Update case-study-challenge-small-agency-legacy-application-migration…

….mdx

tech-far-hub/content/resources/case-studies/case-study-challenge-small-agency-legacy-application-migration.mdx

@@ -211,33 +211,24 @@ As the AIA, you setup a meeting with Helena (CO):
 
 | Speaker | Dialogue |
 | --- | --- |
-| AIA: | This all has to be really confusing for you since you’re just joining the team. We should do some ice breakers at our next few meetings so that you get to know everyone!
+| AIA: | This all has to be really confusing for you since you’re just joining the team. We should do some ice breakers at our next few meetings so that you get to know everyone! Let’s talk first about your role as the CO. FAR 1.102-5 says that as the CO, you should be the one to take the lead in encouraging business process innovations and ensuring business decisions are sound. Maya, our attorney, and Nate with Privacy, are just advisors to you. I’ve got a few resources that I think might help you streamline this procurement and get it awarded on time. The first one is the DHS Procurement Innovation Lab. They’ve got some trainings you can take and some literature you can read. You should also check out the Periodic Table of Acquisition Innovations, which most of us just call the PTAI. It’s got samples of how other agencies have used innovations and GAO cases that support them. Since you’re new to IT procurement, I don’t know if you’ve heard about the DITAP program yet. |
 
-Let’s talk first about your role as the CO. FAR 1.102-5 says that as the CO, you should be the one to take the lead in encouraging business process innovations and ensuring business decisions are sound. Maya, our attorney, and Nate with Privacy, are just advisors to you.
-
-I’ve got a few resources that I think might help you streamline this procurement and get it awarded on time. The first one is the DHS Procurement Innovation Lab. They’ve got some trainings you can take and some literature you can read. You should also check out the Periodic Table of Acquisition Innovations, which most of us just call the PTAI. It’s got samples of how other agencies have used innovations and GAO cases that support them.
-
-Since you’re new to IT procurement, I don’t know if you’ve heard about the DITAP program yet. 
 > [!TIP]
 > Explain the program. 
 
 | Speaker | Dialogue |
 | --- | --- |
 | AIA: | Our agency might be small, but we’ve got over a dozen COs that have been through the training. I’ll introduce you to a few and maybe they can help. |
 | Helena: | I heard that the CIO really wants me to sole source the award just to get it done. | 
-| AIA: | Five months should be lots of time to award this contract. But, just in case, I’ll reach out to our industry liaison and talk to them about whether they know of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) vendor we can make a quick award to. An SBIR Phase 3 isn’t considered a sole source, the competition was already done as part of Phase 1 and 2, so that should be okay with our CPO. But I’ll talk to her about it too.
-
-By the way, That coding challenge Reva suggested is a good idea. It might shave off a week or more from the evaluation time. |
+| AIA: | Five months should be lots of time to award this contract. But, just in case, I’ll reach out to our industry liaison and talk to them about whether they know of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) vendor we can make a quick award to. An SBIR Phase 3 isn’t considered a sole source, the competition was already done as part of Phase 1 and 2, so that should be okay with our CPO. But I’ll talk to her about it too. By the way, That coding challenge Reva suggested is a good idea. It might shave off a week or more from the evaluation time. |
 
 > [!TIP]
 > Tell her more about why. 
 
 | Speaker | Dialogue |
 | --- | --- |
 | Helena: | Maya is never going to let me do a coding challenge. And even if she did, I’ve no idea how to run one! | 
-| AIA: | First off, Maya’s is only offering advice. There are a few GAO cases about coding challenges. I’ll send them over for you to take a look. 
-
-Second, maybe you don’t even need a coding challenge. What if you just had an oral presentation and asked the offerors how they would go about coding the application? I don’t think Reva and Lars have the resources to prepare for a coding challenge right now anyways. This would save everyone time, including the offerors. |
+| AIA: | First off, Maya’s is only offering advice. There are a few GAO cases about coding challenges. I’ll send them over for you to take a look.  Second, maybe you don’t even need a coding challenge. What if you just had an oral presentation and asked the offerors how they would go about coding the application? I don’t think Reva and Lars have the resources to prepare for a coding challenge right now anyways. This would save everyone time, including the offerors. |
 | Helena: | I don’t think that’s going to meet the evaluators’ needs. Maya still won’t let them ask any questions. | 
 | AIA: | Well, I’m not sure Maya’s right about that either. The GAO has consistently said that a critical part of discussions is allowing the offerors an opportunity to revise their earlier proposal. Plus, you might not even be in FAR Part 15.3. Maybe you’ll use the GSA Schedule to award this under 8.4 and you can use select best suited, then negotiate instead of discussions. |
 
@@ -254,25 +245,17 @@ Second, maybe you don’t even need a coding challenge. What if you just had an
 | Helena: | That’s a really good point. I’m feeling a lot better about this whole coding challenge thing.
 
 What about Nate’s concern with that new AI EO that’s coming out. | 
-| AIA: | I know someone from the AIA Council who works over at the Office of Federal Procurement Policy. I’ll reach out and see what they know. But I wouldn’t worry about an EO that might or might not come down before you make an award. It might be another opportunity to use the select best suited, then negotiate approach.
-
-Before you go, let’s setup our next meeting so that it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. How about meeting every two weeks for a quick check in? I usually meet with teams for just 15 minutes and we talk about accomplishments for the last two weeks, goals for the next two weeks, and if there are any challenges. | 
+| AIA: | I know someone from the AIA Council who works over at the Office of Federal Procurement Policy. I’ll reach out and see what they know. But I wouldn’t worry about an EO that might or might not come down before you make an award. It might be another opportunity to use the select best suited, then negotiate approach. Before you go, let’s setup our next meeting so that it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. How about meeting every two weeks for a quick check in? I usually meet with teams for just 15 minutes and we talk about accomplishments for the last two weeks, goals for the next two weeks, and if there are any challenges. | 
 
 At the next meeting between Helena and the AIA:
 
 | Speaker | Dialogue |
 | --- | --- |
 | Helena: | I’ve been doing a ton of reading since we talked last week. Have you watched these PILCast videos on YouTube? They’re so great! Anyways, I wanted to run my acquisition strategy by you real quick before I route it for review. | 
 | AIA: | Go for it! | 
-| Helena: | So I’m thinking about a two-phased advisory down select. For Factor 1, Reva has some good corporate experience questions, like ability to demonstrate previous experience transitioning on-prem legacy application of similar size and conditions from to cloud.
-
-I think that I’ll advise about three offerors to proceed. If we get four, that’s okay too, but I don’t think we will. I’ll give them about 2 weeks to prepare for Phase 2, which is going to be just an oral presentation and price. | 
+| Helena: | So I’m thinking about a two-phased advisory down select. For Factor 1, Reva has some good corporate experience questions, like ability to demonstrate previous experience transitioning on-prem legacy application of similar size and conditions from to cloud. I think that I’ll advise about three offerors to proceed. If we get four, that’s okay too, but I don’t think we will. I’ll give them about 2 weeks to prepare for Phase 2, which is going to be just an oral presentation and price. | 
 | AIA: | Are you going to give them the oral presentation topic beforehand? | 
-| Helena: | No, they’re all going to be provided on the spot that morning with just a little bit of prep time.
-
-And I took your advice about select best suited, then negotiate, since I’m not in FAR Part 15. I’m going to include that for both technical, price, and clauses. So, if that EO comes down, which thanks to your friend at OFPP is unlikely, we can always talk with the vendor to include it.
-
-I’ll use the best value tradeoff to make my award. It should be done 2 months from now. Time to spare! |
+| Helena: | No, they’re all going to be provided on the spot that morning with just a little bit of prep time. And I took your advice about select best suited, then negotiate, since I’m not in FAR Part 15. I’m going to include that for both technical, price, and clauses. So, if that EO comes down, which thanks to your friend at OFPP is unlikely, we can always talk with the vendor to include it. I’ll use the best value tradeoff to make my award. It should be done 2 months from now. Time to spare! |
 | AIA: | That sounds like a great approach! Great job, Helena! | 
 | Helena: | I couldn’t have done it without you. |