Tuesday All Day Training

9:00 AM- 4:00 PM

Additional registration fee required.

Introduction to the Federal Contracting Lifecycle: Getting Small Businesses Ready for 2023

Is your small business looking for an easier route into federal contracting? Does your federal contracting staff need a refresher? Want your subcontractors to be ready to jam on a contract? Just looking for the best, most rousing, exciting, up-to-the-minute, explanation of federal buying you’ve ever seen? Climb aboard the Acquisition Subway and hang on! With NCMA Chief Learning Officer Michelle Currier as your engineer and a crew of top experts with more than 120 cumulative years of experience in industry and government, take the ride of a lifetime through the entire acquisition lifecycle. Hear their candid tips, tricks, and techniques for succeeding in the federal market and negotiating the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Get your questions answered by the best in the business, and learn how to push back on terms and conditions!

This workshop is an excellent overview for any prime or subcontractor seeking an introduction or refresher on federal contracting and a valuable precursor to the SubCon conference. Learn the federal context to take fuller advantage of SubCon sessions offered during the main conference!

Credits: 6
Speakers:
- Michelle Currier, Chief Learning Officer, NCMA
- Jim Doss, Senior Manager, Contracts, Raytheon
- Christi Davis, Associate Director Marketing Services Procurement, Bristol Myers Squibb
- Amanda Thompson, Vice President of Growth Services, JJR Solutions, LLC
- Theresa Terry, Team Lead, Services Acquisitions, United States Air Force
- Kameke Mitchell, Chief of Contracts SSC COMSO, United States Space Force
- Jessica Johnson, Director of Contracts, The MASY Group

* Participants can join this workshop virtually or in person!
*Attendees will also receive a 10% discount on NCMA’s 10-hour virtual certificate course – U.S. Federal Contracting Fundamentals. Promo code to be emailed before SubCon.

Wednesday Sessions

8:45 AM- 9:30 AM

General Session: The Prime-Subcontractor Relationship

Join NCMA leadership and Ms. Jackie Robinson-Burnette for an inspirational look at how prime and subcontractors, particularly small businesses, drive federal procurement. As a former Senior Executive Service leader, Jackie has decades of experience in DoD Contracting and served as the SBA’s Deputy Associate Administrator of Government Contracting & Business Development.

Credits: 0.9
Speakers: Kraig Conrad, CEO, NCMA; Michelle Currier, Chief Learning Officer, NCMA; Jackie Robinson-Burnette, CEO, Senior Executive Strategic Solutions

9:45 AM- 12:00 PM

Deep Dive: Intro to Federal Contracting, Where Primes and Subs Collide

Not sure how your customer or seller relationships fit into the broader federal acquisition world? Join this immersive session for a full picture of the acquisition process including everything from the first steps of acquisition planning through to contract closeout. Designed for beginners, this high energy, conversation-based workshop will help frame all federal acquisition topics at a high level, via the Acquisition Subway Map tool. You’ll see exactly when and how primes and subs collide in the process to get you ready to take advantage of other SubCon sessions!

Credits: 2.4
Speaker: Michelle Currier, Chief Learning Officer, NCMA

9:45 AM- 10:45 AM

Breakout: Price Analysis--Subcontracting Considerations and Unique Challenges

FAR requires that both contracting officers and contractors engage in contracts and subcontracts only with responsible sources at fair and reasonable prices. The view of fair and reasonable prices can be different based on several factors, however when it comes to subcontracting considerations, there are unique challenges and opportunities that face prime contract buyers. This inside look at the buyer’s perspective is critical for subcontractors submitting price proposals.

This session will involve a review of the unique situations often encountered when conducting price analyses of subcontractors’ proposals and will discuss how to appropriately address them. We will discuss industry standard tools that can assist prime contract buyers and subcontract administrators when analyzing labor trends, loading factors, escalation, price/quality relationships and other challenging price analysis situations. Attendees will engage in discussions relative to the best techniques to structure, plan, and execute effective price analyses.

Credits: 1.2
Speaker: Jeffrey White, JA White & Associates

Exchange: Mastering the Art of “Crucial Conversations” (Repeat opportunity offered on Day 2)

From negotiations to contract performance discussions, share lessons and strategies for managing important conversations when the stakes are high and opinions are strong. This exchange will be repeated on Day 2 to provide an additional opportunity to attend.

