1. 319 Contracting Flt
Doing Business With the
U.S. Air Force

2. CONTRACTING’S ROLE
 Business Advisor
 Execute contracts for:
 Construction, Commodities, Services
 Manage Government Purchase Card Program
 Support Worldwide Contingency Operations

3. FACTOIDS:
 No Halliburton sweetheart deals at GF—
$$ competed & go mostly to SB
 81% comp rate & 73% total $ to SB FY11
 GF exceeded 24 of 25 SB goals FY07 - 11
 To date FY12: SB 91% SDB 63%
(> all goals) WOB 50% HUB 23%
SDV 8%
 SBA SB prime contract grade 147%
(“A+”) for FY11

4. WHAT WE BOUGHT FY11
 Obligated $26.8M / 411 actions total:
 $13.3M construction $12M services
$1.5M commodities
 This does not include $$ from other
buying activities:
• Army Corp of Engineers (high $ facilities)
• AF Center of Environmental Excellence (housing)
• AF Exchange Services (BX)
• Defense Commissary Agency (grocery store)

5. What a Business Should Do?
 First thing: Register at www.ccr.gov
• We CANNOT award an order/contract to a vendor
unless they are registered in CCR
• Annual renewal or expires
• Register your business status, e.g. SB, 8(a), …
- Keep firm’s profile up to date
• Focus on your NAICS codes as they say what your
firm does
- Important as buyers search by NAICS code
- Recommendations made to C.O. regarding specific
buy set-aside based on such
- Do NOT have to be registered for a particular
NAICS in CCR to submit offer on a solicitation

6. What a Business Should Do?
 #2: Respond to sources sought notices at
https://www.fbo.gov/
• We survey marketplace for procurement set-aside
purposes—e.g. HUB, SDV, etc.
• If you’re definitely interested & it’s up your alley
then respond
- If lukewarm at best don’t respond
• With response include your experience/capabilities
in reference to the buy
- Be sure to provide all requested info
• Collective responses determine buy set-aside

7. What a Business Should Do?
 Build a reputation as excellent contractor
• Price - not always most important factor
• Product quality – equal or greater than price
• People talk - customer service matters
 Market yourself and product line
• Ask for feedback--what you sell may not be what
the customer wants
• Focus on certain sector(s)/niche for your firm; you
can not be all things to all people

8. What a Business Should Do?
 Help the customer help us
 We need clearly defined requirements
 Develop brochures that clearly describe
what you are selling
 Product attributes
 Extra’s--what separates your product
from your competitors?

9. What a Business Should Do?
• Accept Gov’t Purchase Card (GPC)
• # 1 benefit to industry is quick payment
• Used only for purchase actions valued at <
$3K (if open market) and > $3K but <
$25K ( if pre-priced contract, e.g. GSA)
• FY11: $9.5M / 13.5K transactions / 185
cardholders
• Consider offering discount to GPC holders

10. What a Business Should Do?
 Consider becoming a certified 8(a), HUBZone
or woman owned small business—if qualified
- We do direct set-aside buys for these
categories
 Small Business and Service Disabled Vet are
self certifying
 If interested/more info, contact SBA

11. What a Business Should Do?
 Get to know the people who can help you
most--the contract buyers
 Especially critical to you at FY end when
a good chunk of Gov’t $$ are spent
 Check in periodically with them–e/g.
once a month or so

12. What a Business Should Do?
 Consider establishing a contract with GSA--especially
if you sell supplies
- Simplified process for obtaining commercial supplies &
services at prices associated with volume buying
 Benefit:
- It makes you a better option to GPC holders as they can
procure up to $25K ($3K if open market)
- Fed buyers sometimes target only GSA contract holders
on buys (vs. open market at fbo.gov/)
- Need more info? Go to--
- Go to “Getting on Schedule” and “GSA Schedule
Frequently Asked Questions” at www.gsa.gov/

13. What a Business Should Do?
 Doing business with AAFES:
-- Army Air Force Exchange Services or “BX”
-- The BX is a department store at each base/post
to serve the military & their families
-- Also have a concession program available
 For more info, go to www.aafes.com

