Once a Teaming Agreement is firmly in place, the presentation of the Team to the Government needs to be considered.

It is vital that the Team is presented as an entity in itself. Presenting two firms who plan to work together may appear to be an attractive arrangement but will not be to the Government. To represent the Team as two firms working together invites Government fears of finger pointing and failure to take responsibility. What the Government wants to see is a single entity comprised of the strengths of the Team members, but with a single management point of contact that can commit the joint venture. 

If the firms have worked together in the past, this is an important element to the Government and one that should be emphasized. Once again, the Government is looking for a seamless arrangement with a minimum of impact on contract administration. If you can show that you have accomplished this with your teaming partner on a previous contract, the Government will view the arrangement favorably. Whether you have this past experience or not, it is vital to show your management plan for integrating the Team into a single entity. 

Know the Common Rules

Joint ventures are subject to most of the same acquisition rules as individual contractors (e.g. small business classification, past performance criteria, cost allowability, etc.).  For example, since a Teaming arrangement is a Joint Venture the gross annual receipts of both firms together must total an amount under the size requirement for the appropriate NAICS in order to qualify as a small business. Or an 8(a) set aside requires that both firms be 8(a) to qualify the Joint Venture as an 8(a). 

Knowing the rules gives you the flexibility to create the best arrangement for a particular procurement. An 8(a) firm that wants to work with a small business on an 8(a) set aside would need to show the small business as a subcontractor, meeting the subcontracting rules as they apply to the specific procurement.  Or, since past performance information can be considered in various ways under a given award scheme to maximize past performance evaluation the prime team member can choose to portray the past performance of the subordinate member as a full team partner, subcontractor or even employee of another firm.

Most often, it is assumptions and an unfamiliar partner that get the teaming arrangement into trouble. If you want to create a joint venture, do your market planning now, deciding what type of procurements you want to pursue and what type of partner you need. Create the team in advance of a specific opportunity so that your planning is well thought out, thoroughly investigated and not rushed. As in most situations, it is far better to plan than to react.

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