In This Week's Newsletter:

• Opportunity Spotlight of the Week: DISA MODEL Refresh BPA

• Four To Follow: Four Interesting Pursuits

• Pricing Insights: Understanding Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee Contracts

• Capture Corner: Team Communication and Discipline

Opportunity Alert – DISA MODEL Refresh BPA

Contact Katie: [email protected]

Department Information Systems Agency (DISA), Joint Service Provider Modernize Engineer Lifecycle (MODEL) Refresh BPA.

On July 21, 2025, DISA released an updated acquisition opportunities forecast stating the anticipated release timeframe for this $927M Full and Open/Unrestricted effort. DISA projects September 30, 2025, as the solicitation release via GSA MAS, with an estimated award timeframe of June 2026. Reach out to Hinz Consulting for Proposal and Pricing/PTW needs.

Four to Follow

1. Department of Defense (DoD), Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Technical Acquisition and Contracting Support (TACS). On July 28, 2025, MDA released its monthly Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) newsletter, which states final solicitations for this $73M task order are due for release Q4 FY25 as a Small Business Set-Aside under OASIS+. Project awards are expected to be announced in January 2026. Continue to monitor SAM.gov and eBUY for further information on this opportunity.

2. Department of Justice (DOJ) US Marshals Service (USMS), Executive Administration and Professional Support Services. The USMS anticipates releasing an RFI for this $131M, Small Business Set-Aside opportunity in August 2025. The RFI will be used to help determine if a GSA Schedule or GWAC vehicle may be used. A final solicitation is due for release around December 2025, with an estimated award timeframe for September 2026. Continue to closely monitor SAM.gov for updates on potential RFI release.

3. Department of Air Force, Modeling, Simulation, and Integration at Virtual Warfare Center. The Department of Air Force requires contractors to provide operator-in-the-loop modeling and simulation capability, supporting technical integration meetings and simulation events, and executing events in a multi-level security environment. This $250M opportunity is estimated for release on or about September 2026 with an expected award timeframe of April 2027. Continue to monitor SAM.gov for updates on this opportunity.

4. Department of the Navy (DON), Shipboard Advanced Tactical Data Link ATDL Engineering Support. The DON needs MDA Agency Digital Display System (MD3S) and Network Engineering Operations for the Ballistic Missile Defense System Testbed, San Diego (BTS) Operations and Support. This Full and Open/Unrestricted $50M opportunity is estimated for released via SeaPort NxG on or around December 2025, with a project award timeframe of June 2026. Continue to monitor your SeaPort portal for further information.

Understanding Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee Contracts

Contact Tom: [email protected]

Definition and Structure

A cost-plus-fixed-fee contract is a type of cost-reimbursement contract where the buyer agrees to pay the contractor for all allowable costs incurred during the project, plus a fixed fee that is negotiated upfront. This fixed fee does not vary with the actual costs incurred, providing a stable profit margin for the contractor regardless of the project's final expenses.

Key Features

• Reimbursement of Costs: Contractors are reimbursed for direct costs (like labor and materials) and indirect costs (like overhead) that are deemed allowable under the contract terms.

• Fixed Fee: The fixed fee is predetermined and remains constant unless the scope of work changes, which may allow for adjustments.

• Types of CPFF Contracts: There are two primary forms:

  • Completion Form: Specifies a definite goal or end product, requiring the contractor to complete the work within the estimated cost to receive the full fee.

  • Term Form: Describes the work in general terms and obligates the contractor to provide a specified level of effort over a set period.

Advantages

• Lower Financial Risk for Contractors: Since costs are reimbursed, contractors do not bear the burden of cost overruns, making this contract type attractive for projects with uncertain scopes, such as research and development.

• Flexibility: CPFF contracts allow for adjustments based on actual costs, which is beneficial in dynamic project environments.

• Encourages Innovation: These contracts are often used in R&D projects where precise costs are difficult to estimate, allowing for exploration and innovation without the fear of financial loss.

Disadvantages

• Limited Cost Efficiency Incentives: Since the contractor is reimbursed for costs, there may be less incentive to control expenses compared to fixed-price contracts.

• Complexity in Management: CPFF contracts require diligent tracking and documentation of all expenses, which can add administrative overhead.

When to Use CPFF Contracts

Cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts are typically used in situations where the scope of work is complex or high-risk, and precise project costs cannot be determined in advance. They are favored by government agencies and are governed by specific regulations to ensure compliance and accountability.

In summary, cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts provide a structured approach to managing projects with uncertain costs, balancing risk and reward for both contractors and clients.

Team Communication and Discipline

Contact Nick: [email protected]

Effective communication and discipline are vital for a successful capture strategy in government contracting. Often overlooked or brushed off as a “soft skill”, these elements prevent misaligned solutions, missed deadlines, or proposal gaps. Structured coordination ensures alignment across technical, business, and cost domains, focusing on a winning proposal.

Why Communication and Discipline Matter

Capture management requires close internal collaboration to meet customer needs and outmaneuver competitors. Clear, consistent communications align team efforts with the win strategy, while discipline ensures milestones are met and resources are used efficiently. Without these, teams risk duplicated efforts or non-compliant bids, undermining success.

Critical Team Members

• Capture Manager

• Business Development Manager

• Solution Architect

• Financial Analyst/Pricing Manager

• Proposal Manager

• Contracts Manager

Tools & Good Practices

• Communication Plan: Weekly meetings and tools like Smartsheet centralize updates and track action items.

• Roles: Use a RACI matrix to clarify responsibilities.

• Milestones: Adhere to timelines with gate reviews.

• Collaboration: Workshops align technical, cost, and business efforts.

• Documentation: Centralize artifacts in SharePoint for access.

Pitfalls

• Siloed Efforts: Mitigate with cross-functional workshops.

• Lack of Accountability: Track tasks with project management tools.

• Inconsistent Messaging: Designate a Capture Manager for customer communication.

• Missed Deadlines: Communicate expectations, timeline, and ownership clearly.

• Missed Competitive Insights: When intel from PTW, Competitive Analysis, or customers isn’t shared, differentiators are lost.

• August 18th: Premier Navy Procurement Expo in San Diego, CA

• August 18th: Small Business Expo in San Diego, CA

• August 25th: National Homeland Security Conference in DC

• August 26th: 2025 Navy Summit in McClean, VA

About Hinz Consulting

Hinz Consulting provides services across the full business development cycle:

• Proposals

• Capture

• Price To Win

• Competitive Intelligence

• Strategic Pricing

• Production

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• Training

• BD Transformation 

• Process/Methodology 

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