The Contracting Officer Podcast

Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created The Contracting Officer Podcast to help both government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks.
As former Federal Contracting Officers who have also walked in industry’s shoes, Kevin and Paul share their expertise and perspectives in support of the podcast’s mission: Make government contracts better, one contract at a time.
*The first 400 episodes are still free
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Level Up Your GovCon Skills
- The Podcast 2.0
- New Weekly Episodes (beyond episode 400), The Podcast 2.0 Forum, New Monthly Playlists & Monthly Newsletter
- The Contracting Officer’s Point of View
- In these live sessions, Kevin Jans covers a variety of topics helping you thrive in all areas and of GovCon with Q&A , making it interactive and effective.
Pricing & Accounting Playlist
- 373: Costs and Rates with Wayne Leland
- 367: How Do Government Contractors Get Paid?
- 316: What is Certified Cost or Pricing Data?
- 313: What is Accurate, Complete and Current?
- 262: Stages of Money
- 249:What is Price to Win? w/Michael McNulty
- 237: Accounting by CLIN
- 236: What is a Wrap Rate?
- 205: The Price Floor
- 204: No Change Please
- 201: Final Rates
- 181: Can I “Discuss” Price
- 192: Forward Pricing Rates
- 186: Acquisition Economics
- 183: Provisional Billing Rates
- 144: Cost vs. Price Analysis
- 132: Profit
- 131: Limitation of Cost and Funds
- 100: What are Cost Incentives
- 107: Pricing Primer
- 125: Cost vs. Price
- 075: What are Unallowable Costs?
- 071:What is Price Reasonableness?
- 070: What is an ACRN?
- 065: Do I Need an Approved Accounting System?
- 062: Certified Cost and Pricing Data
Contract Management (Short Term) Playlist
Contract Management (Key Concepts) Playlist
Small Business Centric Playlist
- 378 – What is Contract Scope?
- 377 – How are MAC IDIQs Used?
- 371 – Who are you?
- 368 – What is Privity of Contract?
- 362 – Insurance for Government Contractors w/ Rick Roman
- 360 – Only the Contracting Officer…
- 348 – What is a Small Business Set-Aside?
- 346 – What is a Contract Vehicle?
- 339 – Small Business Subcontracting Plans
- 331 – The GovCon Acquisition Cube
- 310 – SDVOSB Set-Asides
- 280 – Small Business Rules Update
- 265 – What is a Second-tier Sub?
- 212 – Three Keys to Winning w/ Steve Goldsby
- 203 – Relationships in GovCon w/ Brian Butler
- 197 – Certificate of Competency
- 194 – Small Business Set Aside Preferences
- 160 – Is this a Contract?
- 141 – Small Business Goals
- 099 – What is a Mid-Size Business?
- 178 – HUBZones
- 050 – Teaming w/ Special Guest Garth Arevalo
- 028 – What is a Small Business Set-Aside?
Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quality (IDIQ) Playlist
- 377 – How are MAC IDIQ’s used?
- 364 – What is best in class contracting?
- 346 – What is a contract vehicle?
- 229 – Path to Fair Opportunity (Part 4)
- 226 – Path to Fair Opportunity (Part 3)
- 224 – Path to Fair Opportunity (Part 2)
- 221 – Path to Fair Opportunity (Part 1)
- 220 – MAS, GWACs, MACs – Oh My! with Vicky Strycharske
- 209 – GSA Schedules with Vicky Strycharske
- 066- What is an IDIQ Contract?
- 045 – What is an Indefinite Contract?
Recruiting Playlist
- 378 – What is Contract Scope?
- 364 – What is best in class contracting?
- 331 – The GovCon Acquisition Cube
- 318 – The GAS Gauge
- 258 – Is Bigger Better?
- 253 – Storm Surge
- 244 – The Lockout
- 243 – Incumbent-itis
- 234 – Who Are You?
- 227 – Opening vs Closing
- 225 – What is a Complex Sale?
- 222 – The Technical vs Business Sale w/ Brian Burns
- 216 – Incumbent Capture
- 212 – Three Keys to Winning w/ Steve Goldsby
- 199 – The Crucible of the Incumbent
- 172 – Requirements vs Solutions
- 133 – Don’t Write Novels for Strangers
- 102 – Targeting 301
- 097 – Staffing is Not Just Staffing
- 016 – The Importance of Targeting
- 003 – The Acquisition Time Zones™
Time Zones™ Playlist
- 317 – Acquisition and Execution Time Zones
- 123 – Execution Zone 4: Wrap-up Zone
- 117 – Execution Zone 3: Re-compete Zone
- 108 – Execution Zone 2: Performance Zone
- 106 – Execution Zone 1: Honeymoon Zone
- 084 – Execution Time Zones
- 015 – Acquisition Zone 4: The Selection Zone
- 014 – Acquisition Zone 3: The RFP Zone
- 013 – Acquisition Zone 2: The Market Research Zone
- 012 – Acquisition Zone 1: The Requirement Zone
- 003 – Acquisition Time Zones ™
Types of Notifications Playlist
- 288 – The Protest Window
- 207 – What happens to my RFI response?
- 179 – Should I respond to the RFI?