14. What a Business Should Do?
 Info Tech services & equipment (computer related)
requirements:
- Procured thru the Air Force NETCENTS & AFWay
contracts
- Find out more at https://afway.af.mil/
 Want info on NETCENTS & AFWay small business
opps?
- Contact Denise Baylor at:
denise.baylor@gunter.af.mil / (312) 596-4137
- Contact Cynthia Crews at:
cynthia.crews@gunter.af.mil / (312) 596-1645

15. What a Business Should Do?
• Develop a webpage:
- Invaluable for market research by buyers
- Include product/service descriptions
- List experience & capabilities
- List points of contacts

16. What a Business Should Do?
 When you feel you’re treated unfairly?
 Talk with contracting office mgmt:
 Your best friend is office SB Spec.
 We can only fix it if we know about it!

17. HOW WE BUY
• All requirements estimated > $2,500 must be competed
-- Receipt of two or more viable offers = competition
• If <$25K/uncomplicated, oral RFQ’s are acceptable
• If a requirement is open market/estimated >$25K it MUST be
advertised & published* at https://www.fbo.gov/
-- May be a formal Request For Proposal (RFP)
- It will first be advertised & then the RFP will be posted
-- May be a *synopsitation (combined synopsis & solicitation)
- This is the only posting (unlike with an RFP)
 GF policy is to post ALL buys >$10K at fbo/gov

18. FedBizOps http://www.fedbizopps.gov/
• fbo.gov is the single government point-of-entry
(GPE) for Federal gov’t procurement (open market)
opportunities >$25K.
• Gov’t buyers are able to publicize their business
opportunities by posting info directly to www.fbo.gov/
• Thru one portal – federal business opportunities
(FBO) - commercial vendors seeking Federal
markets for their products & services can search,
monitor & retrieve open market opportunities
solicited by the entire (not just DoD) Federal
contracting community.

19. Federal Business Opportunities at
www.fbo.gov/
How to get there???
- Go to site, click on “Opportunities
 Can search for buys based on NAICS, keywords,
place of performance, type set-aside, agency, etc.
- Register for automatic notices based on your NAICS
codes (smart to check site regularly)

20. What a business should do?
• Be available & responsive—
- A cell phone, voicemail & email are a necessity
• Be professional & courteous--we should be too
• Call the buyer or C.O. if you have questions
regarding a solicitation—no question to dumb!
- We’re here to assist

21. Things we can help with
• Advice concerning acquisition procedures
• Information regarding proposed acquisitions
• Instructions on preparation of proposals
-- i.e., interpretations of standard clauses, representations &
certifications
Things we can’t help with
• Pricing—that’s up to you

22. Some of the Products we buy:
• Tools (most via GPC)
• Furniture
• Computers (minimal)
• Office products/equipment
- most via GPC
• Special clothing
• Misc equipment
•Order of Preference:
• GSA Advantage first for many items
• AFWay & NETCENTS first for computers

23. Some of the Services we buy:
• Miscellaneous non-recurring small dollar (< $25K)
• Grounds Maintenance
• Refuse and Recycling
• Family Housing Maintenance
Order Of Preference:
• JWOD (Non-Profit Agencies)
• 8(a)/HUB/SDV (rule of parity)
• Small Business
• Unrestricted

24. Construction our office buys:
• Repair/Renovation Projects
• Paving
• Roofing
• Various Building Projects
Order of Preference:
• HUB/8(a) /Service Disabled Vet – rule of parity
• Small Business
• Unrestricted

25. Current Large $$ Recurring Buys at GF:
* DEMOLITION IDC (task orders)
- SB set-aside, RFP was posted fbo.gov, revised offers rcvd
- contract award next month
* LAW ENFORCEMENT SVC ($1M - $5M)
- set aside still TBD (likely HUBZone)
- post RFP at fbo.gov in May, contract start 1 Oct
* REFUSE/RECYCLING COLLECTION ($100K-$500K)
- set aside still TBD (likely unrestricted)
- post RFP at fbo.gov in May, contract start 1 Oct

