Contracting Officer Podcast 2.0 (samples)

Latest Episodes:

093 What is a Services Contract? Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)This episode is brought to you by PROPRICER(TM), the #1 proposal pricing and cost analysis software used by federal agencies and small to large government contractors. Visit www.PROPRICER.com/podcast to learn more or request a demonstration of the NEW SERVICES CONTRACTOR EDITION. The SERVICES CONTRACTOR EDITION allows you to:•Manipulate rates•Set annual caps•Create annual work schedules•Ability to account for PTO and holidays, all while maintaining the accuracy of your rates throughout your cost proposal and much more!____________A service contract directly engages the time and effort of a contractor to perform an identifiable task rather than to furnish an end item of supply. This could be maintenance, repair, housekeeping and base services, advisory and assistance services…the list is endless. Kevin and Paul discuss the nature of service contracts and how they differ from contracts for commodities or systems. Learn why the color of money (Episode 019) drives the structure and administration of service contracts. You’ll also gain an understanding of how the law of supply and demand can have devastating impact on a service contract if either Government or Industry tries to ignore it!__________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.

099 What is a Mid-Size business? Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)This episode is brought to you by PROPRICER(TM), the #1 proposal pricing and cost analysis software used by federal agencies and small to large government contractors. Visit www.PROPRICER.com/podcast to learn more or request a demonstration of the NEW SERVICES CONTRACTOR EDITION. The SERVICES CONTRACTOR EDITION allows you to:Manipulate ratesSet annual capsCreate annual work schedulesAbility to account for PTO and holidays, all while maintaining the accuracy of your rates throughout your cost proposal and much more!____________FAR 2.101 defines small business. Everything else is a large business. Most companies, however, are not very small yet not really large. Kevin and Paul discuss the many shades of “large small” businesses and “small large” businesses. Learn some of the challenges that companies on the cusp face as they transition from small to large in the Government’s eyes. Find out how the Government can target different sized “large” businesses during the market research and RFP zones. You’ll also gain an appreciation of the compliance burdens that large businesses face in the Government market. __________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.

098 What I Wish I Had Known with Matt Jeffery Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)This episode is brought to you by IB Supply. ibSupply.com is your one-stop source for timely delivery of best value products. As a preferred source of supply, and an award winning AbilityOne provider, ibSupply.com offers access to thousands of products with compliance filters for hassle-free procurement. With FREE shipping and next-day delivery options, ibSupply.com’s quality service is unmatched. Shop ibSupply.com today!____________Continuing our interview series, Kevin talks to Matt Jeffery, a former Government Contracting Officer who now works as a Contracts Manager for Ball Aerospace. Matt shares incredible insight gleaned from his experience at multiple Government Agencies as well as his time with Industry.Learn why communication and building relationships between Government and Industry remain the most important aspects of every Government acquisition program. __________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.

097 Staffing is not Just Staffing Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)This episode is brought to you by IB Supply. ibSupply.com is your one-stop source for timely delivery of best value products. As a preferred source of supply, and an award winning AbilityOne provider, ibSupply.com offers access to thousands of products with compliance filters for hassle-free procurement. With FREE shipping and next-day delivery options, ibSupply.com’s quality service is unmatched. Shop ibSupply.com today!____________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.

096 ENCORE - End of Fiscal Year Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)This episode is brought to you by IB Supply. ibSupply.com is your one-stop source for timely delivery of best value products. As a preferred source of supply, and an award winning AbilityOne provider, ibSupply.com offers access to thousands of products with compliance filters for hassle-free procurement. With FREE shipping and next-day delivery options, ibSupply.com’s quality service is unmatched. Shop ibSupply.com today!___________The Government Fiscal Year (GFY is the common acronym) runs 1 October through 30 September. The last month of the GFY has the potential for great drama because Government funds have an expiration date. (check out Ep. 019 “Colors of Money” for more on that) Kevin and Paul talk through what happens in Government acquisition offices at the end of the fiscal year and offer some simple recommendations for both Government and Industry to help reduce the panic and stress that September often brings. __________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.

