2. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 2 Developing the Federal Acquisition Workforce Melissa Starinsky, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Chancellor, VA Acquisition Academy

3. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 3 The State of Federal Acquisition

4. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 4 Acquisition: Still Mission Critical $321B Spent in FY ‘14! VA – 4 th largest spend at $15B

5. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 5 A New Talent Development Approach Needed “…despite policy directives, proclamations, and legislative initiatives – including nearly $2B in acquisition workforce development funds spent by the Department of Defense (DoD) alone since 2007 – the skills and capabilities of the workforce have not improved and key skill gaps (negotiations, business risk/acumen, understanding complex IT) remain largely unaddressed.” Source: 2013 PSC Leadership Commission

6. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 6 The VA Acquisition Academy Opened in 2008; five (5) Schools State of the art 80,000 square foot facility, 16 classrooms, 7 breakout rooms, 3 distance learning labs Recipient of 23 awards for innovative and effective acquisition talent development efforts Contributed toward issuance of 10,502 VA Federal Acquisition Certifications

7. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 7 The VA Mission Through better acquisitions, we can serve our Veterans better.

8. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 8 A Veterans Centric Approach Team Stand of Inaugural Warriors to Workforce (W2W) Program Interns VA’s Next Generation of Trusted Acquisition Business Advisors

9. Lean Six Sigma, Critical Thinking, Agility… Performance Interventions Lean Six Sigma, Critical Thinking, Agility… Performance Interventions Organizing, Managing Others, Measuring… Performance Interventions Organizing, Managing Others, Measuring… Performance Interventions FAC-P/PM FAC-C (  Right Person, Right Job, Right Time) Spectrum of Learning Solutions to Build Pipeline of Qualified Workers (  Right Person, Right Job, Right Time) Core Professional Curricula & Certifications FAC-CFAC-COR FAC-P/PM VA SCMVA FM Self Management, Listening, Planning, Negotiating, Conflict Management… Self Management, Listening, Planning, Negotiating, Conflict Management… Electives and JIT Aligned to Career Progression Cohorts, Partnerships, Interdisciplinary OTJ Experiences Internship Program, Fellows Program, Educational CO-OP, Education w/Industry, Team Workshops, Mission-Service OJT Internship Program, Fellows Program, Educational CO-OP, Education w/Industry, Team Workshops, Mission-Service OJT 1 2 3 Entry Senior Mid Qualified Certified Selected Operational Tactical Strategic WorkforceWork Acquisition Corps Talent Development Continuum Acquisition Workforce (~ 44,000 Workers) In Partnership with VALU, in Context of Acquisition 1 2 3

10. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 10 Melissa’s Top 10 Tangible Techniques #10: Debriefings

11. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 11  Available (if offeror requests in a timely manner) under:  FAR Part 15 procurements  IDIQ orders over $5M  Not required for:  FAR Part 8 buys (i.e. GSA) only require Contracting Officer (CO) to provide a brief explanation, when requested by offeror, of basis for award when based on factors other than price alone  Simplified Acquisition Procedures  Intent should be to provide feedback to unsuccessful offerors to enable them to provide better proposals in the future  Can take any form from written, in-person, or by phone – requires CO judgment on appropriate form  Recommend successful offerors request debriefings Debriefings

12. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 12 If exercised by written request, within 3 days after notification of exclusion from competitive range or otherwise excluded Offeror can request or CO can defer actual debriefing until after award but offerors only entitled to one debriefing Must include: agency’s evaluation of significant elements in the offeror’s proposal summary of the rationale for eliminating the offeror from the competition; and Reasonable responses to relevant questions about whether source selection procedures contained in the solicitation, applicable regulations, and other applicable authorities were followed in the process of eliminating the offeror from the competition. Preaward debriefings shall not disclose: the number of offerors; identity of other offerors; content of other offerors’ proposals; ranking of other offerors; evaluation of other offerors; or any of the information prohibited in 15.506(e).15.506 Pre-Award Debriefings

13. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 13 If exercised, by written request from the offeror, within 3 days after notification of award Government should provide within 5 days after receipt of the written request An offeror that was notified of exclusion from the competition but failed to submit a timely request, is not entitled to a debriefing. Untimely debriefing requests may be accommodated - does not automatically extend the deadlines for filing protests Post-Award Debriefings

14. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 14 The Government’s evaluation of the significant weaknesses or deficiencies in the offeror’s proposal, if applicable; The overall evaluated cost or price (including unit prices) and technical rating, if applicable, of the successful offeror and the debriefed offeror, and past performance information on the debriefed offeror; The overall ranking of all offerors, when any ranking was developed by the agency during the source selection; A summary of the rationale for award; For acquisitions of commercial items, the make and model of the item to be delivered by the successful offeror; and Reasonable responses to relevant questions about whether source selection procedures contained in the solicitation, applicable regulations, and other applicable authorities were followed. Post Award Debriefings Must Include

15. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 15 Point-by-point comparisons of the debriefed offeror’s proposal with those of other offerors. Any information prohibited from disclosure or exempt from release under the Freedom of Information Act Trade secrets Privileged or confidential manufacturing processes and techniques Commercial and financial information that is privileged or confidential, including cost breakdowns, profit, indirect cost rates, and similar information The names of individuals providing reference information about an offeror’s past performance Debriefings Shall Not Include

16. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 16 A tracked-changes version of Final Proposal Revisions (FPR) is not necessary and creates increased burden on both contractors and Government Instead rely on answers to discussion questions Proposals should not be incorporated by reference or in full The contractor is bound by contract terms and conditions – not their technical proposal Let the contract or order reflect agreed upon terms verses repeated revised proposals Melissa’s Top 10 Tangible Techniques #7: Final Proposal Revisions

17. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 17 Trust in the system and in each other Assume positive intent Trust increases operational efficiencies and minimizes programmatic risks Ensure separation of duties internally and maintain arms length relationship with contractors but be accessible and talk with each other Less email and more conversation Eliminate the “us versus them” mindset Stop the blame game – we own it together Trust

18. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 18 Proposal Substance Make sure to properly identify agency in proposal Tell a good story and write well Unified corporate proposal – a single brand Know Your Agency Read agency strategic plan Know agency budget Read GAO/IG reports about agency Tips for Proposal Writers

19. APMP CAPTURE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE | PAGE 19 VA Acquisition Academy http://www.acquisitionacademy.va.gov/ Melissa.starinsky@va.gov (240) 215-0671 Contact Information