Last week, I once again had the pleasure of presenting at the Design-Build Institute of America’s Federal Project Delivery Symposium in Washington, DC.  I was joined on the panel by Reggie Jones (the Chair of Fox Rothschild’s Government Contracts practice) and Michael Daniels of W.M. Jordan.  Our presentation from last year on the increasing impact of the False Claims Act on Government Contractors is available here.

This year, we focused on project teaming arrangements.  Teaming (particularly between large and small businesses) can open up new avenues and contracting opportunities in the Federal sector – but just because you can get new work through teaming doesn’t necessarily mean that you should.  The relationship with your new teammate will have a significant impact on the success of the project – and also on your company’s bottom line.

We choose a baseball “theme” for the presentation because – like in sports – successful project delivery teams can use intangibles like chemistry, communication, and cooperation to make the team even greater than the sum of its parts.  In particular, our presentation focuses on all of the work your firm should put in up front to make sure that a teaming arrangement will be a profitable one.  This involves sitting down across the table and ensuring that you and your teammate:

  • Share common corporate values and culture
  • Are fully compatible (in areas like technology, software, and accounting systems); and
  • Agree on how to divide all of the rewards and risks involved in performing the contract

We also spent a good deal of time discussing what makes a good teaming agreement.  Much more than a piece of paper or a handshake, a well drafted teaming document is essential for contractors before entering into a team.  Starting from a solid foundation will make sure both sides start off on the right foot and have a clear picture of how the relationship will unfold (and hopefully continue).

You can access the slides here.  Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions about the presentation or teaming agreements generally.

Thank you to DBIA for the opportunity to reach a great audience.  I look forward to being back next year!