094 Contracting Officer Interview with Robert Crandell from DMEA Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)This episode is brought to you by IB Supply. ibSupply.com is your one-stop source for timely delivery of best value products. As a preferred source of supply, and an award winning AbilityOne provider, ibSupply.com offers access to thousands of products with compliance filters for hassle-free procurement. With FREE shipping and next-day delivery options, ibSupply.com’s quality service is unmatched. Shop ibSupply.com today!____________In this episode we continue our series of interviews with Contracting Officers. Kevin interviews Robert Crandell, a Contracting Officer at the Defense MicroElectronics Activity. Rob share the story of how and why he became a Federal Government Contracting Officer, the mission of his interesting acquisition office, as well as his list of “things I wish industry knew about being a Contracting Officer”. Learn new acquisition and contract administration strategies and how Contracting Officers’ personal decisions are sometimes limited by regulations. (No, they’re not just trying to make it hard on Industry!)__________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.

100 What are Cost Incentives? Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!)This episode is brought to you by IB Supply. ibSupply.com is your one-stop source for timely delivery of best value products. As a preferred source of supply, and an award winning AbilityOne provider, ibSupply.com offers access to thousands of products with compliance filters for hassle-free procurement. With FREE shipping and next-day delivery options, ibSupply.com’s quality service is unmatched. Shop ibSupply.com today!____________FAR Part 16.401 describes incentive contracts. Incentives fall into 3 general categories: cost, performance, and schedule. Kevin and Paul discuss cost incentives (FAR 16.402-1) and provide an overview of how cost incentives are structured. Learn why profit is not necessarily the only motivator and how the law of unintended consequences can wreak havoc on any incentive contract.__________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.

087 What is a Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB) Report? Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!) We’re here to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks.What is a Source Selection Evaluation Board (SSEB) Report? The Government evaluation team must document the results of their evaluation against the Request for Proposal’s (RFP) stated evaluation criteria. This documentation is often called the SSEB Report, which is presented to the Source Selection Authority (SSA) as the primary resource for the selection decision. Kevin and Paul discuss the FAR requirement for documentation of the evaluation decision and why it is important for the Government to justify their source selection decision and be prepared to share that justification with industry———— If you need help with the Government market, join the Skyway Connection Community and get access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and contract-centric training resources that will make sure you’re ready to take advantage of opportunities each time they knock.The Skyway Connection© Community was created specifically to help small companies expand their knowledge and capabilities, and to increase their competitive position in federal government acquisitions. - Learn more at: https://skywayacquisition.com/connectMembership benefits include: Access to Skyway Insight© Webinars Unlimited access to The RFP Score™ Access to Ask a Contracting Officer Forum™ Priority Access to Skyway Team for Skyway Insight, capture, proposal support __________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.

088 What is an Acquisition Plan? Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!) We’re here to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks.What is an Acquisition Plan? The Government team is required to document their plan for acquiring goods and services. The plan can be simple for small, low dollar acquisitions but can grow to a massive document requiring high-level approvals for major system buys. Kevin and Paul discuss FAR 7.1 and provide an overview of acquisition plans. Learn why it is important for both sides to understand the plan and how improved communications can result in more successful program execution. ——— If you need help with the Government market, join the Skyway Connection Community and get access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and contract-centric training resources that will make sure you’re ready to take advantage of opportunities each time they knock.The Skyway Connection© Community was created specifically to help small companies expand their knowledge and capabilities, and to increase their competitive position in federal government acquisitions. - Learn more at: https://skywayacquisition.com/connectMembership benefits include: Access to Skyway Insight© Webinars Unlimited access to The RFP Score™ Access to Ask a Contracting Officer Forum™ Priority Access to Skyway Team for Skyway Insight, capture, proposal support __________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.

086 ENCORE - Subcontracting and Teaming Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!) We’re here to help Government and Industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks.Kevin and Paul discuss the balance that both industry and the Government must consider as they plan how best to meet a requirement. Industry must decide whether or not outside vendors, suppliers, or subcontractors will be needed to meet the requirements of a Government solicitation. The Government must consider whether a particular requirement can be met solely by small businesses. Open communication between Government and Industry can help find the sweet spot between building the most efficient team and meeting regulations for small business utilization. This is a holiday encore presentation of a popular early episode. Back next week with brand new episodes!———— If you need help with the Government market, join the Skyway Connection Community and get access to one-on-one insights, time-saving tools, and contract-centric training resources that will make sure you’re ready to take advantage of opportunities each time they knock.The Skyway Connection© Community was created specifically to help small companies expand their knowledge and capabilities, and to increase their competitive position in federal government acquisitions. - Learn more at: https://skywayacquisition.com/connectMembership benefits include: Access to Skyway Insight© Webinars Unlimited access to The RFP Score™ Access to Ask a Contracting Officer Forum™ Priority Access to Skyway Team for Skyway Insight, capture, proposal support __________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.