Rahul Gupta

Government Contracting #govcon seems to be a labyrinth 😕to many outsiders and newer folks coming into the space. I once created an Access database🧮 at a previous employer many years ago to highlight the importance of good data management and common unique identifiers... As the company tended to have some byzantine processes and nomenclature that I was trying to flesh out and focus 🔍on measuring the things that matter. So I've seen quite a bit of diverse contracts from over $100M 💰annual jobs to ones under $100K. I believe the process is essentially the same to ensure a smooth transition from pre-award to 🥇post-award. It starts with being able to accurately code 🔣your contract into your system of record. Do your #proposal 📚and #pricing 💵documents match the contract award 📝documents? Check that before you 🖋sign! Had an experience recently where there was some ambiguity 😵with a contract modification document in what it was doing as it relates to the changes we proposed. Some contracts get complex when you get to a dozen mods or so with many CLINs, SLINs, and 🗜ARCNs... IYKYK We both had differing interpretations🗣 as we worked through the document. There was a 💪🏼challenge with all the moving parts and new CLINs added and old ones removed and it turns out that we both had the same initial confusion that it wasn't done correctly... However, when we dug ⛏deeper into the changes in Section B (contract values) and Section G (funding values) we determined that this customer was doing It's important to have a uniform 🥋methodology on how you read and review your contract documents before you sign it and book the funding and contract values in your accounting system. Set your books up right the first time, or you'll pay💸 for it over-and-over again each month. And get the right people 🤼 and departments involved! Make it a great week 👊🏼

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Read Guidehouse Defense and Security's new article, Managing Change Fatigue in the Federal Workforce, outlining our team's recommendations for agencies looking to produce better outcomes in the face of complex workforce challenges: https://lnkd.in/ep3bnyPS.

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New Hub-and-Spokes post! 🚀 Capitalizing on Critical Technologies: DoD's Office of Strategic Capital and its Plan to Secure America’s Strategic Edge Three key stories shaping U.S. defense and Indo-Pacific alliances this week: 1️⃣ DoD's Office of Strategic Capital Unveils 2025 Investment Plan Focused on supporting critical technologies and national security priorities, OSC's new strategy aims to catalyze private investment in sectors crucial to America’s edge. 2️⃣ $3.6B Sale of Air-to-Air Missiles to Japan A significant step in bolstering U.S.-Japan defense cooperation with the sale of AMRAAMs, ensuring the security of U.S. personnel and regional stability. 3️⃣ NSA Jake Sullivan’s Capstone Trip to India Sullivan's visit underscores the growing U.S.-India relationship, focusing on space cooperation, nuclear collaboration, and emerging technologies. #Defense #NationalSecurity #Technology #USIndia #USJapan #Investment #StrategicAlliances https://lnkd.in/euN3a_Bb

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A new proposed DFARS rule was published on 5/30/2024 under DFARS Case 2024-D006, Procurement Technical Assistance Program This proposed rule would: ▶️ Implement section 853 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 (Pub. L. 118-31; 10 U.S.C. 4951). to amend the definitions of nonprofit organization and business entities at 10 U.S.C. 4951 for the Procurement Technical Assistance Program. ▶️ Modify DFARS clause 252.205-7000, Provision of Information to Cooperative Agreement Holders, to amend the definition of cooperative agreement holder by removing “private” from “a private, nonprofit organization” and adding a reference to 10 U.S.C. 4951 to update the definition of business entities. The is clause will continue to not apply to acquisitions at or below the SAT. But, the clause will continue to apply to acquisitions of commercial products (excluding COTS items) and to acquisitions of commercial services. Comments are due 07/29/2024. Permalink: https://lnkd.in/gmmbDkJH

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An interesting summary of how joint ventures can be a good strategy in #GovCon, but they can also go very wrong. https://lnkd.in/ehGVrSVY ASCE Publishing #ACE #JVs #risk

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Read #BoozAllen Civil Sector President Rich Crowe's perspective on how federal agencies can fully leverage their #data to advance mission outcomes. https://lnkd.in/ejdpcDbG

