Requirements Package Review Advice: SOW & QASP

Read the SOW.  After reading it, do you understand what the contractor has to do during performance?  If YES, that's good.  If NO, it might need to be re-written.

Generally, QASPs are prepared by the Government but are not incorporated into the contract.  The QASP is for use by Government personnel.  The Government may change the QASP any day of the week without contract modification.

An idea if you have not explored it yet.   A tool was developed by several agencies a while back to provide help and guidance on Performance Based Acquisitions.  There are different versions out there on the internet now.  Search the internet for "7 steps to performance based acquisition" and you will find it along with other results that might help you in developing your own review skills.

Here is one - https://www.dau.edu/cop/pm/DAU Sponsored Documents/Seven Steps to Performance Based Acquistion.pdf

ji20874 gave some good general advice. Just to add I typically look for indicators that the PWS (or SOW if you prefer) is not requiring the contractor to perform inherently governmental functions (FAR Subpart 7.5), or personal services (FAR Subpart 37.104). I have many years of experience reviewing these documents.  In my experience you need to have some analytical skills, critical reading skills, and common sense. One example that comes to mind is a PWS for IT support services that I reviewed where the contractor was tasked to "monitor the networks for security issues". That was all that specific task required. My feedback to the requiring activity was, and what do you want the contractor to do if they detect issues? Are they just supposed to monitor, do you want them to correct the issues, report the issue to the Government, what?  In my personal experience a good review takes a special skill set, most 1102's I have worked with either do not have this skill set, or are too busy to do a comprehensive review of these documents.  Your mileage may vary.

Another useful tool.  Lots of versions of this out there as well

https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Evaluation-Statement-of-Work-Checklist.pdf

jtolli brings up good points and highlights an example of common problems.  One reason I like use of SOOs instead or PWS or SOW is you just describe outcomes.  In this case the government describes security needs at a high level.  You can also add constraints on what you don’t want.  Then let industry propose solutions and associated PWSs based upon their unique approach.  How well they address issues is part of the evaluation.

I recommend reading MIL-HDBK-245D.

On 5/12/2020 at 10:54 AM, Don Mansfield said:

I recommend reading MIL-HDBK-245D.

Link doesn’t work

Found it here

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a310336.pdf

formerfed said:

Link doesn’t work

Should work now.

I agree with all information/sources provided thus far. 

Wanted to add another resource that I found helpful early in my career. Management Concepts published a book called "How to Write a Statement of Work." The author is Peter S. Cole. It provides a macro view (not agency/industry specific) for the elements of a PWS, SOW, SOO, and many other things. 

There are several editions out there (I think the 6th was the last one). I have the 5th edition and originally picked a used version for like $40.

Great resource for me.