In This Week's Newsletter:

• Opportunity Spotlight of the Week: DoD MDA MAPSS

• Four To Follow: Four Interesting Pursuits

• Pricing Insights: Cost vs Price

• Capture Corner: PWin and SKU/CLIN Enablement 

Opportunity Alert – DoD MDA MAPSS

Contact Katie: [email protected]

Opportunity Alert – Department of Defense (DoD), Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Agile Professional Services Solutions (MAPSS). 

MDA has created this $6B IDIQ vehicle to provide Advisory and Assistance Services support for the MDA. This program is structured incrementally in six (6) trances, covering areas such as quality/mission assurance, intelligence, engineering, acquisition & program planning, IT & cybersecurity management, and more. Each of these tranches will have multiple opportunities released under them. Tranche 1 – Quality and Mission Assurance is currently undergoing Source Selection and was previously released under OASIS+ Small Business. Tranche 1 – Safety is anticipated to be released in November 2025, with a projected award timeframe of July 2026.  Reach out to Hinz Consulting for Price-to-Win, Competitive Intelligence, and Proposal support.

Four to Follow

1. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 2030 Census Questionnaire Assistance (CQA) Program. On August 22, 2025, the Contracting Office released an amendment to the RFI document, which included additional questions and extended the Response due date to September 5, 2025, at 4:00 PM EST. While the competition type for this effort is currently unknown, the estimated value range is $929M. The final RFP is due for release on or around November 2025, with a projected award timeframe of July 2026. Continue to monitor SAM.gov for any updates or modifications to the solicitation timeline.

2. Department of Defense (DoD), Washington Headquarters Services (WHS), Facility Environmental Compliance, Planning, and Resiliency Technical Support. On August 22, 2025, the Contracting Office released a Sources Sought Notice for a potential IDIQ, Single-Award contract. Responses to the Sources Sought are due no later than 12:00 PM EST on September 19, 2025. This notice was posted to both SAM.gov and GSA MAS. Based on industry feedback, the Government intends to release this IDIQ on or around December 2025, either through SAM.gov or GSA MAS. The estimated award timeframe is April 2026. Continue to monitor your eBUY portal and SAM.gov for any updates to the solicitation timeline.

3. Department of the Air Force, Wellness Health Promotion Services (WHPP III). On August 20, 2025, the Contracting Office released a Sources Sought notice soliciting Capability Statements from small businesses capable of meeting the requirements outlined in the draft PWS. Responses are due no later than 3:30 PM EST on September 5, 2025.  The estimated timeline for the release of this $3M Small Business Set-Aside is January 2026, with a projected award timeframe of July 2026. Continue to monitor SAM.gov for movement on the solicitation timeline.

4. Department of the Army, Biomedical Research Application Evaluation and Support Services (BRAES). The Department of the Army requires biomedical research application evaluation services for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) and U.S. Army Medical and Research and Development Command (USAMRDC). This $171M opportunity is anticipated to be released on or around July 2026, with a projected award timeframe of January 2027. The competition type is currently unknown. Continue to monitor SAM.gov for more information. 

Cost vs Price

Contact Tom: [email protected]

In federal government contracting, the terms "price" and "cost" have distinct meanings, and understanding the difference is crucial for both government agencies and contractors.  While not being the same thing, price and cost are related; remember, a cost estimate evolves into a price.

Price

• Definition: The "price" is the total amount the government/client pays for a product or service. It's the final, negotiated figure in a contract.

• Components: Price is the sum of a contractor's cost plus indirect costs and applicable profit or fee. It's what the client actually pays the contractor.

• Fair and Reasonable: The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requires that all contract prices be "fair and reasonable." This means the price is equitable to both the government and the contractor, and it's not excessively high compared to what a prudent businessperson would pay under similar market conditions.

