Daston's Federal Acquisition Management Services support the full acquisition lifecycle for clients, helping them achieve efficiencies and meet contracting goals and compliancy requirements. Our techniques, practices, procedures and tools have been proven effective on a multitude of previous acquisition management contracts by employing a validated process that encompasses:

1. Creating a transition plan
2. Using proven methodologies
3. Planning and scheduling at a very detailed level
4. Infusing quality improvement techniques through all project activities
5. Analyzing and managing risk
6. Establishing effective project communications
7. Pre-positioning capabilities and resources prior to startup
8. Applying best practices
9. Leveraging and expanding a learning organization
10. Maintaining open and regular communication with our clients

Daston's advisory and support service offerings include:

Acquisition Program Management

Daston provides innovative program management support and thought leadership for technology, business, systems, and enterprise needs based on Program Management Institute (PMI) PMBOK and ISO9001:2008 processes. Our program management approach includes defining and implementing quality control processes providing effective customer service strategies, progress monitoring, and transition planning. We support the development of agency management programs in the areas of strategic sourcing, acquisition reform, best practices, policy and oversight support, COTR assistance, financial management, risk management, and performance-based service acquisitions.

Acquisition Support

Daston specialists and managers follow an acquisition life cycle approach, and our acquisition professionals tailor strategic organizational goals and objectives to meet acquisition needs. Our experience includes:

• Authoring acquisition plans/acquisition milestones
• Assisting in editing or authoring Statements of Work (SOW), Quality Assurance Surveillance Plans (QASP), and independent government cost estimates
• Assisting in the selection of types of contract vehicles
• Authoring solicitations and combined synopsis solicitations
• Authoring request for quotes, small business determinations, and set-asides
• Posting requirements on Federal Business Opportunities or GSA E-Buy
• Evaluating quotations/proposals
• Assisting in source selection, technical and/or price evaluation
• Authoring award decision/source selection decision documentation, and price negotiation memorandums
• Assisting and advising in negotiation proceedings, making Contract Awards, notifying and de-briefing unsuccessful offerors
• Authorizing congressional notifications
• Answering protests to the agency or GAO

Contracting Management

Daston's contracting management professionals support the sourcing, evaluation, and awarding of federal procurements at all levels. We support all federal government and many state and local government procurement systems and tailor our support to any public sector federal procurement environment. Daston is well versed in several financial and accounting systems, which will aid in the reconciliation of contracts, invoice tracking, maintaining accurate and up-to-date expenditure logs and contract close out. We offer experience in:

• Processing invoices
• Working in concert with the COR for performance-related issues
• Exercising options and contract extensions
• Executing unilateral, bilateral and administrative modifications, memorandums to file and memorandums for record
• Tracking expenditures, project progress and SOW changes
• Answering contractor claims
• Increasing or decreasing in level of effort

Policy Support

Daston provides policy and oversight support to ensure regulatory and policy compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) compliance, Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars, agency-specific acquisition regulation, and internal standard operating procedures.