What do you wish you knew about government contracting? What if you had access to a seasoned contracting officer, so you could understand the process from their point of view? Kevin Jans is President of Skyway Acquisition, a team of former COs on a mission to bridge government and industry, helping clients target better and win more contracts. He also serves as host of the Contracting Officer Podcast. With 16 years of experience as a contracting officer for the Department of Defense, Kevin bought and managed more than $3 billion in products and services. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, Kevin joins me to discuss the three deciders in every purchase and describe how much control contracting officers have in the decision-making process. Kevin walks us through the four acquisition time zones, explaining why you need to know about an RFP long before it drops and how to learn more about the budget for a given purchase. Listen in to understand the #1 thing Kevin feared when selecting a new vendor and learn what a contracting officer looks for—beyond simply meeting the requirements of an RFP. Key Takeaways Kevin’s background as a contracting officer for the Department of Defense How Skyway Acquisition serves as a bridge between government and industry The 3 deciders in every purchase—economic decider, customer and procurer How much control contracting officers have in the decision-making process What differentiates a technical sale from a business sale Kevin’s 4 acquisition time zones Requirement Market research RFP Selection Why you need to know about an RFP long before it drops The best way to learn more about the budget for a particular purchase 3 things you can do to go beyond just meeting the requirements of an RFP The #1 thing contracting officers fear when selecting a new vendor The limits of a contracting officer’s responsibility to engage with industry Connect with Kevin Skyway Acquisition Kevin on LinkedIn Contracting Officer Podcast Connect with Lisa  Lisa’s Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email [email protected]  Resources Agile Government Contracting by John Stenbeck and Kevin Jans Save Your Time: A Former Contracting Officer Explains Why the Government Market May (or May Not) Be Right for You by Kevin Jans The 3 Deciders on Contracting Officer Podcast EP118 FOIA The Technical vs. the Business Sale on Contracting Officer Podcast EP222 What Is a Mid-Size Business? on Contracting Officer Podcast EP099 The Acquisition Time Zones on Contracting Officer Podcast EP003 Where Do RFPs Come From? on Contracting Officer Podcast EP381 Is Your Price Reasonable & Realistic? on Contracting Officer Podcast EP338 What Is a Red Team Review? on Contracting Officer Podcast EP396 Staffing Is Not Just Staffing on Contracting Officer Podcast EP097 The Execution Time Zones on Contracting Officer Podcast EP372 FAR 15.2 Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute