Maria Panichelli taught three seminars at the National Veterans Small Business Engagement (NVSBE) in Pittsburgh, PA on November 18th and 19th.
FAR 101: An Introduction to Doing Business with the Federal Government was held on November 18, 9:00-9:45 am, in Room 324. In this session, Maria provided an overview of the FAR, with a particular focus on how the FAR impacts the source selection process. She walked you through the procurement process, from solicitation to award, explaining the most common types of contracts used by the government (Firm-Fixed Price, Cost-Reimbursable, IDIQ, MATOC etc), the various methods of procurement (Sealed Bidding, Contracting by Negotiation, LPTA, etc), and – most importantly – how the government will evaluate your bid/offer. Learn how to use the FAR to your advantage to secure more federal business. Other topics covered included the Small Business Administration and Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ VOSB/SDVOSB regulations and the ways in which VOSB/SDVOSB certification can help you secure a set-aside contract award.
The Fundamentals of Government Contracting: Debriefing and Protests was held on November 19, 10:05-10:50 am, in room 415. In this session, Maria covered all aspects of the protest process. Was a contract improperly awarded to someone else? Want to know if there is any way to fight the agency’s decision and get the award after all? This session explored how to use debriefings and protests as an affirmative tool to get the contract you want. In the alternative, were you protested by a disgruntled competitor? This session also taught guests the strategies on how to defend against such a protest (if not avoid one altogether). Topics covered included both bid protests as well as size and status protests, which address the size and eligibility of VOSB/SDVOSB businesses.
Building a Compliant Team: VOSB/SDVOSB Teaming Arrangements, Joint Ventures, and Mentor-Protégée Relationships, was held on November 19, 11:10-11:55 am, in room 323. There is no hotter topic in Federal Government Contracting than teaming. Whether you are a small business looking to expand your capabilities, or a large business looking for access to set-aside contracts, teaming greatly expands your federal contracting opportunities. In this session, Maria discussed teaming in detail, covering the benefits of teaming (from both a small business/prime contractor perspective, and a large business/subcontractor perspective), the proper procedures for forming an enforceable teaming agreement, important clauses you should include in your agreement, as well as common pitfalls you should avoid. She also discussed other partnering strategies, including joint ventures and mentor-protégé relationships. Recent developments to this area of law were also covered.