In This Week’s Newsletter: 04/26/24
- Proposal Perspectives: Interviewwith Rachel Wyatt
- Opportunity Spotlight of the Week: GSA ASCEND BPA
- AI Corner: Using Generative AI to Write a Professional Journal Article
- Competitive Intelligence & Pricing: Price-to-Win is Not the Only Tool in the Pricing Toolkit
- Culture Corner: APMP Mental Health Affinity Group
- Four To Follow: Get the lowdown on four interesting pursuits!
Interview with Rachel Wyatt, Director of Captures and Proposals
Welcome to the latest installment of Proposal Perspectives, where we explore the multifaceted world of proposal writing and procurement strategies. In today’s edition, we turn our attention to two pivotal elements that can make or break a bid: pricing strategies and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into job functions. Rachel Wyatt answers our questions below!
Interview Excerpts:
“How critical do you think pricing and competitive intelligence are to winning bids?”
“It is extremely critical to our success rate for our proposals. Understanding the government budget, independent cost estimates, and knowing where your competition will likely price gives you that added benefit and assurance that you can price your bid correctly and ultimately win the bid.”
“In what areas have you implemented AI into your job function?”
“I’ve found it helpful to create draft language using AI to reach a red team much quicker. This then allows the actual writers more time to incorporate their inflection and the necessary technical data for the customer.”
– Rachel Wyatt, Director of Captures and Proposals
Dive into the depths of proposal strategy as we glean insights from industry experts and practitioners. Discover innovative approaches to crafting winning proposals and harnessing the power of technology to streamline the process. Stay tuned for an enriching journey through the world of proposal writing in Proposal Perspectives.
GSA ASCEND Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA)
Contact Len: len.miller@hinzconsulting.com
This Blanket Purchase Agreement is divided into 3 Pools:
BPA Pool 1 – this pool will cover Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS). Multiple awards across Small Business, Unrestricted, and Partial SBSA are expected. POP is anticipated to be a 3-year Base Contract with 1, 3-year options, and 2, 1-year options for a total POP of 8 years. The final RFP is anticipated to be released sometime this summer (estimated July).
BPA Pool 2 – this pool will cover Office Productivity, CRM, and ITSM/ITAM. Multiple awards across Small Business, Unrestricted, and Partial SBSA are expected. POP is anticipated to be a 3-year Base Contract with 1, 3-year options, and 2, 1-year options for a total POP of 8 years. RFI responses were collected on 29 March. The final RFP is currently expected by the end of CY2024.
BPA Pool 3- this pool will cover Cloud-related IT professional services. Multiple awards across Small Businesses, Unrestricted, and Partial SBSA are expected. POP is anticipated to be a 3-year Base Contract with 1, 3-year options, and 2, 1-year options for a total POP of 8 years. The final RFP is currently expected by the end of CY2024.
Using Generative AI to Write a Professional Journal Article
Contact Josh: josh.thiel@hinzconsulting.com
Generative AI holds significant promise for the creation of professional journal articles. It is a tool that, when accessing a writer’s notes and background work, can generate new content that closely mirrors the style and tone of the original text. This automation of the drafting process saves time and effort, allowing for more focus on creative tasks like editing and refining.
Here’s how to leverage generative AI to write a professional journal article:
- Upload research notes, drafts, papers, lecture notes, slide decks, or voice transcriptions in your Domain Aware (Secure) Gen AI Tool.
- Input your article’s topic and notes on the subject matter into the AI model. The model will then generate a first draft of the article based on its understanding of the topic and the style of writing it has been trained on.
- Review and edit the AI-generated draft. While AI can generate a good first draft, human intervention is always needed to ensure the article’s quality and relevance.
- Use the AI to find relevant information to support your article. Generative AI can sift through large amounts of data to quickly retrieve the information you need. Check the sources cited for more information.
- Fine-tune the AI model to your specific writing style. By tweaking the AI model, you can ensure that the final article aligns with your unique brand voice, tone, and writing style.
