The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has ended fiscal year 2023 with the highest rating from the Professional Services Council (PSC) for its outreach, transparency and thoroughness in acquisition forecasts.
Alonzie Scott, director, ONR Mission Support, congratulated contract officers at ONR and the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) for their hard work in achieving such recognition from a respected industry leader. “Our achievement ranks as a “first” for ONR/NRL — getting into the top rankings. Our marketing campaign of pushing content and working with our people earned us honors,” he said.
The Department of the Navy’s ranking on the PSC scorecard is a big change from previous years according to Ellen Simonoff, director, Office of Small Business Programs. She said last year the DoN pushed an initiative to get a higher ranking and succeeded, in part, by getting all of the Navy commands to have their long-range acquisition estimates correspond to each other in terms of how and what information was published.
“That got the Navy honorable mention. We went beyond that and ONR got their highest ranking for long-range acquisition estimates — meaning we’re putting out good information to industry so they can figure out what requirements they want to compete in,” she said.
While the DoN received an honorable mention, only two of the other eight Navy activities surveyed received the highest rating on the scorecard with ONR. In all, the PSC’s Federal Business Forecast Scorecard looked at 70 federal agencies’ procurement forecasts.
Federal acquisition regulations require all government agencies to publish information on their acquisition forecasts. The PSC, which represents more than 400 small to large companies, ranks agencies by comparing 15 key attributes for a successful business forecast:
• Searchable spreadsheet
• Date modified
• Forecast update frequency
• Project description and contract number
• Dollar value (base + options)
• Program POC and COR contact information
• Program office & buying activity
• PSC (product and service codes) and NAICS (North American industry classification system)
• New start or re-compete with incumbent
• Set aside and type
• Contract vehicle (e.g., IDIQ, BPA)
• Action / award type
• Anticipated solicitation release date
• Anticipated award date
• Anticipated award length
For industry, particularly small businesses, receiving relevant information (as listed above) is crucial for companies determining if they have the right resources and manpower to compete for a project. For the Navy and Marines, the better information received by potential contracting partners — the better the results.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Procurement), Cindy Shaver, said in a statement, “Providing realistic forecasts of our future requirements enables our industrial partners to make key business decisions and position themselves to do business with the Navy, which is vital to achieving our mission.”
PSC members provide federal agencies a diversity of services including technology, engineering and scientific development, as well as operations, communications, logistics, maintenance and more. Many, if not all, of the small, medium and large companies working with ONR, NRL and the DoN are members of the industry association.
ONR’s Office of Small Business Programs advises contracting officials and program managers, as well as small businesses owners, on the contracting process for small business awards. It advocates and advises on behalf of small business contracts, including those of small disadvantaged businesses, historically underutilized businesses (HUBZone), veteran-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, women-owned and minority-owned small businesses.
For more information about identifying and contracting with small business, contact Ellen Simonoff, director, Office of Small Business Programs at ONR.SmallBiz@us.navy.mil.
About the Office of Naval Research
The Department of the Navy’s Office of Naval Research provides the science and technology necessary to maintain the Navy and Marine Corps’ technological advantage. Through its affiliates, ONR is a leader in science and technology with engagement in 50 states, 55 countries, 634 institutions of higher learning and nonprofit institutions, and more than 960 industry partners. ONR, through its commands, including headquarters, ONR Global and the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., employs more than 3,800 people, comprising uniformed, civilian and contract personnel.