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automated software tools making contracting tasks easier


Guest PepeTheFrog

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Guest PepeTheFrog

As many lament, contracting duties include plenty of administrative, clerical, data entry, repetitive, boring, or routine tasks. Copy these characters from this file, put them in this box, and save it to this file. Check this website, print a PDF file, and save that document into the contract file. Pull this data from these files, enter it into this system, and submit it to this other system. Pull the following information from the contract file, include it in this pro forma letter, and send it to the contractor on day X.

Stop the madness! There's gotta be a better way! 

1. Do any federal contracting shops use automated software tools to reduce this drudgery and speed up the process? This could include special add-on software programs, templates with auto-fills, templates that automatically pull information from other systems. Consider as broad a definition as possible-- anything that can be purchased or copied or replicated that make (boring, repetitive, routine) contracting tasks easier. 

2. Do any private sector contracting shops use tools like this that could be "ported" over or converted for federal 1102 usage?

3. What are these tools? What do they do? Are they commercial or developed "in house"?

4. What administrative, clerical, data entry, repetitive, boring, or routine tasks do you (a) want to see automated and (b) think can be easily automated with such tools?

Examples for #3

Software that automatically pulls data from the contracting writing system for standard letters or documents, e.g. COR appointments, notifications of intent to exercise options, determinations and findings

Software that automatically checks the status of a potential contractor in SAM.gov and creates a PDF file confirming that status

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This is my personal 1102 jihad, so to speak.  

 

1) I too would like to know this.  

2) & 3). Yes.  Automated administrative tasks is a big industry.  It goes by many names - Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Business Process Improvement, Digital Transformation,  Workflow Automation.  All of the major tools could be used in federal contracting. Every big IT services firm dabbles in this industry, and there are many niche players too.  Big Example ) www.ibm.com/automation/software‎.  Niche Example)  AutomationAnywhere.com.

4) Any activity that involves looking up data, copying & pasting data,  moving files around, or following a well-defined and limited set of rules can be automated.   First and foremost, all core contract documents can be automatically generated and populated.   Communication like status updates, generic emails, and the like can be automated.   Clause Builders and ARRT are a crude version of this.  

You could set up a more elaborate system where, on a certain date, a reminder pop up about an option.  The 1102 and/or COR answer a few questions and the draft D&F is written , Notice of Intent email written and sent (including updated email contact info), draft Contract Modification written in your CWS,  CPARS stuff,  verification COR status & new COR appointment (if necessary), verified SAM records, and complete file documentation, plus notices for internal review & approve sent to various folks, all that done automatically in a few seconds.  This would, however, be a non-trivial undertaking to set up. 

 

 

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 Grenouille,

I've attached a link to an article from NCMA Magazine:  April 2017. The writer, Knob Moses, presented at NCMA's 2018 Congress.

https://www.ncmahq.org/stay-informed/contract-management-magazine/contract-management-magazine---article-detail/the-robots-are-coming-driving-efficiencies-in-contracting

Best,

BC

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