EPA Small Business EPA Small Business Contractor Success Contractor Success StoryStory

Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP)

Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP)

July 12, 2010

Prepared for:Prepared for:Prepared for:Prepared for:

EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc.EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc.

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2AgendaAgenda

● PresenterPresenter Fritz Meyer, P.E., Senior Vice President, Director of Fritz Meyer, P.E., Senior Vice President, Director of

Federal ProgramsFederal Programs (410/527-2412; fmeyer@eaest.com) (410/527-2412; fmeyer@eaest.com)

● EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc. EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc. (EA) Overview (EA) Overview

● Checklist for Success on ProposalsChecklist for Success on Proposals

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3Company OverviewCompany Overview

● Environmental service firm founded in 1973Environmental service firm founded in 1973● Headquartered in Hunt Valley, MDHeadquartered in Hunt Valley, MD● $90M annual gross revenue$90M annual gross revenue● Employee-ownedEmployee-owned● 460 multi-disciplinary staff 460 multi-disciplinary staff ● Full-service environmental capabilitiesFull-service environmental capabilities

Water and Natural Resources Water and Natural Resources Compliance Compliance Hazardous and Toxic Waste RemediationHazardous and Toxic Waste Remediation Munitions ResponseMunitions Response

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4Nationwide OfficesNationwide Offices

Dallas, TXDallas, TXHonolulu, HIHonolulu, HI

Fairbanks, AKFairbanks, AK

Seattle, WASeattle, WA

Lincoln, NELincoln, NE Deerfield, ILDeerfield, IL Newburgh, NYNewburgh, NY

Hunt Valley, MD(Headquarters)Hunt Valley, MD(Headquarters)

Houston, TXHouston, TX

Warwick, RIWarwick, RI

Syracuse, NYSyracuse, NY

Yigo, GuamYigo, Guam

York, PAYork, PA

Washington, DCWashington, DC

Albuquerque, NMAlbuquerque, NM

Sparks, MDSparks, MD

Edgewood, MDEdgewood, MD

Baltimore, MDBaltimore, MD

Ocean Pines, MDOcean Pines, MD

Oswego, NYOswego, NY

San Antonio, TXSan Antonio, TX

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5Federal ExperienceFederal Experience

Air National Guard

Air Force Installations

Air Force

ORAP, HTRW, FUDS, BRAC, MMRP, Civil Works and Other

Army National Guard/NDNODS

Navy

Coast Guard

EPA

NOAA

DLA

Department of Interior (NPS, USFWS, BLM)Army

GuamAmerican

Samoa

Wake Island

Puerto Rico

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Multidisciplinary StaffMultidisciplinary Staff

● 460 employees460 employees● 110 with advanced degrees110 with advanced degrees● 80 with professional registrations—80 with professional registrations—

PEs, PGs, CIHs, CSPs, CHMMsPEs, PGs, CIHs, CSPs, CHMMs● High staff retention rate—High staff retention rate—

senior and mid-level professional staff average senior and mid-level professional staff average 10 years with EA10 years with EA

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Revenues by Market AreaRevenues by Market Area 7

13%Private/Commercial

26%Federal Civilian

30%Department of Defense

15%Municipal

16%State

®®

EA as an EPA ContractorEA as an EPA Contractor● Won our first contract with EPA in 2005Won our first contract with EPA in 2005

Region 6 Remedial Action ContractRegion 6 Remedial Action Contract• Prime, NAICS 562910 • 5-year base ($150M) with 5-year option ($150M)

● Won our second and third contracts in 2007Won our second and third contracts in 2007 Region 3 Remedial Action ContractRegion 3 Remedial Action Contract

• Prime, NAICS 562910• 5-year base with 5-year option ($60M)

Nationwide Targeted BrownfieldsNationwide Targeted Brownfields• Sub to a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business

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● Selected for the “Selected for the “Fiscal Year 2006 Fiscal Year 2006 Administrator’s Award for Outstanding Administrator’s Award for Outstanding Accomplishment by a Small BusinessAccomplishment by a Small Business” ”

9EA as an EPA ContractorEA as an EPA Contractor

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Checklist for Success on ProposalsChecklist for Success on Proposals● Prior to Solicitation Issuance:Prior to Solicitation Issuance:

Identify the opportunityIdentify the opportunity Look through the EPA Forecast Database for targets Attend the EPA Contractors Forum and other conferences

Do your homework on the specific opportunityDo your homework on the specific opportunity Find the previous solicitation package Talk to incumbents Look at the types of work being performed under the

existing contract Get the answer to “What are they worried about?”

