A guidebook through the minefield of government contracting and procurement, Government Contracting: Promises and Perils describes the dangerous practices commonly applied in the development and management of government contracts and provides advice for avoiding the sort of errors that might compromise their ability to protect the public interest. It includes strategies for increasing profits for government contractors, rather than incurring burdensome costs, through compliance with government mandated subcontracting and financial management systems. Drawing from his indepth investigation of government agencies across the country, the author examines present-day scenarios that regularly lead public servants and government committees to manage contracts with tools that are less than optimal and to select contractors that may not be the best qualified. He then delineates practical processes, contracting documents, and contract management tools to mitigate detrimental outcomes and alternative approaches to supplant the imperfect methodologies. The author includes a CD-ROM with the book that provides a number of practical tools that you can apply as well as examples of contracts and templates that are the best he discovered during his research. The book also outlines an approach for performing advance contract planning, conducting contract negotiations, and administering contracts useful when planning for the management of the contracting process throughout the contracting cycle, negotiating a contract that protects the interest of all contracting parties, and ensuring successful contractor performance. The book includes a "Government Procurement Corruption Wall of Shame" that illustrates the myriad perils and stumbling blocks such as conflicts of interest, duplicity, favoritism, incompetence, kickbacks, and protests that government workers fall prey to.. Filled with best practices that protect you from nefarious, amateurish, and criminal mistakes that frequently lead to difficulties with harsh consequences, the book does not end its coverage with discussions of corruption, mismanagement, and ineptitude, but provides practical processes and strategies to diminish the negative impacts from these government contracting perils.

Table of Contents:
Big Picture — Big Issues The Big Picture: International Implications of Procurement Corruption The Scourge of Procurement Corruption Corruption Avoidance Conclusion Notes Processes and Issues in Contracting The Contracting Cycle: Overview of the Contracting Process Consequences of Failed Contract Planning Program Success through Effective Contract Planning Robust Contract Planning’s Contribution to Efficiency and Ethics Conclusion Notes Ethics in Contracting Global Need for Ethical Government Contracting Pummeled by Corruption: Consequences for Government and Contractors Optimal Government Service and Increased Contractor Profit Essential Features for Ethical Contracting Programs Conclusion Notes Sole Source or Competition? Appeal of Competitive Contracting Establishing a Favorable Environment for Competitive Procurement Failed Competition Fosters Corruption and Diminishes Budgets Multiple Benefits of Full and Open Competition Conclusion Notes Social Objectives through Government Contracting Social Contracting Fundamentals Failed Social Contracting Creates Exposure to Corruption Establishing an Effective Social Contracting Program Government Goal Achievement and Improved Contractor Profitability through Successful Social Contracting Conclusion Notes Solicitations and Pre-Proposal Communications Solicitation Fundamentals Failed Management of Pre-Proposal Communications and Protest Vulnerability Content of the Best Practices RFP Superior Contractor Selection and Protest Avoidance with Best Practices RFP Errant Contractor Selection and Corruption Exposure with Deficient RFP Promises of Well-Managed Pre-Proposal Communications Protest and Fraud Avoidance through Well-Managed Pre-Proposal Communications Conclusion Notes Proposal Evaluation Process for Selecting the Best Contractor Optimizing Contractor Selection with Weighted Proposal Evaluation Criteria Effective Reaction to Protests from Aggrieved Contractors Overcoming the Perils of a Deficient Proposal Evaluation Process Perils of Selecting a Marginal Contractor Rewards of Selecting the Superior Contractor Conclusion Notes Contract Administration Contract Administration Fundamentals Invoice Analysis for Avoiding Overpayments A Process for Forecasting Contract Cost Overruns Maintaining Program Integrity by Effectively Managing Contract Modifications Ensuring Timely Milestone Completions and Deliverables Energizing Underperforming Contractors Threat to Program Success from Flawed Contract Administration Administering Contracts to Promote Program Success Improved Profit, Quality, and Timeliness for Government Contractors Conclusion Notes Contracting During Emergencies Fundamentals of Emergency Contracting Private-Sector Contributions to Emergency Response Improved Delivery and Quality while Controlling Emergency Contract Costs Need to Establish Response Mechanism in Advance of International Emergencies Obtaining Private-Sector Buy-In to International Emergency Response Mechanism Failed Emergency Response and Corruption Exposure from Deficient Planning Protecting Lives and Property during Emergency Response Conclusion Notes Contract Completion and Audit Fundamentals of Contract Completion Contractor Performance Evaluations Fundamentals of Contract Auditing Deficient Performance Evaluations and Audits Perpetuate Failure Utility of Effective Contractor Performance Evaluation Contributions of Effective Contract Auditing Benefits of Effective Records Retention, Performance Evaluation, and Contract Auditing Promises and Perils Following Completion of Contractor’s Responsibilities Conclusion Notes Appendix: Glossary of Terms