The rules for buying goods and services with federal grant and subgrant funds explicitly state that those procurements “must be conducted in a manner providing full and open competition” (2 CFR §200.319(a)). Unfortunately, the rules don’t go on to clearly describe how that is supposed to happen!

Federally funded organizations are largely left to their own devices about how to reach out to the marketplace and generate competitive offers in response to their invitations for bids and requests for proposals. Consequently, how and where offers are solicited will pretty much determine how much competition actually occurs.

This webinar will help you determine the practical steps to take to get the required competition. You’ll learn about:  

• Market research:
  • Where are the contractors?
  • How can we reach them?
• Drafting attention-getting solicitation notices
• Developing sound Invitations for Bids (IFBs) and Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
• Avoiding situations considered restrictive of competition
• Properly narrowing or expanding the marketplace:
  • Preferential and restricted procurements
  • Buy America
  • Fly America
  • State or local preference
  • Opportunities for certain businesses (DBE, MBE, SBE, WBE)
  • Procurement of recovered materials
  • Prohibited goods or services
• Managing competition during the solicitation period
• Managing offerors during the contractor selection period
• Awarding compliant contracts and purchase orders
• Informing offerors about award decisions
• Managing award protests
• Understanding audit vulnerability

Federal grant-awarding agencies know that you don’t control the marketplace. But they still expect you to make good faith efforts to “shop around” and to avoid improperly restricting competition. Join us for this informative session that will help you demonstrate bona fide competitive procurement.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

• Chief financial officers
• Legal counsels
• Grant project directors
• Grant and contract managers
• Sponsored projects administrators
• Purchasing agents
• Internal auditors
• External auditors

Hand-out Materials:

Attendees will receive presentation slides as well as access to background materials.

Allowable Charges

The costs of webinars sponsored by Federal Fund Management Advisor™ are allowable charges to your federal grants and subgrants. The cost principles issued by OMB under its uniform guidance (and applicable to all types of awardees) state, “The cost of training and education for employee development is allowable” (2 CFR 200.472).

Attend this Live Webinar and Earn up to 1.5 CPE Credits