Evaluations

In the final episode of this podcast series we tackle one of the most important discussions in federal contracting – proposal evaluations. Evaluating proposals is a critical task for the Government as selecting the correct vendor can set the path of a project for years to come. The right contractor can be the difference between successfully serving our Veterans and the American people, or failing to support them in the way they need. Similarly, as a vendor, being selected can mean success or failure as a company. The stakes are high for both sides.

In Episode 4 we discussed the Multi-Step evaluation process and technical demonstrations, so in Episode 5 we will focus on more traditional evaluation techniques and speak broader than just the technical volume. The more traditional evaluation approach is still being used for the majority of procurements, so it is important we continue to learn how to improve. We’ll discuss how the government decides what to evaluate, how to weight the factors in a trade-off, and how we go about evaluating. We also discuss considerations from a vendor perspective such as strategies when writing a proposal, how to handle proposing unique terms, conditions, assumptions, and license agreements, whether late is always late, and other potential pitfalls that could impact your chance to get the award!

Our expert panel of contracting officers includes:

• Charles Ross, Director, Procurement Service B, VA TAC
• Cara Varricchio, Contracting Officer, VA TAC
• Jamie Ford, Deputy Chief Council, VA Office of General Council, Procurement Law Group