A 3-Day Hands-On TMS Experience
Delivered in Live or Live Virtual Classrooms!

Course Description: This is a three-day hands-on workshop designed solely with the Government Acquisition professional in mind. This workshop will provide you with detailed guidance on how to understand and be effective at negotiation techniques and strategies. Negotiation is an art, and the Government must confidently know all of the facts relative to the analysis to ensure successful Negotiations. Participants of this workshop will learn how to place the Government in a preferred position for Negotiations by learning how to build defensible pre-negotiation objectives. You will learn the roles and responsibilities of each Negotiation Team member, how to appropriately prepare and plan for negotiations, and how to spot problems early.

Negotiators can often run on automatic pilot missing opportunities due to bias, narrow vision, lack of effective preparation, or incorrect, although common, beliefs about negotiation techniques. This workshop provides the tools, strategies, and techniques that let participants address these failings. Our TMS instructors for this course are each experienced government negotiators that provide their insights and advice with real-world examples.

Particularly attractive features of this workshop are the in-class Exercises, which give the attendees hands-on experience with the critical elements of negotiating effectively.

Learning Objectives & Topics Covered in this Workshop:

• Understand the principles of the negotiation process in the government acquisition cycle.
• Understand the roles, duties, and responsibilities of the Contracting Officer, COR, Program Manager, Subject Matter Experts, and Offeror in negotiations
• Learn the key to a successful negotiation.
  • In a sole-source environment and all other forms of competition
• Know how to understand and question proposed costs to build a defensible Pre-negotiation Objective.
  • Understand how Contractors typically conduct proposal development –And WHY that Matters to YOU!
  • How to spot inconsistencies between the price and technical proposal
• The Negotiation Team
  • Who helps prepare the pre-negotiation objective?
  • Organizational structure
  • Resources Needed
• The Regulations
  • Policies and guidance
• How to prepare for negotiations by gaining a thorough understanding of all analyses
• Determining whether an offer is fair and reasonable.
• Price Negotiation
• Obtaining an unbiased realistic cost estimate for what is being purchased through the use of the IGCE.
  • Market research
  • Use of a work breakdown structure
  • Market research for the IGCE
    • Understand what to look for
    • Where to look for cost drivers and product/service characteristics
  • Estimating direct labor hours
  • Estimating direct labor dollars
• Understand time requirements
• Analyzing the requirement from the point of view of the prospective contractor
• Conducting relevant and accurate research
• Tailoring formats
• Looking at historical information/data
• Price Analysis Techniques
• How to evaluate a proposed price
  • How to use the PWS/SOW
  • Did the contractor comply with the RFP Proposal Preparation Instructions?
• Documenting your findings
  • Documentation requirements
• Describe the types of technical input the Contracting Officer requires before and during negotiations which involve price and data gathering, market research, technical proposal evaluation, and decision-making.
• Learn how to prepare for negotiations.
• Learn to identify your negotiation goals and limitations.
• Learn to claim value for the government versus just making a deal.
• Learn ways to build trust and negotiate creatively.
• Learn how to negotiate to claim and create value.
• Understand how to reduce your biases.
• Learn how to make your proposals more appealing.
• Participate in a mock negotiation.
• Learn how to assess negotiations and recognize changing tactics or strategies.
• What negotiating is and why you must learn to do it
• What nine steps you should take to prepare for a negotiation
• How to negotiate successfully
• Why negotiations sometimes go wrong.
• Learn the key to a successful negotiation.
• Body language and physical environment awareness – the often overlooked and high-impact skill set to have.
• Know how to build defensible pre-negotiation objectives.
• How to analyze and negotiate more effectively
• How to adapt your strategies when there are multiple parties and issues
• How to create coalitions and strategic alliances to improve your negotiating position.
• How to prepare for negotiations by gaining a thorough understanding of all analyses
• Determining whether an offer/idea is fair and reasonable.
• Negotiation strategies
• Negotiation assumptions
• Negotiation task identification tools
• Analyzing the requirement from the point of view of the other person/group

Toolkits: Each Participant will receive a Student Handbook and access to an Online Toolkit, containing tools such as checklists, tips, techniques, and numerous other tools to help you use your new skills immediately.

Additional Information
CPE Credits: 23.0
CEU Credits: 2.0
Suggested Program Prerequisites: None
Advanced Preparation: None
NASBA Program Level: Basic
NASBA Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
Delivery Method: Group Live – Classroom