NISH Sources Sought Best Practices
How to respond to NISH Sources Sought Notices
Session Participants Becky Wright Brizee Business Development Director NISH East Region
Mark Hess Business Development Director NISH South Region
Nancy Yoder Business Development Director NISH North Central Region
Trudy Jones Business Development Director NISH South Central Region
Polly Colby Business Development Director NISH Northwest Region
Craig Lawrence Business Development Director NISH Pacific West Region
Kim Roland Director, Contract & Support Management NISH Products Business Unit
Bill Allen Business Development Director NISH Products Business Unit
Ryan Blackman Senior Deputy Director NISH National Business Development
NISH Project Development Distribution and Transparency Procedure:
• Distribution of projects has taken place since 1974 • Formal B1 Transparency procedure originally implemented April 2005 – Created in collaboration with the CRP community – Makes project distribution process visible to all Program participants
• Last revised September 2009: Version C • Version D to be released soon
Agenda/Overview of Session
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Procedure
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Keep in mind
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Best practices
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Developing your response
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Products specific
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Final steps
Project Distribution
• Opportunities are posted on the NISH extranet – A password protected website for NISH producing and affiliated CRPs – Can subscribe to receive notification of new postings • Postings are called “Sources Sought Notices” – Contain valuable information about the opportunity – All details available to potential respondents
Why does NISH use Sources Sought Notices? The ultimate purpose of the Sources Sought Notice and NISH project distribution procedure: Create the best solution to meet the government customer's requirement AND enhance the success of the AbilityOne Program for future growth This ensures the greatest opportunity to provide jobs for peoples with disabilities!
Sources Sought Notices: After posting closes 1. Each SSN CRP response received is reviewed and evaluated 2. NISH selects CRP and contacts them 3. NISH informs the other CRPs of opportunity distribution a) CRP can request a debriefing b) There is an appeals process that may be used 4. The selected CRP then begins working with NISH business development personnel on contract pricing and development of a QCP
Keep In Mind Being selected through the sources sought process does not guarantee a contract award • B1 is currently being reviewed – Updates will be posted on the NISH extranet • SSN postings will be done through the “Customer Portal” later in FY11 or early FY12 • Ask questions! Please submit questions in writing to the POC listed on the SSN and answers will be provided to all respondents.
Before You Respond: Make Sure Your House is in Order
• Are there any compliance issues (i.e. ratios)? • Have all required AbilityOne® fees been paid? • Is your NISH Registration current? • Current Capabilities Database (to be launched summer 2011)
Before You Respond: Make Sure Your House is in Order
• Do you have Board of Directors support to pursue this opportunity? • Do you have the financial depth to successfully perform the project?
• Do you have sufficient infrastructure to successfully perform the project?
NISH Sources Sought Notice Response Best Practices
Prep Work
“He who fails to prepare, prepares to fail.”
• Develop a strong understanding of “Who you are” as an organization. • Be able to articulate strengths / weaknesses and identify ways to mitigate. • Experience can and should be gained outside of AbilityOne® .
Prep Work
• Consider creating a response template with key information that doesn’t change from opportunity to opportunity to help save time. – Remember to review it carefully, each opportunity is unique, don’t include irrelevant information
• Utilize formal business writing techniques - have staff trained if necessary. – There are online business writing courses available through NISH Academy.
• Create an internal response review team.
Prep Work
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Make sure to scan all SSN postings. – Opportunities you have an interest in may be posted in another region or by National Business Development.
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Have several people within your agency receive the email alerts. – This ensures that if the one person that receives the email alerts is out of town, another staff member is aware of opportunity.
First Steps in Responding
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Thoroughly read the Sources Sought Notice and answer and/or respond to everything requested. – If asked to submit a QCP, submit a QCP. If asked to submit references, submit references. – If you fail to submit what is requested, your response will be removed from consideration for the opportunity.
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Read the SOW to determine if there are any unique requirements. – Remember to provide information about these unique requirements in your response.
Developing Your Response
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Format your response in the same sequence as requested in the SSN.
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Clearly highlight your agency’s mission and plans for future development.
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Discuss scope of work of your past contracts and work experience. – Talk about project development, start up, and implementation of current or past projects.
Developing Your Response •
Provide as much background information on capabilities and experience as allowed (if a page limit exists). – This will provide a clear understanding of why your organization is the best organization for the opportunity.
