Section C. Description/Specifications/Statement of Work
Section C describes the products to be delivered or the services to be performed under the contract. For products, this might include national stock numbers (NSNs), part numbers, and quantities. For services, the Government typically includes one or more of the following:
REVIEW ACTION
Review Section C and break down the requirements to ensure that you understand the meaning. Review against other applicable Section J attachments to gain a better understanding of the nature and scope of required tasks. At the same time, have other team members review Section C to get different perspectives on what is required. It’s important to gain consensus on the meaning of each requirement before beginning proposal development.
Look for inappropriate levels of detail in the SOW, for example, procedures and instructions written in such detail that do not allow process maturity during the program. Also, review Section C in conjunction with Sections L and M by looking for contradictions.
Your financial personnel should examine this section to ensure that the nature of the work to be performed matches the purpose of the appropriation to be used to fund the contract.
SUCCESS TIP
Be aware that your technical team members may instinctively jump right into Section C to begin formulating a response resulting in wasted effort. However, your response must comply with instructions (Section L) and relate to what is being scored (Section M).
SUBMISSION ACTION
Your response must account for every requirement in the SOW or PWS and describe how you will deliver the required product or services. Section C may or may not line up well to the Section L instructions or the Section M evaluation criteria. Make it easy for the evaluator to locate your response by providing a cross-reference matrix with your proposal submission. It should correlate each RFP requirement (e.g., Sections L, M, C, and H) to your proposal page and section or paragraph number. For hard copy proposal submission, you can include the matrix behind a separate tabbed divider or place it directly into the front pocket on the inside of the binder.
WARNING
During your review, look for items of concern that should be brought to the contracting officer’s attention for correction, including:
If your proposal fails to satisfy one or more requirements, it will be considered “nonresponsive."
- Statement of Objectives (SOO) provides the basic, top level performance objectives of the acquisition and should include true objectives rather than “shall statements.” A SOO allows the offerer maximum flexibility to propose an innovative approach
- Statement of Work (SOW) provides the Government’s description of required work and how it is to be performed and establishes the basis for CLINs, Section H provisions, CDRL/DIDs, and DD Form 254
- Performance Work Statement (PWS) serves as an SOW for performance-based acquisitions and should describe the Government’s required results in clear, specific and objective terms with measurable outcomes. Performance-based characteristics should be directly tied to the program objectives
- Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) is used when acquiring services. The QASP directly corresponds to the performance objectives and standards (i.e., quality, quantity, timeliness) specified in the PWS. This performance plan requires the contractor to achieve quality control and documents the measurable inspection and acceptance criteria corresponding to the performance standards in the SOW. The SOW/PWS, QASP, and contractor incentives should be interdependent but cross-referenced
- Technical Requirements Document (TRD) defines the technical level requirements for the system to be acquired
REVIEW ACTION
Review Section C and break down the requirements to ensure that you understand the meaning. Review against other applicable Section J attachments to gain a better understanding of the nature and scope of required tasks. At the same time, have other team members review Section C to get different perspectives on what is required. It’s important to gain consensus on the meaning of each requirement before beginning proposal development.
Look for inappropriate levels of detail in the SOW, for example, procedures and instructions written in such detail that do not allow process maturity during the program. Also, review Section C in conjunction with Sections L and M by looking for contradictions.
Your financial personnel should examine this section to ensure that the nature of the work to be performed matches the purpose of the appropriation to be used to fund the contract.
SUCCESS TIP
Be aware that your technical team members may instinctively jump right into Section C to begin formulating a response resulting in wasted effort. However, your response must comply with instructions (Section L) and relate to what is being scored (Section M).
SUBMISSION ACTION
Your response must account for every requirement in the SOW or PWS and describe how you will deliver the required product or services. Section C may or may not line up well to the Section L instructions or the Section M evaluation criteria. Make it easy for the evaluator to locate your response by providing a cross-reference matrix with your proposal submission. It should correlate each RFP requirement (e.g., Sections L, M, C, and H) to your proposal page and section or paragraph number. For hard copy proposal submission, you can include the matrix behind a separate tabbed divider or place it directly into the front pocket on the inside of the binder.
WARNING
During your review, look for items of concern that should be brought to the contracting officer’s attention for correction, including:
- Requirements that unnecessarily restrict competition
- Requirements for obsolete technology
- The wrong approach to effectively meet program needs
- Errors or ambiguities that could complicate contract performance and possibly result in disputes
If your proposal fails to satisfy one or more requirements, it will be considered “nonresponsive."
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