Ultimately, the use of generative AI in writing professional journal articles presents an innovative approach that combines the efficiency of AI with the creativity and expertise of humans.
Price-to-Win is Not the Only Tool in the Pricing Toolkit
Contact Chris: chris.placzek@hinzconsulting.com
Price-to-win (PTW) is an often-used strategy in public sector procurements to create a competitive bid. However, it isn’t a silver bullet solution. Relying solely on PTW risks quality reduction, decreased profit margins, and limited flexibility. A broader approach incorporating value-based pricing, compliance, and relationship-building is crucial for success in public sector procurements.
Three Key Takeaways
1. Beyond Price: Success with public sector procurements requires more than just competitive pricing; it demands a comprehensive approach that includes quality, value-added services, and compliance.
2. Risks of PTW: Relying solely on price-to-win (PTW) can lead to quality compromises, reduced profit margins, and limited flexibility, affecting the sustainability and adaptability of a business.
3. Holistic Approach: A successful procurement strategy incorporates value-based pricing, strong compliance, risk management, customer-centricity, and innovation, providing a well-rounded bid that meets public sector needs.
APMP Mental Health Affinity Group
Contact Angela: angela.marsh@hinzconsulting.com
As part of an effort to build community in our industry, we are highlighting APMP’s Affinity Groups that hope to foster diversity, inclusion, and enhance the membership experience. These groups provide supportive spaces for professionals with shared experiences in life and the industry.
The APMP Mental Health Affinity Group provides a safe space for members to engage in meaningful discussions related to mental health in the bid and proposal industry. The group shares strategies, discusses work-life balance, and addresses challenges related to mental health by fostering open conversations. All APMP members interested in mental health discussions are welcome to participate.
The group is led by Tori Bunk, CF APMP who hopes to “provide a space to discuss important topics relating to mental health in the bid and proposal industry such as imposter syndrome, work boundaries, and burnout, as well as making tools and resources available to our members.” Mairi Morrison, CPP CAP APMP, is Vice Chair of the group and conducted the first research on mental health in the proposal industry. She believes that “offering this safe space for members will go a long way to tackling this ever-presenting issue within the bid and proposal profession.”
Learn more about Mairi’s 2019 study and how to implement best practices in the workplace at APMP-TV. Free for APMP Members!
Four to Follow
- Comprehensive Construction and Engineering (C2E): The final RFP on the recompete of this $15B MA/IDIQ is still anticipated by the end of April. There is expected to be 27 or so contracts awarded to cover the Regional and Worldwide Construction and Engineering requirements for the Air Force. Monitor this one closely folks!
- Dugway Proving Ground West Desert Test Center Mission Support Services (WDTC): The incumbent contracts held by Jacobs Engineering Group are expected to expire before the end of 2025. The RFP for this estimated $62M contract is expected to be released in the fall of 2024.
- FBI Regional Multiple Award Construction Contracts 2 (RMACC2): The recompete for these multiple, regional $600M contracts is expected to see an RFP released by the end of April 2024. This MA/IDIQ will be competed across SBSA, Unrestricted, and Partial SBSA areas. We expect the FBI to use a two-phase Design/Build procedure with Phase 1 using an RFQ and Phase 2 using an RFP. Awards are expected by January 2025 Stay focused on communications from the FBI.
- Army Language and Culture Services for FORSCOM: The incumbent $29M contract held by Chi-Chack, LLC is expected to expire in May of 2025. This is a 5-year (Base year plus 4, 1-year options). Draft SOW was released for review in Sept 2023, and it is estimated a final RFP will be released by the end of June 2024. Not sure when the draft RFP will be released. This is expected to remain a SBSA contract with an award estimated to occur by April 2025. The solicitation should be posted to SAM.gov.
About Hinz Consulting
Hinz Consulting provides services across the full business development cycle:
- Proposal Consulting
- AI Services
- Strategic Pricing
- Training
- Capture
- Competitive Intelligence
- BD Transformation Consulting
- Process/Methodology Consulting
- Tools and Templates
- Production Services
- Small Business