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Heads Up...DoD News related to Architect - Engineering (AE) Services! (1) FINAL RULE Effective 8/26/2024 - DFARS Case 2024-D019 Architect and Engineering Service Fees. This rule changes DFARS to implement Section 2881 of the FY24 NDAA to increase the limitation of the contract price (i.e., "fee") for A-E services for the preparation and delivery of designs, plans, drawings, and specifications from 6% of the project's estimated construction cost to 10%. It is applicable to Army, Navy, and Air Force projects (references in 10 U.S.C. 7540,8612, and 9540). The new 10% limit replaces the 6% fee limitation on contract modifications for work not initially included in the contract and redesign, and applies only to that portion of the contract (or modification) price attributable to the preparation of designs, plans, drawings, and specifications. If a contract or modification also includes other services, the part of the price attributable to the other services is not subject to the fee limitation. (Personally, I've been waiting since the early 1990's for this percentage to change (and yes, I've been doing this THAT long). This makes it easier for small AE businesses to participate in the Federal space. So, YEA!) Permalink: https://lnkd.in/g7vF95R6 (2) PROPOSED RULE Comments due 9/27/2024 -- DFARS Case 2023-D007 Task Order and Delivery Order Contracting for Architectural and Engineering Services. This rules proposes a corresponding change to DFARS Subpart 216.5, Indefinite-Delivery Contracts, to require DoD Contracting Officers (KOs) to use qualification-based selections when awarding task orders and delivery orders for AE services that was previously implemented procedurally under FAR Subparts 16.500, 16.505, and 36.6 procedures in 2005 under the final rule for FAR Case 2004-001 Improvements in Contracting for Architect-Engineer Services. This proposed rule adds DoD-specific statutory guidance (10 U.S.C. 3406(h)(2)) to DFARS directing KOs not to request additional info regarding qualifications unless necessary to determine qualifications for a particular task order or delivery order under a multiple-award contract. There should be little to no impact from this proposed rule since there are no procedural changes, new clauses or provisions, and no new applicability in terms of thresholds or types of contracts. Permalink: https://lnkd.in/gwh2_38J

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The Army Contracting Command has published updates on the Mission and Priorities Support (MAPS) IDIQ, including the draft RFP sections, Performance Work Statement (PWS), and a detailed Scorecard. With 100 anticipated awards across five domains, MAPS is a strategic opportunity to support Army modernization over the next decade. Key Points from the MAPS Gate Document and Scorecard With MAPS, the Army is looking to streamline procurement across five key domains and consolidate two major contracting vehicles (RS3 and ITES-3S) into one $50 billion opportunity. The MAPS Scorecard outlines critical scoring areas that will shape evaluation. To maximize points, vendors should focus on the following: - Systems and Rates: Up to 2 points are awarded for certified systems, including Forward Pricing, Billing, and Property Management. - Certifications: Ensure you meet essential requirements, such as CMMC Level 2 and ANSI/EIA-748 certifications, with each certification earning 1 point. #army #businessdevelopment #coaching #contractproposal #govcon #ID/IQ #ostglobal #ostglobalsoutions #procurement #usarmy #winmorebd

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🌟 Driving Strategic Modernization to Innovation Opportunities Panel 🌟 Campaign of Learning: Federal Technology Symposium Lessons Learned Phase. Leaders from various federal agencies came together to discuss strategic modernization and innovation. The synergy between government, industry, and academia is paving the way for groundbreaking advancements to equip our warfighters with the tools they need to succeed. Panelists:  🎤 Chris Rabassi, Small Business Programs, Marine Corps Installations East  🎤 Lieutenant Colonel Anthony 'Wedge' Bunker, Branch Chief, AFWERX, a technology directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)  🎤 Ron McNeal, SVIP Transition Director, DHS Science & Technology Directorate  🎤 Beverly Seay, Southeast Regional Director, National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) 🔍 Key Highlights: 1. User-Focused Design at the Tactical Edge: Emphasizing the importance of user-focused design, federal agencies are bringing scientists and engineers directly to the tactical edge. This ensures that solutions are informed by our warfighters' real-world challenges, driving innovation that meets critical needs. 2. Opportunities for Collaboration: With 43 active technology transfer programs in North Carolina, small businesses, academia, and industry have numerous opportunities to engage with federal agencies. Each agency offers unique "on-ramps" for collaboration tailored to its needs and priorities. 3. Investing in Next-Generation Technologies: DoD and DHS are leading the charge in investing in next-gen technologies, from autonomous resupply systems to AI-driven security measures. The need to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving global security landscape drives the urgency to innovate. 4. Support for Small Businesses and Startups: Programs like the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and TechBridge offer pathways for small businesses to scale and bring innovations to the defense sector. These initiatives ensure that even the smallest companies have a voice in national security. 5. Educational Partnerships: The National Security Innovation Network bridges academia and defense by bringing military problems into the classroom. This collaboration solves defense challenges and inspires the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. Together, these efforts underscore our collective commitment to driving innovation that will define the future of defense. The collaboration between government, industry, and academia is essential for maintaining our technological edge and ensuring national security. Let’s continue to push the boundaries and forge impactful partnerships! 💡🔗 #DefenseInnovation #WarfighterReady #StrategicModernization #Collaboration #Innovation #NationalSecurity

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Office of the DoD Chief Information Officer just released Fulcrum, the DoD IT Advancement Strategy supporting its mission to connect, protect and perform. The strategy is anchored on 4 Lines of Effort representing a strategic shift that embraces technology as a mission enabler: 1️⃣ LOE 1: Provide Joint Warfighting IT capabilities to expand strategic dominance of U.S. Forces & mission partners. 2️⃣ LOE 2: Modernize information networks and compute to rapidly meet mission and business needs. 3️⃣ LOE 3: Optimize IT governance to gain efficiencies in capability delivery and enable cost savings. 4️⃣ LOE 4: Cultivate a premier digital workforce ready to deploy emerging technology to the warfighter. This ratifies the themes we have seen in recent years including a shift from enterprise to mission and capability enabling IT, supporting those capabilities with a modern backbone (e.g. network, infrastructure), and orienting the workforce around these wholesale changes and new tech adoption. #DoD #defenseinnovation #defense #defensetechnology #technology #tech #nationalsecurity #jadc2 #army #navy #airforce