Credits: 1.2
Speaker: Russell Blaine, Executive Director, Acquisition Policy & Compliance, Raytheon Technologies

11:00 AM- 12:00 PM

Breakout: Supply Chain Chaos: What’s Your Role, What to Watch, What to Do

We’re still experiencing a perfect storm of supply chain chaos at the beginning of 2023. What should you be aware of when it comes to supply chain and procurement risk? This session, back by popular demand and hosted by Resilinc’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Peter Guinto, will cover:

An update on supply chain disruption data and broader procurement risk trends for the year (CHIPS Act, Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, Inflation Reduction Act, geopolitics)
How and why contracting professionals must lead in this space
Lessons from the trenches including what organizations are doing to comply with new requirements
Why supply chain resiliency begins with supplier network mapping and visibility (and how to accomplish this)

Credits: 1.2
Speaker: Peter Guinto, Vice President of Government Affairs, Resilinc

Exchange: Leveraging Your Local Apex Accelerators (Repeat opportunity offered on Day 2)

The APEX Accelerators program, under management of the Department of Defense (DOD) Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP), provides the education and training that all businesses need to participate to become capable of participating in DOD and other government contracts. Two APEX Accelerator Program Managers will lead this open discussion on resources available to small businesses.

Credits: 1.2
Speakers: Lisa Wood, Program Manager of the Virginia PTAC; Milton Goodman, Program Manager of the DC PTAC

1:30 PM- 3:45 PM

Deep Dive: Building Trust-Based Prime-Sub Relationships for High-Return Partnerships

Prime and subcontractor relationships are built on one-on-one connections made by individuals who work for those organizations. Building those relationships takes time and a deep awareness of the incentives of each stakeholder in the federal contracting context. It also takes skill to build trust-based relationships. Join this immersive, hands-on workshop to delve into the incentives and priorities of primes and subs and how use that powerful perspective to build meaningful relationships across the table.  Participants will discover the roles and goals of our key players in prime-sub relationships in U.S. federal contracting.  We’ll explore the concept of “micro-engagement” and put it into practice right in the room, in exercises based on proven techniques to purposefully build trust.  Participants will also leave with a Micro-Engagement Momentum Planning template they can use over and over, to capture and activate new ideas that support building the relationships that are critical to successful prime-sub partnerships. Participants will leave with a plan to build trusting relationships to drive their own prime-sub relationships forward!

Credits: 2.4
Speaker: Judy Bradt, CEO, Summit Insight

1:30 PM- 2:30 PM

Breakout: Negotiating the CPSR Process

Approved purchasing systems have become a business necessity when pursuing large GWAC IDIQ vehicles. But the CPSR process has the highest fail rate of all business system reviews. By taking a workflow approach to procurement documentation, the CPSR process can be effectively de-fanged and negotiated into system approval. This session will give an overview of CPSR basics and show attendees how to avoid common pitfalls and respond to CPSR teams with confidence and competence. Learn specific tips for avoid deficiencies and finalize system status without corrective action.

Credits: 1.2
Speakers: Mark Hijar, Mark Hijar, Founder, ProcureLinx, LLC

Exchange: How to Present Yourself and Your Business: A Distinguished Toastmaster’s insights (Repeat opportunity offered on Day 2)

Join this discussion to think like a toastmaster when presenting your business to a new contact. What information should you lead with, how to organize your message, and make yourself memorable. This exchange will be repeated on Day 2 to provide an additional opportunity to attend.

Credits: 1.2
Speakers: Kim Choplin, Principal Contract Specialist, FDIC

2:45 PM- 3:45 PM

Breakout: Pay Attention to Flowdowns (10 Ways NOT to Screw Up Your Subcontract Agreement)!

Winning a subcontract from a federal prime contractor comes with more than programmatic and budgetary requirements—it comes with a host of flowdown requirements that may contain hidden costs, performance obligations or assumed risk for the life of the program. Subcontractors MUST, MUST, MUST thoroughly review flowdown clauses! Join this engaging session for a look at common subcontract flowdowns and ways to mitigate subcontract performance risk before heading to the win party:

Research and review all clauses incorporated by reference;
Negotiate non-mandatory and/or inapplicable flowdown clauses;
Recognize that an omitted (but mandatory) clause is still applicable; and
Review insurance requirements to incorporate policy limits appropriate for subcontractor scope.

Credits: 1.2
Speaker: Jessica Johnson, CFCM, CPCM, Director of Contracts, The Masy Group

Exchange: The Role of Advisors and the Power of Your Network

Join this discussion to share best practices for building your personal network.
Topics include: Building your personal/professional advisory team, networking etiquette and best practices and navigating social platforms (LinkedIn).

Credits: 1.2
Speakers: Jennifer Hanks, CEO, MMC Consulting

Thursday Sessions:

9:45 AM- 12:00 PM

Deep Dive: Live-Action Supply Chain Risk Management

Global product shortages, cyber threats throughout the supply chain, and infiltration of counterfeit parts are constantly in the news. How should contracting professionals approach supply chain management in a world of heightened risk? Learn by doing in this complex, immersive scenario covering supply chain risk from the lens of the prime and sub relationship and how primes and subs manage risk at all tiers. Work groups will use a two-part case study to:

Identify potential areas of risk
Identify risk mitigation elements broken down into the 4 P's of success (people, processes, performance and price)
Describe potential supply chain impacts

Practice today to prevent critical failures tomorrow.

