Market intelligence supercharges FAR-based market research and offers contract managers more in-depth understanding of markets to align requirements with commercial standards, best practices, and emerging technology, and to shape acquisition strategies to achieve high performance at lower total cost of ownership. For example, it led the Air Force to stop buying fire protection gloves, boots and helmets from different suppliers cutting contracts from 14 to nine and line items from 109 to 14, saving more than $1 million a year.
Air Force-led market intelligence on working dogs for 14 federal agencies revealed fierce competition for a limited supply of working dogs. Agencies’ needs differ—detection, security, crime-solving—so standardizing on a single breed wouldn’t shave costs. But prompt payment, standard airline requirements, health warranties and multi-agency regional buying trips will help ease barrier of entry for small firms to bid on DoD requirements.
Roger Westermeyer, Director of Enterprise Solutions Support for the Air Force Installation Contracting Center, and his team explain how category management market intelligence has shifted AFICC from focusing on tactical execution to strategic cost management and smarter data driven acquisition decisions as mission-focused business leaders.
Audience: Government contract buyers and sellers
Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Credits: 1.5 CPE/ 1.5 CLP/ .15 CEU each
Contract Management Body of Knowledge® Competencies: 2.5 Supply Chain Management; 4.1.4 Market Research
Part one of a three-part webinar series co-presented by NCMA and DAU. The series will discuss different aspects of market intelligence in contract management. It concludes with a live session held during NCMA’s Government Contract Management Symposium (GCMS). All webinars are open to all and offered free of charge. Space is limited for the live sessions. All three webinars will also be made available as a recording following each live session. Separate registration is required for each session.