- 140 – Source Sought Notice
- 077 – Proposal Submission and Receipt
- 073 – The Apparent Winner – Pre-award SB programs
- 053 – Notification of Unsuccessful Offeror
- 017 – What is a J&A?
- 008 – RFIs, DRFP, RFP: What’s the difference?
Source Selection Process Playlist
- 389- Responsive vs Responsible
- 385 – What is a Tech Eval?
- 381 – Where do RFPs Come From?
- 358 – Unequal Exchanges
- 336 – LPTA Update
- 322 – What is a Down Select?
- 315 – RFP Questions w/ Wendy Frieman
- 277 – Evaluation Criteria w/ Charles Hargett
- 101 – Targeting 101 (updated)
- 087 – Evaluation (SSEB Report) 15.305
- 084 – Contract Award
- 079 – What is a Pre-Award Survey?
- 078 – What is a Contractor Responsibility Determination?
- 077 – Proposal submittal
- 064 – Proposal Manager Questions about Source Selections
- 063 – Source Selection Decision Document 15.308
- 061 – Proposal Revision 15.307
- 058 – The Source Selection Process
- 053 – Notification to Unsuccessful Offerors (You Lost…)
- 048 – Exchanges 15.306
- 030 – Competitive Range Determination 15.306 (c)
- 018 – Listener Questions #1 – Evaluations
- 015 – The Source Selection Zone (Zone 4)
- 010 – What are Sections L&M? (Part 1)
- 008 – RFI, DRFP, and RFP: What’s the Difference?
- 006 – Debriefing (Part 2)
- 005 – Debriefing (Part 1)
GovCon Basics Playlist
- 208 – What is LPTA?
- 207 – What Happened to my RFI Response?
- 157 – Targeting 101 – Updated
- 141 – Small Business Goals
- 140 – Sources Sought
- 128 – What are Required Sources?
- 123 – The Wrap-up Zone
- 117 – The Re-compete Zone
- 108 – The Performance Zone
- 106 – The Honeymoon Zone
- 102 – Subtract then Multiply
- 099 – What is a Mid-Size Business?
- 093 – What is a Services Contract?
- 091 – What is FAR Part 12?
- 088 – What is an Acquisition Plan?
- 070 – What is an ACRN?
- 068 – Why Targeting Matters
- 066 – What is an IDIQ Contract?
- 060 – Who are the Players?
- 040 – Why Contract Type Matters
- 037 : What is a Contracting Officer Representative?
- 036 – What are Options?
- 035 – What is a CLIN?
- 028 – Small Business Set Asides – what, why & when?
- 008 – RFIs, DRFPs and RFPs – What’s the difference?
- 009 – Cost Type vs. Fixed Price Contracts
How to Speak GovCon Playlist
- 301 – What is a Micro-Purchase?
- 263 – beta.sam.gov
- 228 – The Christian Doctrine
- 195 – Inherently Governmental Functions
- 178 – HUBZones
- 146 – What is Scope Creep?
- 143 – GovCon Axioms
- 137 – What is an ECP?
- 135 – What is COTS?
- 111 – What is GFP?
- 110 – What is CPARS with Shelley Hall
- 080 – What is a NAICS Code?
- 074 – What is FOIA?
- 070 – What is an ACRN?
- 066 – What is an IDIQ Contract?
- 062 – What is Certified Cost and Pricing Data?
- 048 – What are Discussions?
- 046 – What is a Letter Contract?
- 045 – What is an Indefinite Contract?
- 040 – Why Contract Types Matters
- 038 – What is a Follow-on Contract?
- 037 – What is a COTR? What is a COR?
- 036 – What is an Option?
- 035 – What is a CLIN?
- 028 – What is Small Business Set-Aside
- 024 – Listener Q and A #2
- 022 – What are Weighted Guidelines?
- 019 – What are the Colors of Money?
Proposals Playlist
- 299 – The Proposal Kickoff Meeting (Step 3 of 4) with Vicki Strycharske
- 235 – It’s a Technicality
- 232 – Proposal Automation with Wendy Frieman
- 230 – The Proposal Strike Zone
- 176 – Reading the RFP196 – Building a Proposal Schedule
- 165 – Proposals:The First 4 Steps
- 158 – What is a Proposal Manager?
- 148 – Proposal Color Teams
- 133 – Don’t Write Novels For Strangers
- 118 – The Three Deciders
- 111 – What is GFP?
- 110 – What is CPARS with Shelley Hall
- 109 – Proposal Production w/Wendy Frieman
- 105 – What is a Proposal Manager? w/ Wendy Frieman
- 077 – Proposal submittal
- 069 – Five Proposal Myths
- 064 – Proposal Manager Questions About Source Selections
- 048 – Exchanges 15.306
- 032 – What I Learned About Proposals With Vicky Strycharske – Part 2
- 031 – What I Learned About Proposals – Special Guest Vicky Strycharske – Part 1
- 020 – Proposal Schedules
- 015 – Acquisition Zone 4: The Selection Zone
- 014 – Acquisition Zone 3: The RFP Zone
- 008 – RFI, DRFP, and RFP: What’s the difference?
- 006 – Debriefing Part 2
- 005 – Debriefing Part 1
- 003 – Acquisition Time Zones ™