Credits: 2.4
Speakers: Amanda Christian, Senior Vice President, Subcontracts and Procurement, CACI; Jennifer Hanks, CEO, MMC Consulting; Kameke Mitchell, Chief of Contracts, US Space Force

9:45 AM- 10:45 AM

Breakout: Contract Financing: Preparing to Access Capital

Join this session for a panel discussion with members from the M&T Bank GovCon team and Republic Capital Access. Panelist will discuss options available to finance contract startup costs and ways to get vital cash flow into a business. The panelists will address common questions, talk through best practices, and explain the landscape of solutions available. Participants will leave with the knowledge of how to best position their business to access capital.

Credits: 1.2
Speaker: Dominick Belfiore, Director of Operations and Special Projects, NCMA; Matthew McShane, Sean Turner and Emily Zankman, M&T Bank GovCon and Matt Stavish, Republic Capital Access.

Exchange: Leveraging Your Local Apex Accelerators (Repeated from Day 1)

Credits: 1.2
Speakers: Lisa Wood, Program Manager of the Virginia PTAC; Milton Goodman, Program Manager of the DC PTAC

11:00 AM- 12:00 PM

Breakout: EPA Clauses, et. al.: Inflation Remedies for Primes and Subs

Contractors and subcontractors take on a government contract to make money, and inflation is getting in the way. Join this session for discussion of the inflation picture in March 2023 and predictions for the future economic outlook plus likely remedies from a variety of data points. The session will cover current remedies prime contractors have for inflation management including Economic Price Adjustment clauses under FAR 16.203-4(c)(2) and the impact of contract type. It will also discuss inflation relief between primes and subs including crafting EPA clauses, Severin Doctrine issues and Inflation Relief Under Title VIII, Section 822, of the NDAA for FY 2023.

Credits: 1.2
Speaker: Jason Blindauer, Blindhauer Law PLLC

Exchange: Mastering the Art of “Crucial Conversations” (Repeated from Day 1)

Credits: 1.2
Speaker: Russell Blaine, Executive Director, Acquisition Policy & Compliance, Raytheon Technologies

1:30 PM- 3:45 PM

Deep Dive: Making Your Proposal Investments Count --Bid or No-Bid Decisions

Not all opportunities are created equal and responding to a proposal is not cheap! Join this interactive workshop to try your hand at making a bid or no bid decision—is the opportunity worth the investment? The discussion will explore what goes into this important business decision for both prime and subcontractors. The session will begin with a deep dive into the most important considerations including historical information and probability, profit, schedule, skills, resources, risk, and future opportunities. You’ll then use specific tools for organizing the decisions making processes and put these into action as you consider real bid or no bid examples and make your decision.

Credits: 2.4
Speakers: Joann Campbell-Maher, CPCM, CFCM, CCCM, NCMA Fellow, Director of Contracts for SRC, Inc., Syracuse, NY ; Clara Anderson, CPCM, CFCM, CCCM, NCMA Fellow, PMP, Vice President of Contracts, Information Systems Laboratories

1:30 PM- 2:30 PM

Breakout: In the News: Regulatory Updates Impacting Primes and Subs
Join this session for a deep dive into the latest changes and final rulings to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) that matter most to prime and subcontractors. This session will cover the following:

Evolving and forthcoming cybersecurity requirements and CMMC
Labor developments including the new Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers
What to expect from the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
Debt ceiling impact on contractors
Untangling the latest domestic preference requirements
The latest cases, regulations, class deviations, and guidance

Credits: 1.2
Speaker: Eric Crusius, Partner, Holland & Knight

Exchange: How to Present Yourself and Your Business: A Distinguished Toastmaster’s insights (Repeated from Day 1)

Credits: 1.2
Speakers: Kim Choplin, Principal Contract Specialist, FDIC

Exchange: Networking With a Purpose: Making Prime-Sub Connections

Did you attend SubCon hoping to make new business contacts? This facilitated networking session will guide you through lively and informal activities designed to make sure you meet everyone in the room. Leave with a new connection to help drive your career or business forward.

Credits: 0
Speakers: Jennifer Hanks, CEO, MMC Consulting

2:45 PM- 3:45 PM

Breakout: Balancing Compliance and Cost: Modernizing Contracts Technology to Solve for Both

Prime and subcontractors must constantly pivot to ensure they are meeting government requirements and regulatory updates. Pivoting comes at a cost, particularly for leanly staffed contracting departments or even one-person “shops!” Not responding quickly enough leads to compliance exposure, enterprise risks, and undesirable audit attention and outcomes. Join this session to learn how tools and technology can increase efficiency, cost savings and risk mitigation. Participants will leave with specific ideas for integrating technology for process efficiency and how to evaluate technology solutions to best meet the needs of the business.

Credits: 1.2
Speakers: Karen Wheeler, Consultant, Unison and panel

Exchange: How to Present Yourself and Your Business: A Distinguished Toastmaster’s insights (Repeated from Day 1)

Credits: 1.2
Speakers: Kim Choplin, Principal Contract Specialist, FDIC