(Editors Note. We are continually on the lookout for articles providing practical insight into successful tactics to win awards. One of our acquaintances is a former contracting officer with many government agencies who has been a member of numerous source selection boards. We have asked her to write a guest article that will provide our readers with some insights from the perspective of the source selection officer. The author, Katherine Szymkowicz, is owner of The Acquisition Network (TAN), a San Francisco based consulting firm that provides acquisition assistance to Federal contractors specializing in bid and proposal preparation, protest strategy, negotiation assistance and general acquisition advice.)

Simple methods of reducing price can and must be used on all proposals. All of us constantly struggle to cut those pennies from our bid that may give us just the competitive edge we need. The day of the low bid is, for the most part, gone; a low price is no longer enough. The price must be low and must contain the most value to the Government in the eyes of the Source Selection Authority. You must use price reduction methods, then explain and highlight them, illustrating not only the low price but also the value inherent in it, or it may cost you valuable points on your technical proposal. The successful price reduction is really a two-part process: first you must determine how to lower your price, then you must insure the Contracting Officer and Technical Evaluation Team understands what you did and sees its value.

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