Contracting Officer Podcast 2.0 (samples)

Latest Episodes:

191 Qualifying Opportunities 3: Revenue & Resources Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)This is Part 3 (of 3) in our series on Qualifying Opportunities. Kevin and Paul wrap up their conversation about the questions that industry should ask themselves regarding their ability to respond to an RFP (or potential RFP). Learn why Industry can’t (and shouldn’t) respond to every solicitation and how resource limitations impact both the bid and execution process. __________This episode is brought to you by Skyway Acquisition. To get help with the Government market, become a Skyway Community member. The Skyway Community ensures you are better positioned to take advantage of opportunities and better equipped to manage the challenges of government contracts. Members have access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and training resources from our team of former COs, including the ability to get the perspective of our whole team in Ask A Contracting Officer Forum, get specialized training from our on-demand webinars and articles, targeting support through our RFP Score™ assessment tool, as well as our consulting from our team of former COs who help solve your unique puzzles. Personal memberships start at $50 with no contract. To learn more, visit skywaymember.com.___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

199 The Crucible of the Incumbent Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)It’s time to re-compete your contract. You’re the incumbent, so this is going to be easy, right? Kevin and Paul discuss the advantages and challenges that come with incumbency on a Government contract. Learn why many incumbents lose their re-competes and how Government acquisition team members can recognize bias towards (or against) incumbents. __________This episode is brought to you by Skyway Acquisition. To get help with the Government market, become a Skyway Community member. The Skyway Community ensures you are better positioned to take advantage of opportunities and better equipped to manage the challenges of government contracts. Members have access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and training resources from Skyway’s team of former COs, including the ability to get the perspective of the entire team in the “Ask A Contracting Officer” Forum, get specialized training from on-demand webinars and articles, targeting support through the RFP Score™ assessment tool, as well as custom consulting from Skyway’s team of former COs who help solve your unique puzzles. To learn more, visit askskyway.com.___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

194 Small Business Set Aside Preference Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul discuss the Government’s preference (or lack of preference) for specific small business categories during the acquisition process. Learn how open communication can help Government acquisition teams award set-aside contracts faster and how Industry can leverage the Government’s small business goals to create a competitive advantage. __________This episode is brought to you by Skyway Acquisition. To get help with the Government market, become a Skyway Community member. The Skyway Community ensures you are better positioned to take advantage of opportunities and better equipped to manage the challenges of government contracts. Members have access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and training resources from Skyway’s team of former COs, including the ability to get the perspective of the entire team in the “Ask A Contracting Officer” Forum, get specialized training from on-demand webinars and articles, targeting support through the RFP Score™ assessment tool, as well as custom consulting from Skyway’s team of former COs who help solve your unique puzzles. To learn more, visit skywaymember.com.___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

195 Inherently Governmental Functions Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)The Government uses contractors to conduct a wide array of support functions, including many jobs that were once performed by Government employees. Kevin and Paul discuss Inherently Government Functions and explain what types of jobs must be performed by Government employees and which roles can be contracted out. Learn why both Government and Industry can avoid confusion as well as acquisition and contract execution complications by understanding the roles in your specific situation. __________This episode is brought to you by Skyway Acquisition. To get help with the Government market, become a Skyway Community member. The Skyway Community ensures you are better positioned to take advantage of opportunities and better equipped to manage the challenges of government contracts. Members have access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and training resources from Skyway’s team of former COs, including the ability to get the perspective of the entire team in the “Ask A Contracting Officer” Forum, get specialized training from on-demand webinars and articles, targeting support through the RFP Score™ assessment tool, as well as custom consulting from Skyway’s team of former COs who help solve your unique puzzles. To learn more, visit askskyway.com.___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

202 - ENCORE - Why CPARS Matter (with special guests from Skyway Acquisition) Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)In this special holiday encore episode Kevin welcomes Skyway team members Shelley Hall (a former Contracting Officer) and Christi Gilbert (an Industry contracts manager) for a roundtable discussion about CPARS. Learn why CPARS have increased in importance over the last few years and what you should do if you receive an unfavorable CPARS.__________This episode is brought to you by Skyway Acquisition. To get help with the Government market, become a Skyway Community member. The Skyway Community ensures you are better positioned to take advantage of opportunities and better equipped to manage the challenges of government contracts. Members have access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and training resources from our team of former COs, including the ability to get the perspective of our whole team in Ask A Contracting Officer Forum, get specialized training from our on-demand webinars and articles, targeting support through our RFP Score™ assessment tool, as well as our consulting from our team of former COs who help solve your unique puzzles. To learn more, visit skywaymember.com.___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