• Price Analysis: When the government evaluates a proposed price, it performs a price analysis. This involves examining the overall price without breaking it down into its individual cost elements. Price analysis is the preferred method when there is adequate price competition or when the government is purchasing a commercial item with an established catalog or market price. Solicitations will typically state which analysis procedures they will use in evaluating proposed prices.

Cost

• Definition: "Cost" refers to the expenses a contractor incurs to perform the work under a contract. These expenses are the building blocks of the final price.

• Components: Costs are generally categorized as:

  • Direct Costs: Expenses that can be specifically and directly traced to a particular contract, such as direct labor, materials, and travel.

  • Indirect Costs: Expenses that are necessary for the overall operation of the business but cannot be directly assigned to a single contract. These are often pooled and allocated across multiple contracts using a specific formula. Examples include rent, utilities, and administrative salaries.

• Allowability: Under government contracts, not all costs are "allowable." The FAR contains specific cost principles that determine which expenses are reasonable, allocable to the agreement, and otherwise permissible. For example, fees for alcoholic beverages are generally unallowable.

• Cost Analysis: When a price analysis is insufficient—for instance, when there's a lack of adequate price competition or the contract is large and complex—the government will conduct a cost analysis. This involves a detailed review and evaluation of the individual cost elements (direct costs, indirect costs, and proposed profit/fee) to determine if they are reasonable and realistic. For certain procurements, contractors may be required to submit "certified cost or pricing data" to support their proposed costs.

PWin and SKU/CLIN Enablement 

Contact John: [email protected]

Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) or Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) Enablement in the context of Capture Management typically means ensuring that the company’s products, services, or solutions are fully positioned and contract-ready, so customers can actually purchase them once customer demand has been created. Capture plays a key role here because it bridges strategy, offering, and customer path to procurement.

The following elements of the Capture Methodology apply when enabling SKUs or CLINs for a contract:

1. Identify Customer Buying Channels:

   • Determine how the customer procures (Federal or State contract vehicles, IDIQs, BPAs).

   • Map which SKUs must be enabled on those vehicles for accessibility.

   • Ensure the product/service aligns with the contract scope and catalog structure.

2. Shape Requirements:

   • Influence the RFP or vehicle refresh language during Capture Engagement to ensure your SKUs are eligible and compliant.

   • Ensure your offerings are categorized and described in customer-friendly terms

   • Anticipate bunding or solution packaging (Ex, Group SKUs or CLINs into customer-relevant solutions)

3. Align with Pricing Strategy:

   • Develop competitive SKU pricing that balances win probability with profitability.

   • Enable flexible pricing models (discount tiers, subscription-based pricing).

   • Position SKUs to emphasize speed to value for your customers, not just a unit cost.

4. Coordinate Internal Readiness:

   • Work with your company’s product organization, contracts, and sales ops to ensure SKUs are enabled/loaded and active on the right contract vehicles.

   • Confirm catalog accuracy, descriptions, and compliance with procurement rules.

   • Eliminate friction so that once captured, the customer can order seamlessly.

5. Teaming & Partner Acceleration:

   • As Capture, accelerate sales on contract vehicles by enabling product and service SKUs beyond the current buying catalog. This expands solution coverage and strengthens your position.

   • Position your company as a one-stop shop for the vehicle.

6. Easy Purchase Button:

   • Utilize SKU/CLIN availability as part of your win strategy (purchase directly from vehicle without delay).

   • Show the customer that the procurement will be fast, compliant, and low risk.

In short, Capture needs to make sure that SKU enablement is not just a back-office function, but a win-enabler. Align offerings with contract vehicles, shape requirements, and drive competitive pricing to make procurement seamless, enabling customers to act on the demand you have generated easily. 

• September 16-17th: COVITS in Richmond, VA

• October 2nd: 2025 Intel Summit in McClean, VA

• November 5-6th: GovAI Coalition Summit in San Jose, CA

About Hinz Consulting

Hinz Consulting provides services across the full business development cycle:

• Proposals

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• Price To Win

• Competitive Intelligence

• Strategic Pricing

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