Contracting Officer Podcast 2.0 (samples)

Latest Episodes:

170 Equitable Adjustments (with special guest Gene Lavastida) Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin discusses equitable adjustments with special guest Gene Lavastida. __________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.

153 Why Do Mods Take So Long? Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Why do modifications to Government contracts take so long to process? (one of the great mysteries of life, to be sure!) Kevin interviews former Contracting Officers Steve Lucianetti and Tim Griggs, and sheds some light on the inner workings Government contract administration. Learn some of the most common reasons why modifications take longer than anticipated and how both Government and Industry can help to improve the process. (you won’t be surprised to hear that basic communication is high on the list…) ——————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.

162 ENCORE The Execution Time Zones Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)In this ENCORE presentation, Kevin and Paul introduce the Execution Time Zones - a helpful way to envision where and how certain topics fit into the Government contracting world. (execution as in “contract performance”, not as in…you know, the other connotation) The Execution Zones are the post-award companions to the Acquisition Time Zones and are referenced in many episodes. Much like the Acquisition Time Zones, the Execution Zones are cyclical, but using contract award as the “beginning” is the easiest way to think about them. Starting with contract award, we enter the Honeymoon Zone. Learn what happens during the first days and weeks after contract award and why a contract kickoff meeting is valuable for both sides. Following the Honeymoon Zone, the continuum moves through the Performance Zone, the Re-Compete Zone, and the Wrap-up Zone before circling back to the Honeymoon Zone for the next contract. Learn when to begin the capture and business development process for your next award. Learn when Government acquisition experts begin their market research. The basic flow of contract execution and administration is explained. This episode is a quick overview of each zone - be sure to listen to the zone-specific episodes for deeper insight.__________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.

163 File This! Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul dive into one of the most exciting topics ever dared on the podcast: the contents of a contract file! Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy… This topic is another in the line of “why does Government acquisition take so long?”. We review FAR 4.803 and explain the importance of maintaining complete files for both Government and Industry. (it isn’t always apparent at the time to the “filer”) __________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.

164 Communications Before Proposal Receipt Sep 10, 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 communications between the Government and Industry, focusing on the period before the RFP is released and proposals are submitted. You might be surprised what FAR 15.201 REALLY says about the type of information that can, and should, be shared. __________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.

165 Proposals - The First 4 Steps Sep 10, 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 Vicki Strycharske to discuss the first 4 steps that Industry should take when an RFP is released by the Government. __________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.

166 - Encore - Staffing is not Just Staffing Sep 10, 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 variables that impact Industry’s ability to provide resources (meaning people) to meet the Government’s requirements. These issues impact both service contracts and development contracts - anywhere that contractors must hire employees. Learn how both the Government and Industry sometimes contribute to problems hiring and maintaining employees throughout the execution of a contract and tips for how to avoid these problems. As always, communication between Government and Industry is key to recognizing when staffing problems may be encountered during the acquisition and execution zones.__________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.

167 - ENCORE - The 3 Deciders Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Who makes the decision to purchase something for the Government? The answer depends on many factors, but is usually quite different from how an acquisition decision is made in your personal life or the non-Government world. Kevin and Paul discuss the 3 main “deciders” in Government acquisition and relate them to easily recognizable roles: money, needs, and the authority/ability to make a transaction.Learn who has the power in each Acquisition Timezone and why it is important for both Government and Industry to recognize how the power can shift. __________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.

168 Gratuities Sep 10, 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 FAR 3.2: Contractor Gratuities to Government Personnel. Learn why common behaviors in the commercial world are not allowed in the Government market and how you can get in a whole mess of trouble if you don’t understand the differences. __________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.

169 - Pre vs. Post Award Debrief Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)Kevin and Paul compare the advantages and disadvantages of Pre-Award and Post-Award Debriefs. __________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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