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Excellent piece ! In a new op-ed for POLITICO, Booz Allen Hamilton Chairman and CEO Horacio Rozanski advocates for a whole-of-nation approach that disrupts the status quo, increases collaboration between industry and government, and accelerates U.S. national security in a new age of dangerous adversaries. "𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘯𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬, 𝘯𝘰 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦, 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦, 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘱 𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯." #NationalSecurity #Defense #NationalDefense #NationalIntelligence #Cybersecurity #Cyber #SecurityThreat #Innovation #Technology #AI #AIML https://lnkd.in/gCprGNmf

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… and in addition, many thanks to OrangeSlices AI for providing updates, trends, and patterns that you are so helpful to the govcon market. With respect.

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DoD rule-makers have been busy with proposed rules for DFARS. Those of you with a NAICS code that begins with 5416--management, scientific, and technical consulting services NAICS--will want to pay attention to this first rule in particular... Preventing Conflicts of Interest for Certain Consulting Services (DFARS Case 2024-D007) - Proposes amending DFARS to-- ▶ implement Section 812 of the FY24 NDAA which prohibits DoD from awarding contracts assigned a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code beginning with 5416 to offerors who hold contracts that involve consulting services with certain covered foreign entities. ▶ add a new solicitation provision in which an offeror certifies whether the offeror, its subsidiaries, or affiliates hold a contract for consulting services with one or more covered foreign entities and whether the offeror maintains a conflict-of-interest mitigation plan that meets certain requirements. ▶ requires that if the offeror, its subsidiaries, or affiliates hold such a contract and the offeror is selected for award, the offeror may submit its existing conflict-of-interest mitigation plan, which will be incorporated into a contract resulting from the solicitation. The provision is prescribed for use in solicitations assigned a NAICS code beginning with 5416 that involve consulting services. (https://lnkd.in/gCdMD7D4) DoD Cost or Pricing Data Reporting Requirements (DFARS Case 2022-D004) - Would amend DFARS to-- ▶ require offerors to submit data other than certified cost or pricing data upon contracting officer request. ▶  establish a $2 million threshold for the Truthful Cost or Pricing Data statute requirements with respect to contract modifications, subcontracts, and modifications to subcontracts.  ▶ require that contract modifications to reflect the revised threshold be executed “as soon as practicable.” The proposed rule implements these changes via several proposed new clauses. (https://lnkd.in/gfNcW2rR) Public Access to Results of Federally Funded Research (DFARS Case 2020-D028) - Proposes two new clauses that require contractors with contracts that include fundamental research to develop and maintain a data management plan and to submit final peer-reviewed manuscripts to the Defense Technical Information Center’s publicly accessible repository. (https://lnkd.in/g7bDcij6) Comments for all proposed rules are due on 11/25/2024. Instructions to comment are found at each permalink.

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🚨 Announcing the New Implementation Plan for Strengthening America’s Defense Industrial Base 🚨 I’m honored to be an integral part of executing the Department of Defense’s (DoD) new National Defense Industrial Strategy Implementation Plan (NDIS-IP). Today, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy (OASD(IBP)) unveiled this critical plan, detailing the ongoing and future actions needed to modernize and secure our defense industrial base. This initiative outlines six cross-cutting programs designed to ensure a more resilient defense ecosystem. From collaboration across DoD components and Services to vital partnerships with industry, international allies, and stakeholders, this strategy underpins the effort required to reinforce our industrial base. 📈 The NDIS-IP addresses a unified commitment to strengthening industrial capacity, building resilience, and reducing risks across the board. This will involve: • Key partnerships with private industry, academia, and international allies, • New OTAs under the Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) for rapid research, including the recently announced request for white papers on “Critical Chemicals for Defense,” • Support from Congress as a cornerstone of sustainable security. For those interested, the unclassified NDIS-IP document is available here: NDIS-IP FY2025. https://lnkd.in/dUmSt7yd I’m inspired by the opportunity to help lead this strategic vision forward, ensuring our nation’s industrial base remains robust and capable. #NationalSecurity #IndustrialBase #DefenseStrategy #Innovation #DoD

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A great example of how public sector organizations also need to consider if their organizations are still fit-for-purpose. Unlike private sector organizations oriented to deliver commercial value, public sector organizations form their basis around their mission. During his tenure as Central Intelligence Agency Director, John Brennan transformed the agency’s organizational structure to enable it to adapt to change and achieve its full potential. In this interview, he tells the story of that complex transformation. You can listen here: https://lnkd.in/e7N9jhab

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