract Clauses
• Causes that will be included in any resulting contract.
• Clauses in full text.
• Clauses incorporated by reference.
• FAR, agency supplements, and local clauses.

16. Part III
Section J: List of Attachments
• RFPs and contracts are not single documents.
• May include:
• Drawings
• Specifications
• Statements of work

17. Part IV
Section K: Reps & Certs
• You are affirming your compliance or ability to receive a contract.
• Require event if SAM registration is current.
Section L: Proposal Prep Instructions
• Format items:
• Font
• Margin
• Page Length
• Organization:
• Volumes (Technical, Cost, Management)
• Indexes
• Proposal Adequacy Checklist Cont…

18. Part IV, Continued…
Section M: Evaluation Factors for Award
• How your proposal will be graded.
• Main factors for consideration.
• Importance of each factor.
• May include:
• Lowest-price, technically acceptable (LPTA)
• Tradeoff
• Best Value

19. Questions for your
Proposal

20. Questions For Your Proposal
• Is it formatted correctly?
• Is your bid organized and easy to follow?
• Is your solution plausible?
• Have you demonstrated your ability to perform?
• Have you presented an acceptable delivery schedule?
• Are you proposing a reasonable price?

21. Preparing the Response
• Sign and acknowledge all amendments.
• Submit questions to clarify ambiguities created in the original Q&A or by
amendments.
• If you are assuming something, ask the question.
• Clarifying questions rarely expose your strategy.
• Phrase questions to elicit clear answers.
• Clarify the applicability of contract clauses.
Cont…

22. Preparing the Response, Continued…
• Prime contractors need to conduct analysis on subcontractor proposals.
• Cost or price analysis.
• Include results of analysis in the proposal.
• May need to submit subcontractor certified cost or pricing data as part of
prime proposal.
• Primes should request information from subcontractors.
• System adequacy letters.
• Disclosure of profit proposed.
• In FFP, disclose labor hours/categories.
Cont…

23. Preparing the Response, Continued…
• Subcontractor disclosures.
• Okay for primes to request full disclosure.
• Equally okay for subs to insist on sealed packages.
• Prime should be clear on what is required in sanitized and sealed
packages – do not assume the sub has read the RFP requirements the
same way you did.
• Subs should always read the full RFP even if the prime sends a summary RFP.
• If the government doesn’t provide a method for subcontractors to submit
directly to them, request that subcontractors provide sealed packages.

24. Best Practices

25. Best Practices
• Read the RFP and read it again, and again…
• May focus on key areas the first time, but…
• Read the entire RFP at least once
• Consider reading out of order in subsequent reviews to reduce fatigue
when reaching sections L and M
• Prepare a compliance matrix
• Documents requirements for each volume
• Document general requirements (format, due date)
Cont…

26. Best Practices, Continued…
• Hold a proposal kick-off meeting.
• Invite your teammates.
• Identify critical milestones and due dates.
• Delegate responsibilities as needed.
• Provide templates if available.
• Designate one or more people to be responsible for regularly checking for
amendments.
• Update the compliance matrix to stay current with amendments.
• Do not count on extensions.
Cont…

27. Best Practices, Continued…
• To avoid math errors or other inconsistencies-
• Use rounding formulas in all calculations.
• Ensure someone other than the price proposal preparer prints out and
manually checks proposal on a calculator.
• Have independent parties to the proposal process perform a final check for
compliance.
• Beware of any special hand carry instructions.
Cont…

28. Best Practices, Continued…
• Online submissions:
• Ensure your firm is registered and able to post its proposal on the
website.
• Do a test drive if permitted.
• Don’t wait until the last minute – submit 24 hours before the due date and
no later than 5PM the day before to comply with FAR 15.208(b).
• After submission, print out a copy of the website delivery
notification/receipt.
• Delivery receipts:
• Email – use read receipt.
• Hand carried – prepare a delivery receipt & obtain signature, date & time
of delivery from person accepting your proposal package.

30. Register today! July 20-22, 2021
Join us for up to three days of educational sessions and earn up to 20 CPE credits
during our first annual GovCon Accounting Summit, a virtual learning experience for
government contract accounting professionals. Learn from industry leading accountants,
attorneys, and consultants on a variety of government contract accounting topics and see
some of the latest software tools in action during live demonstrations.
Visit www.GovConAcct.com for details.

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