The NCMA Battlefield-Dulles Chapter is proud to present the National Education Seminar “Developing Winning Proposals.” Earn 7 continuing education hours by attending this all-day event.
Program Date and Time
Friday, March 7, 2014, 8:30AM – 4:30PM (Breakfast and Networking start at 7:30AM)
Program Location
Washington Technology Park Conference Center, 15000 Conference Center Drive, Chantilly, VA 20151 (Click here for directions)
Program Cost
Early-bird registration fee is $200 until February 24, 2014; $225 from February 25 to March 4, 2014. The chapter will provide breakfast and lunch to all attendees.
Group discounts available for 5 or more people. Email info@ncmabd.org for details.
About the Program
Developing Winning Proposals, a one-day course designed to provide you with the nuts and bolts you need to review a request for proposal (RFP), put a proposal team together, and develop the detailed cost estimates you need to convince a customer that you can best satisfy their needs.
This seminar is designed for everyone involved in the development and response to an RFP. In addition to contract management professionals, this program also benefits anyone involved in the acquisition process: managers, directors, financial analysts, engineers, and business development employees, among others.
The course is designed to acquaint those new to the proposal process with the unique skills necessary to respond to a government customer (or prime contractor) RFP. However, the course also has enough substance to ensure that even those with a great deal of experience in preparing proposals will learn something they will be able to apply to their work as soon as they get back to the office.
The end goal of this one-day action-packed seminar is to ensure that attendees leave with a deeper appreciation for ensuring their proposal is responsive to the RFP; the team is correctly assembled and led; and that the resulting cost, technical, and management volumes present their company in the best possible light—increasing the likelihood of a contract award.
Course Outline
Unit 1 – Getting Ready for the Request for Proposal
Unit 2 – Request for Proposal (RFP)
- Describes what the customer wants
- Allows the bidder to determine if there is an interest
Unit 3 – Reviewing the Request for Proposal
- Reviews each section of the RFP
- Section L and M
- Compliance matrix
Unit 4 – Technical Volume
- Describes the technical requirements
- Describes the technical approach
Unit 5 – Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
- Using the WBS
- Example of a WBS
- Example of a WBS dictionary
Unit 6 – Story Boarding
- How to use story boarding
- Example of a story board
Unit 7 – Risk Management
- Technical risk management
- Cost risk management
- Schedule risk management
Unit 8 – Cost Volume
Unit 9 – Estimating Techniques
- Bottoms up
- Analogy
- Parametric
Unit 10 – Cost Estimating System
Unit 11 – Proposal Analysis Approaches
- Price analysis
- Cost analysis
- Cost realism analysis
Unit 12 – Cost Estimating
- Direct labor
- Direct material
- Other direct costs
- Indirect costs
Unit 13 – Profit Analysis
- Weighted guidelines
- Profit limitations
Unit 14 – Regulatory and Statutory Considerations
- Cost Accounting Standards
- Truth in Negotiations Act
Unit 15 – Management Volume Considerations
Unit 16 – Proposal Review Process
- Technical reviews
- Cost reviews
Unit 17 – Policies and Procedures
About The Speakers
Dale Cottongim is President/CEO at SNTC and President of the NCMA Old Dominion Chapter. Mr. Cottongim spent twenty years in the Navy, choosing to enter Industry to balance his career with the needs of his family. He has worked in large consulting businesses of IBM and BearingPoint learning the industry and best practices. He moved to McLane Advanced Technologies into a business development role to broaden his skill set. Prior to starting SNTC, Dale worked with Sayres and Associates, a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business graduating from the 8(a) program specializing in Navy program management support.
See Dale’s LinkedIn profile by clicking here.
John Pritchard is a professor of acquisition management in the School of Program Managers, Defense Systems Management College, at Defense Acquisition University (DAU).
Click here to view our cancellation policy.