Contracting Best Practices/Advice and Lessons Learned

[amthomf]

I believe the "Topic Title" is self-explanatory; therefore, I will kick-off the discussion.

Lessons Learned

- Time & Material Contracts are out of favor (for AF anyways), so if you are going to use this contract type you better have a very strong

position detailing why you must use T&M.

- Communication is key , assume nothing

- When in question, document

- Prepare and present a pristine file, it is a reflection of your competence

- Don?t be afraid to ask questions

Great Advice/Best Practices

- Learn to think two levels above your position

o How will leadership use and view your inputs

- Embrace diversity

o Be receptive to other?s ideas

o Understand that every individual has the potential to provide value

- Perform the mirror check

o We need to reflect on the decisions and activities we perform and how it helps ensure we provide the proper capabilities to the Warfighter

- Operate with integrity

- Learn from other?s mistakes and, even more important, their successes

- Work on your weaknesses

o If something is difficult for you, put yourself in situations where you can get real experience and improve

- At times, regardless of grade or rank, you may need to take a stand if it is the right thing to do

o Be respectful and tactful in the delivery of your position

- If you?ve been given a perceived ?overwhelming? task, don?t be afraid to ask for assistance and feedback from your leaders and fellow co-workers

- Say, ?thank you? to those that provide their assistance

- Seek out a mentor

- Be passionate

- Read

[Guest Vern Edwards]

I especially like: "Learn to think two levels above your position." Very astute. It's all good, but " [E]very individual has the potential to provide value" is touchy feely fluff and untrue. Also, some of the most effective leaders and managers who ever lived were not always tactful. I can provide a list of names upon request.

[amthomf]

I especially like: "Learn to think two levels above your position." Very astute. It's all good, but " [E]very individual has the potential to provide value" is touchy feely fluff and untrue. Also, some of the most effective leaders and managers who ever lived were not always tactful. I can provide a list of names upon request.

Very good points. I can appreciate when individuals are direct, I learn from their candid responses and know I have received their true opinion. It also helps me to understand how certain individuals with similar personalities will react to situations, which allows me to adjust my expectations when preparing for their response.

However, I would suggest that there are great leaders that were, at least, respectful in their delivery of their positions and were still able to achieve their objectives and goals. But I recognize all of our personalities are not the same, which leads me to my point that everyone has something to offer (understanding human nature and why individuals do what they do ? a valuable skill ?agree?).

?If You Want to Gather Honey, Don?t Kick Over the Beehive?

-Dale Carnegie-

Thank you for the Forum, it has helped me immensely in my acquisition development.

[Guest Vern Edwards]

I'm not sure if you were asking me a question. No, I don't agree that everyone has something to offer in a given field. Some people in a field have nothing to offer and should get out or be kicked out. I know that's not the nice thing to say, but I'll bet the majority of people agree with me. However, I do think that every person has something to offer in some field.

As for tactful and tactless leaders and managers, there are both kinds and both kinds have been successful. No, you shouldn't kick over the beehive to get honey, but you can smoke out the bees. See, every little saying has an equal and opposite saying. Personally, I like a boss with fire in his or her belly. Such people occasionally boil over. But then, you tell us to be passionate.

But we each have our own ways and preferences.

Happy Holidays.

[Don Mansfield]

When I first started in contracting, I had habit of being confrontational if something ticked me off. If I knew that I was right about something, I would write or say incendiary things to draw people's attention to this or that issue that I felt was important. My goal was to ultimately change peoples' minds.

One day one of the senior contracting people pulled me aside and said "You know that you can still get what you want without pissing anybody off." I guess that possibility had never occurred to me. I started trying things her way and discovered that she was right. I was able to get pretty much the same results without being so confrontational. While there is a time and place for being confrontational, it need not be the default mode for resolving issues.

Sometimes I forget this lesson and have to learn it over again.

[here_2_help]

Lessons Learned

- Time & Material Contracts are out of favor (for AF anyways), so if you are going to use this contract type you better have a very strong

position detailing why you must use T&M.

To which I would add:

-- If you are going to place a T&M contract at the prime level, expect that the prime will place a bunch of T&M subcontracts--instead of the FFP type that would make more sense in the circumstances--in order to preserve its profit on subcontracted work. And then the 2nd tiers will place T&M subcontracts, and so on, and so on. And there will be many upon many separate hourly labor rates to keep track of.

All in the (mistaken) belief that the best way to maximize profit is to move FFP subcontractors onto T&M subcontracts.

And then DCAA will be asked to perform pre-award accounting surveys on those lower-tier subcontractors, many of whom have never had a flexibly priced subcontract and have no clue about SF1408 requirements. And there will be much gnashing of teeth regarding accounting, purchasing, timekeeping and estimating system adequacy.

And then the subcontractors will realize they have to submit final indirect rate proposals. Which will have to be audited. And negotiated. And there will be much wailing about cost growth from indirect rate variances and additional funding needed. Much later, there will be lamentations regarding expiring funds.

And the consultants shall rejoice.

[woops85]

Re: Tactful

Most times I think I am and can get my point across by coming to the discussion armed with facts. Sometimes however, being blunt is the only way. As I told someone this week as we were going over a D&F to be approved by the HCA - "You asked me a question and I gave you example language as an answer that would make your point for you. If you don't like the words I chose, use your own. But make the point."

Sometimes those closest to a contract forget that the person who has to approve an action doesn't have the history they do - and they don't need it at the same level we have it