DCMA learners should use Edge as their browser. Follow instructions to access documents, watch a video, and participate in an interactive scenario and a learning forum. Download documents to a DCMA Orientation folder that you create so that you can use them later as resources when you perform the work.

What is prior-to-award? Why does it matter?

The prior-to-award activities that you will conduct as a member of the multifunctional team reduce risk to the buying commands. Use this mantra to guide your work.

People shaking hands over a conference room table

Mantra

Prior-to-award activities give decision-makers what they need to make smart choices. This is acquisition insight in action!

How do you provide acquisition insight?

Use your independent voice to provide timely and actionable analysis to partners, customers, and stakeholders such as the buying command, procuring contracting officer, and members of your multifunctional team.

You might want to revisit the Contract Administration Footprint to learn more about these people. It can be found in the Mission module at the Resources tab.

Voices of Experience (VoE) Video

The voices of Experience (VoE) video provides personal perspectives of what you can expect when you conduct prior-to-award activities. Select play to watch the video.

What are prior-to-award activities?

Activities

Prior-to-award activities contribute to negotiation intelligence and indirect cost control. Some members of your team may participate in these activities by reviewing, researching, or assessing information about the offeror:

Preaward Surveys
Cost and Pricing Analysis
Industrial Base Analysis of Production Capability
Business System Adequacy Assessment
Market Research and Assessment

Results

What are the results of prior-to-award activities? Results can take the shape of reports, agreements, or recommendations:

Technical Support to Negotiations (TSN)/Technical Support to Indirect Costs (TSI) Reports
Should Cost Reports
Preaward Survey Report
Proposal Analysis Reports
Forward Pricing Rate Agreements (FPRA) and Forward Pricing Rate Recommendations (FPRR)
Billing rates and cost allocations

In what ways are team members involved in prior-to-award activities?

Learn more about the activities performed by different functions and think about how your work impacts others. Select the icon to read the Main Actions and Roles.

Familiarize yourself with the definitions for the results of prior-to-award activities by reviewing the glossary found in the Resources tab. Be prepared to talk about the activities and results during the networking learning forum.

What does the FAR say about preaward surveys?

Now that you have a foundational knowledge of prior-to-award activities, it's time to dig a little deeper and expand your expertise by reading the FAR and policy. Check the FAR and DFARS to find responses to the questions listed. Prepare to discuss what you learn during the networking learning forum.

FAR Subpart 9.106 Preaward Surveys - Establishes the requirements governing supplier qualifications and responsibility determinations

When is a preaward survey needed?
What are five items that you need to consider regarding requests for preaward surveys?

Certain contracts require the contractor to maintain adequate business systems. DFARS 252.242-7005, Contractor Business Systems, explains when certain business system clauses are required.

When the DFARS 242.242-7005 applies and the Contracting Officer determines the contractor's business systems contains significant deficiencies, what notice will be included in the determination?

What does the policy say about prior-to-award activities?

A General Note About Policy

Some policy is included for the public to view via www.DCMA.mil. All policy can be viewed via DCMA360, based on the instructions provided in How to Access Policy. Select the icon to read it now by scrolling through the pages.

Prior-to-Award Policies

Search for and read these sections for the policies listed: Purpose statement, Table of Contents, Policy statement, and acronyms. Be prepared to discuss your questions during the next networking learning forum.

Pricing and Negotiation
Cost Monitoring
Forward Pricing Rates
Preaward Surveys
Technical Pricing Support

What would you do in this scenario?

Participate in an interactive scenario to learn more about Independent Projectiles, Inc., a fictitious company who hopes to be awarded a Government contract to manufacture military-grade ammunition. Allow approximately an hour to complete the scenario.

Select the icon to begin the scenario.

Networking Guidance

Read the Networking Guidance to receive your assignments and to learn all you need to know about individual networking and posting with others in the networking learning forum.

Select the icon.

Meet

Schedule your networking meetings when you are ready to perform prior-to-award activities. Learn how and why they do it. Learn what you have in common while building your network to problem-solve and work more effectively.

Learn from each other. Share ideas, answer thought-provoking questions, and develop critical thinking skills as you journey with this community during your first months at DCMA.

Obtain your assignment from the Networking Guidance and post your responses in the Prior-to-Award Activities networking learning forum.

CMI101 - DCMA Multifunctional Orientation