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Emphasize capability through current contracts for similar services/products and/or in house services being performed. – If no current capability, indicate how you will obtain capability e.g. teaming, hiring plan, etc.
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Provide statistics/metrics where possible to help demonstrate the business volume you can handle in relation to the requirement. – Include details on existing work you do with other customers in that business line.
Developing Your Response •
Provide recruitment plan for appropriate persons with disabilities for the project, especially in remote, rural locations or technically complex projects. – Please be specific in your approach, don’t just list the recruiting agencies you’ll be working with.
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Indicate sources you will use to staff the project with people with disabilities and how you will meet ratio requirements.
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Go the extra step, do your research, include census data, speak to local veterans groups, etc. – Provide information that there are local qualified persons that meet both the PWS and AbilityOne Program criteria.
Developing Your Response
• If Geography is a criteria and your CRP is not already located in the area, be specific on how you plan to manage. – Include management structure and explain how this will not “add” cost to the customer.
• If you have references for existing work in the same area, provide them.
Developing Your Response
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If “teaming” with a commercial business partner, indicate how you have complied with Committee Operations Memorandum #21.
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If you are “teaming” with other CRPs, clearly indicate the relationships among the CRPs and what capabilities each CRP brings to the opportunity.
Developing Your Response
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Make certain to respond in depth to the Key Criteria for Consideration. – Other Evaluation Factors are important but the most emphasis will be placed on the Key Criteria.
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Fully complete your response-Yes/No answers tell us nothing.
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If there is a statement limiting the number of pages to submit, don’t submit more. – The pages of the submission after the number stated will not be reviewed.
Developing Your Response
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Indicate how you will achieve quality control. – Include sample QASP that you are currently using.
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What makes you unique and different from any other CRP that could perform the work? – What sets you apart? (i.e., certifications, quality systems, experienced staff, financial health, experience with this customer, etc.)
Sources Sought Response Suggestions: Products Specific
• FPI/NIB Priority: – Remember that selection during the sources sought process does not guarantee contract award.
• Provide details of plans for handling shipping and delivery. • If you highlight any estimated costs, describe how your costs were calculated.
Sources Sought Response Suggestions: Products Specific •
Ensure that you respond to each of the Opportunity specific criteria listed in the SSN. You are encouraged to provide a separate attachment to address these criteria.
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Prepare your response as if the NISH reviewer is completely unfamiliar with your CRP – details, details, details.
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Describe in detail the similarity between the SSN opportunity and any commercial contracts and/or AbilityOne® projects your agency currently holds.
Sources Sought Response Suggestions: Products Specific •
When preparing your SSN Response, refer to the Products Helpful Hints Documented located at: www.nish.org/For Non-Profits/Business Tools - AbilityOne Opportunities/Available Regional Project Offerings Products Projects/Helpful Hints for Completing the P-01 Form.
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When preparing your SSN Response, also refer to the sample response form located at: www.nish.org/For NonProfits/Business Tools – AbilityOne Opportunities/Available Regional Project Offerings - Products Projects/Sample NISH Form No. P-01.
Final Steps before submitting •
Meet the response deadlines. – Get a delivery receipt or call to confirm receipt of your response.
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Think of this as a resume - it represents you well enough to get called in for an interview. It is the first (and maybe only) impression that you will make to the distribution evaluation team.
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Make sure to quality control your response – typos can make it hard to convey the appropriate point you may be trying to address.
Final Steps before submitting • Don't make promises that you can't keep. Be realistic and honest in your response. Use creativity and give yourself credit for all your positive assets/capabilities - but don't stretch the truth. • Make your best, and most complete, business case – If you don't tell us, we don't know.
Final Steps before submitting
Remember that it’s extremely rare for only a single agency to apply for opportunities in today’s economic environment, so make every response count. – There are usually several other agencies applying for the opportunities you apply for so put your best foot forward in your response.
Proposal Development Strategies and Techniques
This course provides strategies and practical techniques to develop compelling and compliant proposals, while effectively managing resources and time. – Participants will better understand the proposal process and develop practical skills to create high quality proposals. • Dallas, TX: July 19-20 • San Francisco, CA: October 12-13
– Register for this class at the NISH Academy at www.nishacademy.org.
Thank you
Questions?
Session Evaluation Information
SESSION TITLE: Sources SESSION CODE: A1-W300