Take the First Step Toward Building a Strong Foundation in Federal Acquisition! Federal Acquisition: Key Issues and Guidance is an essential guide to understanding and working within the complex world of federal government contracting. It offers brief but comprehensive explanations of the major phases and essential tasks in the contracting process. Written in a clear and easy-to-understand style, this resource provides the perfect foundation for building a thorough understanding of federal contracting. Author Paula Compton focuses on the most problematic areas of federal contracting, highlighting the deficiencies cited most often by the Government Accountability Office and Inspector General audits and reports, such as: • Not performing market research • Inadequate independent government cost estimates • Violation of the bona fide needs rule • Insufficient statements of work • Inadequate price or cost analysis Anyone new to government acquisition will find that reading this book is the ideal first step on the path to understanding the federal acquisition process. Seasoned contract professionals will find it an excellent quick review.

This unbiased analysis of statutes, regulations, and case law clarifies the complex rules of federal procurement policies, explaining the processes that government personnel and contractors must follow in every aspect of government contractingand—from inception to completion. Topics include contract administration and personnel, contract interpretation, risk allocation, changes, delays, pricing of adjustments, and much more.

Thousands of contracting professionals have relied on the Federal Contracting Answer Book as their trusted guide to the highly regulated world of government procurement. In each edition the book has offered timely and accurate answers to the questions that arise daily in this complex field. Now in its third edition, this answer book is even more comprehensive. Written by experts who have extensive experience working in and teaching government contracting, the book includes all the latest changes and requirements. The question-and-answer format enables quick look-up and a concise presentation of the information. In this edition, new questions and answers have been added on avoiding proposal errors, debriefings, procurement vocabulary, regulatory changes, and best practices. In addition to these updates and revisions, the third edition includes new chapters on earned value management, GSA schedules, and contractor qualifications.

A continuation of the successful Government Contracts in a Nutshell, 6th, this expanded Principles of Government Contracts, 7th summarizes the Federal Acquisition Regulation System (FARS), improper business practices and personal conflicts of interest, publicizing contract actions, and competition requirements. Addresses acquisition planning, contractor qualifications, and descriptions of agency needs. Explains socio-economic policies, commercial items, contract types, options, sealed bidding, and contracting by negotiation. Reviews intellectual property, cost accounting standards, cost principles, financing, protests, disputes, and appeals. Explores research and development contracting, construction and architect-engineer contracts, inspection and warranty, value engineering, delays, suspension of work, changes and equitable adjustments, subcontracting, and government contract terminations for default and convenience.

Corbett shares what he learned in his 35 years of experience in the competitive proposal field. Starting with the strategic Bid-No Bid decision, all the way through to the post submittal activities, the process of organizing and writing proposals is laid out in clear steps.

Each year the Federal Government contracts for $500 billion worth of supplies and services from 650,000 contractors. To acquire all those supplies and services, the Federal Government and its contractors must comply with thousands of pages of regulations. Those regulations can be daunting for anyone: large businesses seeking to expand by entering the Federal market; employees new to Federal contracting; the Federal Government itself. Small businesses without dedicated staffs of contract experts find comprehending and complying with the Federal acquisition regulation particularly vexing. However, the rewards are great for those small businesses that master the "Federal procurement maze" - the Federal Government has set annual goals for awarding $100 billion in contracts to small businesses, $25 billion to women-owned businesses, $25 billion to minority-owned businesses, $15 billion to service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and $15 billion to small businesses in areas of high unemployment. For more than 30 years, GETTING STARTED IN FEDERAL CONTRACTING has been the standard reference for government contract information, guidance, and advice. Now, with this revised and expanded sixth edition, contracting professionals have the help, knowledge, and information they need to maneuver through the Federal procurement maze skillfully and successfully: An explanation of the key officials and what they do How to locate contracting opportunities Special "set-aside" programs for different types of small businesses Small business subcontracting goals for large businesses "Micro-purchase" procedures for purchases under $3,500 ($5,000 for the Department of Defense) Simplified procedures for purchases under $150,000 Invitations for Bids (IFB) and Requests for Proposals (RFP) Reverse auctions Different types of fixed-price and cost-reimbursement contracts Indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contracts Federal Supply Schedules Selling commercial supplies and services Selling foreign products Unique procedures for architect-engineering and construction contracts Labor laws Protests against contract awards Contract administration Filing claims Integrity and ethics rules Records retention requirements In addition, GETTING STARTED IN FEDERAL CONTRACTING includes a ample solicitation, forms, examples, key websites, abbreviations, glossary, and a detailed index.