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● Prior to Solicitation Issuance (continued):Prior to Solicitation Issuance (continued): Give capabilities presentations tailored to the Give capabilities presentations tailored to the

needs addressed in the specific solicitationneeds addressed in the specific solicitation Just showing up isn’t good enough—you’d better have the

goods to support EPA’s program Form a Team, Joint Venture, Mentor-Protégé to fill Form a Team, Joint Venture, Mentor-Protégé to fill

the “holes” you discoverthe “holes” you discover

11Checklist for Success on ProposalsChecklist for Success on Proposals

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● Prior to Solicitation Issuance (continued):Prior to Solicitation Issuance (continued): Develop a Capture StrategyDevelop a Capture Strategy

Start at least a year before you believe the solicitation will be released Remember—with Federal, always a little patience

Identify: Procurement information Client requirements Client’s environment Develop your theme and discriminators Your holes and fill them with a

• Team, Joint Venture, Mentor-Protégé

12Checklist for Success on ProposalsChecklist for Success on Proposals(continued)(continued)

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Checklist for Success on ProposalsChecklist for Success on Proposals(continued)(continued)

● Proposal Preparation:Proposal Preparation: Proposals: Always include information that is:Proposals: Always include information that is:

Relevant—tailored to what the government wants, eliminate marketing “fluff” Compelling—ask yourself the question “So what!?” Solutions-based—don’t just tell them what you did Tailored to the outline of the solicitation and responsive to what it asks—

don’t make the evaluators have to search for your answers

Don’t be afraid to ask questions of the appropriate Don’t be afraid to ask questions of the appropriate government official—you will probably find government official—you will probably find inconsistencies within the solicitationinconsistencies within the solicitation

Remember the answer to “What are they worried about?” Remember the answer to “What are they worried about?” and provide solutions to their worriesand provide solutions to their worries

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● Proposal Preparation (continued):Proposal Preparation (continued): Organize! You only have so much time.Organize! You only have so much time.

• Read the entire solicitation and outline your response to answer everything that is required—you can’t have any holes

• Have a kickoff meeting:– Identify your response team organization

» Ensure that they have the authority to get it done– Prepare a schedule for the response, reviews, production and

delivery» Have a backup delivery system—there are no excuses

for being late

14Checklist for Success on ProposalsChecklist for Success on Proposals(continued)(continued)

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● Proposal Preparation (continued):Proposal Preparation (continued):• Kick off meeting (continued):

– Storyboard your response» Title, page allowance, theme/discriminators with validations,

graphics, font/size restrictions, lead paragraph, author– Identify “holes” and “fill” them

• Independent review (Red Team) of 90% draft response– Allow time for Red Team recovery

• Final production• Compliance review

– Pick someone that is very detail-oriented

15Checklist for Success on ProposalsChecklist for Success on Proposals(continued)(continued)

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● Proposal Preparation (continued):Proposal Preparation (continued): Deliver the proposalDeliver the proposal

• Understand the delivery requirements at the facility—they may be a lot more difficult than you think

Celebrate your win Celebrate your win • Win or lose, ask for a debrief immediately• You get more information from a Post-Award debrief than

from a Pre-Award

16Checklist for Success on ProposalsChecklist for Success on Proposals(continued)(continued)

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● Setup for a Successful Recompete:Setup for a Successful Recompete: You won! Now deliver:You won! Now deliver:

a quality product on time at a fair and reasonable price while keeping everyone safe within the contract terms and conditions to the ethical standards of EPA and your company

Checklist for Success on ProposalsChecklist for Success on Proposals(continued)(continued)

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Ask for interim performance evaluationsAsk for interim performance evaluations Beg to get them on a regular basis so you can implement timely

corrective actionsYearly NIH Performance EvaluationYearly NIH Performance Evaluation

Your evaluation is critical to your success on future proposals● Past Performance evaluations typically count as 25% of your score on

Federal solicitations

18Checklist for Success on ProposalsChecklist for Success on Proposals(continued)(continued)

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Why You Should Want to ProposeWhy You Should Want to Proposeto EPAto EPA

● It’s a level playing field; you’ll be evaluated on what It’s a level playing field; you’ll be evaluated on what you put between the covers of your response and your you put between the covers of your response and your past performance evaluationspast performance evaluations

● You’re dealing with professionals—their contract You’re dealing with professionals—their contract administration and technical staff know what they’re administration and technical staff know what they’re doingdoing

● The rules of engagement are clearly defined; you won’t The rules of engagement are clearly defined; you won’t be surprised if you read the solicitationbe surprised if you read the solicitation

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● They’ll let you know how to improve your proposal They’ll let you know how to improve your proposal response for the next timeresponse for the next time

● And if you should be so lucky as to win a contract with And if you should be so lucky as to win a contract with them, all of the above bullets apply to your contract them, all of the above bullets apply to your contract execution; plus, they pay on time!execution; plus, they pay on time!

20Why You Should Want to ProposeWhy You Should Want to Proposeto EPAto EPA