26. Current Large $$ Recurring Buys at GF:
* FIRE PROTECTION/PREVENTION SVC ($5M - $10M)
- set aside still TBD (likely SB), post RFP at fbo.gov Jun
* FIRE EXTINQUISHER MAINT SVC (<$100K)
- SB set-aside, post RFP at fbo.gov in Apr
* AIRFIELD STRIPING ($100K - $500K)
- SB set-aside, post RFP at fbo.gov late Apr/early May
* PATHOLOGICAL WASTE DISPOSAL SVC (<$100k)
- Unrestricted, post RFQ at fbo.gov in Apr, award in May
--Potentially $3.7M ACC $$ to flow down for miscellaneous
projects, first increment $1M

27. COMMERCIAL PROCEDURES
• Almost all commodities/supplies we buy are
commercial off the shelf (COTS)
 Gov’t performs market research
-- Typical terms and conditions required to be
used

28. COMMERCIAL PROCEDURES
• More than just finding sources
-- Test market for better (or equal) product(s)
-- Test market for better delivery terms
-- Test market for prices
-- Test market for discounts
• Contractors can suggest a better value
• Cannot commit during market research
-- Just asking questions

29. HOW WE BUY
SERVICES AND
CONSTRUCTION???

30. BEST VALUE ACQUISITIONS
- Cheapest not necessarily the best value
-- We have NOT done a sealed bid on a formal large $$
construction & service buy in perhaps a decade
- Use specific criteria to assess risk
- Factors:
-- Performance risk (based on past performance)
-- Technical
- Performance history may be equal to or more
important than price
- Sometimes a trade off…higher cost for excellent
performer (or higher rated product)

31. PERFORMANCE HISTORY
- Past performance record
-- Key indicator for predicting future
performance
- Used to evaluate ktrs for award
- Important for service contracts as no bonds
-- Predictor of performance
- Quality & customer satisfaction
- Powerful incentive for ktrs to perform well

32. Evaluation Factors
 Every acquisition for services & construction is
guided by evaluation for award section
 The selection process must follow the selection
criteria or Gov’t risks protest/loss
 Selection criteria can include:
 Quality, delivery, style, warranty etc…
 Criteria listed in section M if construction
 Criteria listed in FAR clause 52.212-2 if
commercial service/product
 The customer works hand in hand with
Contracting in the development process

33. Selection Process
 Both price & technical are evaluated
 C.O. is required to write an integrated
best value decision
 Combines past performance and
technical scores integrated into the
decision document

34. What if I don’t win??
 Ask for a debrief - Boeing got this from the
AF on first tanker contract, filed protest, &
got award overturned (AF had to re-solicit)
 If you disagree with the decision, appeal at
the agency level first (not mandatory)
before going to GAO
 Someone removed from the process may
have a different perspective

35. Other Programs

36. Government Purchase
Card (GPC)
 GPC buys between $3K and $25K
 Cardholders must get CONF approval first!
 There will be times, like FY end, when we will
authorize one-time expenditure increases
 Must use pre-priced contract (i.e. GSA) if >$3K
 Contracts need to comply with Federal law

37. GPC Direct Vendor Discount
 GPC Discount Program
 65 local sources/vendors currently signed up--offer set
discounts
 List posted on 319 CONF website
 Goal is to save cardholders time & money
 Identify local best prices/services available
 Interested?
- Contact Ms. Jennifer Richardson (701-747- 5682)
or Ms. Carolyn Cooper (701-747-5311)

38. More Useful Info & Assistance
 http://www.selltoairforce.org
- Look for Small Business Spec for each AF base
- Check out “Long Range Acquisition Estimates” (LRAE)
at this site for each base
Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), Small
Business Admin & State Procurement Offices
- Provide multiple services/assistance free of charge or
for nominal fee

39. As 319 CONF Small Business
Specialist, it’s my job to see that the
SB Program is supported & carried
out at GFAFB
QUESTIONS???