Working With Us
How to Work with Us
Our Assisted Acquisition Process
It's easy to work with us when you have a requirement in mind. When you opt for our assisted acquisition services, a HCIS Program Project Manager will work closely with you to:
- refine a statement of requirements;
- complete an Interagency Agreement;
- select a provider;
- attend a project kick-off meeting; and
- monitor the project to completion.
Each of these five steps is described in greater detail below.
Refine a Requirements Statement
The initial statement of requirements may be a brief description of the work required. HCIS Program staff will help you refine this statement using a template that helps you clearly and concisely describe your needs and expectations. Some of the main areas of importance include:
- Background: project overview and a description of any circumstances that may affect the project outcome
- Project Purpose: describes the reason why the work has to be done
- Project Scope: describes the work to be done, details the specifics involved, and the exact nature of the work to be done
- Deliverables: project outcomes or products to be produced and the formats in which they should be delivered
- Time Frames: all critical project dates including estimated start date, critical interim dates, and desired completion date
- Special Requirements: specifies any specialized workforce requirements, such as security clearances, degrees or certifications for personnel, travel requirements, and anything else not covered in the contract specifics
Complete an Interagency Agreement
We work with agencies through the use of an Interagency Agreement. The funding document can be the same form your agency uses. Your HCIS Program Project Manager will assist you in completing all the necessary paperwork.
Select a Provider
The process of selecting a provider for a project is known as a Task Order Competition (TOC). During the TOC, the agency representative will be working closely with a HCIS Program Project Manager to ensure this process is as seamless as possible. We participate in the selection with you.
A Technical Evaluation Panel (TEP), with a minimum of three panel members, will be assembled to analyze the written proposals and provide constructive feedback on the providers’ strengths, weaknesses, overall rating, and risk factor. The TEP will then reach a consensus on the most qualified provider. If your agency is unable to make a selection from the written proposals, an Oral Task Order Competition (OTOC) may be held.
Attend a Project Kick-Off Meeting
The HCIS Program Project Manager, Contracting Officer, and your agency representatives will conduct a meeting with the selected provider to outline project goals and clarify the roles and expectations of all parties. Discussions in this meeting will lay the foundation for building your project plan.
Monitor the Project to Completion
The HCIS Program Project Manager takes on the burden of project and contract administration activities so that you can focus your attention on project oversight and direction. Monitoring work orders, processing invoices, monitoring spending, and tracking progress will reside in the capable hands of the HCIS Program Project Manager. Alone, these services are critical to the accomplishment of any project. But the greater value is the advisory and troubleshooting role that the HCIS Program Project Manager will play in helping you make informed decisions about matters that can have long-term implications. This "government-to-government" partnership offers insight to best practices and lessons learned from hundreds of HCIS Program projects successfully completed over the past 20 years.
RELATED INFORMATION
Resources & Forms
Working with OPM has never been easier. We start with an Interagency Agreement. A separate funding document is required to transfer funds—this can be the same form your agency uses. We also have a variety of templates with instructions and guidelines to help with your market research and requirements development.
Not sure where to start? Ask your HCIS Program Project Manager for help, or call 202-606-0482 to start the conversation.
Learn about the HCaTS Contracts from HR Solutions customers and partners including the Small Business Administration, the Department of Energy, and Booz Allen Hamilton. Watch a recent viewcast in which they offer insights and information about HCaTS’ unique benefits, including flexibility, speed to mission, and small business inclusion.
HCaTS Communities of Practice (CoP)
In the HCaTS Community of Practice (CoP), customers will have access to resources that will allow them to utilize the HCaTS Contracts for maximum impact to their human capital work to drive agency results. The CoP connects the human capital community to human capital experts and to templates, tools, best practices, and lessons learned. In addition to visiting the CoP Hub, you can join the HCaTS Community Group and email HCaTScommunity@opm.gov to be placed on the distribution list for CoP updates!