This series of FAR summaries is meant to take a meaningful portion of the Federal Acquisition Regulations to ensure an easy-to-understand approach to maintain that readers comprehend the process of doing business with the government and that the government exercises a fair and reasonable approach to doing business with the general public.
FAR 10.002 Procedures
What do you need? Is it available to the general public? The complexity of market research depends on how quickly the government needs the good or service. Market research can expire after 18 months but it doesn’t have to.
Market research includes commercial status, a potential desire to modify a commercial product, describes if the buy is exclusive to the government, describes customization and its costs, describes commercial practices such as a warranty as well as a return goods policy and regulated discounts, legal requirements, green aspects, who the suppliers are and what alternative arrangements are possible and whether or not a fair price can be obtained by set-aside.
Your Contracting Officer will talk with both government and industry, look at similar buys inside their office, consult information from journals and publications, look at federal databases both classified and available to the general public, check the internet, have digital or face-to-face meetings, talk with other offices or agencies, view commercial catalogs and speak with potential offerors.
Market research determines whether your CO uses FAR Part 12 or 13 depending on commercial or custom status. Market research is a part of the contract file.
The government leaves no stone unturned and neither should you. This part of the FAR is about like gen. Robert E. Lee leaving his battle plans for Antietam wrapped around three cigars. Don’t be slow to act like McClellan. You have what it takes to create a competitive range to find a win-win situation to leave the negotiation satisfied. I’ve had negotiations where vendors didn’t read the battle plans. I was nice. I always gave them a second chance. I’ll give you a higher probability of succeeding.
If you think I can help you then email nicholas.s.robertson@outlook.com for your introductory email and free consultation.
RobertsonKX Business Blog 