200 - Bicentennial Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

Episode #200! We look back at where the Contracting Officer Podcast came from, discuss what we’ve learned, and where we’re headed. Thanks for your support over 200 episodes! __________This episode is brought to you by Skyway Acquisition. To get help with the Government market, become a Skyway Community member. The Skyway Community ensures you are better positioned to take advantage of opportunities and better equipped to manage the challenges of government contracts. Members have access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and training resources from Skyway’s team of former COs, including the ability to get the perspective of the entire team in the “Ask A Contracting Officer” Forum, get specialized training from on-demand webinars and articles, targeting support through the RFP Score™ assessment tool, as well as custom consulting from Skyway’s team of former COs who help solve your unique puzzles. To learn more, visit askskyway.com.___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

201 - Final Rates Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul wrap up this mini-series about different types of rates in the Government acquisition and contracting world. Episode 183 began the discussion with Provisional Billing Rates. Episode 192 continued with Forward Pricing Rates. Today the discussion turns to final indirect cost rates.Learn who determines final rates, why final rates can take quite a long time to be negotiated and “finalized”, and why that time lag can create challenges for both Government and Industry.__________This episode is brought to you by Skyway Acquisition. To get help with the Government market, become a Skyway Community member. The Skyway Community ensures you are better positioned to take advantage of opportunities and better equipped to manage the challenges of government contracts. Members have access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and training resources from Skyway’s team of former COs, including the ability to get the perspective of the entire team in the “Ask A Contracting Officer” Forum, get specialized training from on-demand webinars and articles, targeting support through the RFP Score™ assessment tool, as well as custom consulting from Skyway’s team of former COs who help solve your unique puzzles. To learn more, visit skywaymember.com.___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

192 Forward Pricing Rates Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul return to their conversation about different types of rates in the Government acquisition and contracting world. Episode 183 began the discussion with Provisional Billing Rates. Today’s topic is Forward Pricing Rates.Learn the differences between a Forward Pricing Rate Proposal (FPRP), Forward Pricing Rate Recommendation (FPRR), and Forward Pricing Rate Agreement (FRPA). You’ll also gain a better understanding of why rates are a moving target and why both Government and Industry benefit from the accurate estimation of future rates. __________This episode is brought to you by Skyway Acquisition. To get help with the Government market, become a Skyway Community member. The Skyway Community ensures you are better positioned to take advantage of opportunities and better equipped to manage the challenges of government contracts. Members have access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and training resources from Skyway’s team of former COs, including the ability to get the perspective of the entire team in the “Ask A Contracting Officer” Forum, get specialized training from on-demand webinars and articles, targeting support through the RFP Score™ assessment tool, as well as custom consulting from Skyway’s team of former COs who help solve your unique puzzles. To learn more, visit skywaymember.com.___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

203 Relationships in Government Contracting w/Brian Butler Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin welcomes special guest Brian Butler to discuss the power of building relationships in the government contracting world.Brian Butler is President and CEO of Vistra Communications (www.consultvistra.com), a communications strategy and professional solutions agency providing communications and management solutions to corporate, government and nonprofit organizations.A retired and decorated career military officer, Brian has provided Public Relations, Strategic Communications, Marketing, and Management Consulting services to senior leaders and their organizations for nearly three decades. Prior to founding Vistra, Brian provided Strategic Communications counsel to senior leaders at U.S. Central Command in Tampa, FL. He also served in a director-level policy position on the Homeland Security Council (HSC) in the White House.Listen and learn from Brian’s experiences with the 80/20 rule, our favorite way to describe the relative importance and balance between process and relationships in a specific acquisition. __________This episode is brought to you by Skyway Acquisition. To get help with the Government market, become a Skyway Community member. The Skyway Community ensures you are better positioned to take advantage of opportunities and better equipped to manage the challenges of government contracts. Members have access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and training resources from our team of former COs, including the ability to get the perspective of our whole team in Ask A Contracting Officer Forum, get specialized training from our on-demand webinars and articles, targeting support through our RFP Score™ assessment tool, as well as our consulting from our team of former COs who help solve your unique puzzles. To learn more, visit skywaymember.com.___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

204 No Change Please Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Why can’t the Government just stick with their current services contractors or system developers? Why do they always want to change? Kevin and Paul discuss the differences between the business-to-business (B2B) market and the business-to-government (B2G) market. Learn why the Government can’t always just continue to buy from the same source, even if they’re completely happy with current performance. __________This episode is brought to you by Skyway Acquisition. To get help with the Government market, become a Skyway Community member. The Skyway Community ensures you are better positioned to take advantage of opportunities and better equipped to manage the challenges of government contracts. Members have access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and training resources from Skyway’s team of former COs, including the ability to get the perspective of the entire team in the “Ask A Contracting Officer” Forum, get specialized training from on-demand webinars and articles, targeting support through the RFP Score™ assessment tool, as well as custom consulting from Skyway’s team of former COs who help solve your unique puzzles. To learn more, visit askskyway.com.___________Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting. It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession. Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

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