Contracting Officer Podcast 2.0 (samples)

Kevin Jans, Paul Schauer, Contracting Officer, government Contracting, proposal management, proposal writing, targeting, contract administration, contract management, subcontracting
  • 4.7 (258)
  • Management
  • Updated Daily

THE podcast for those who want to learn about the government market from the contracting officer's perspective. Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer, both former federal contracting officers, explain the rules, processes and the "why" behind government contracts. They know because they've done it. 

  1. 1h ago

    305 - The Educated Customer

    If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!) Kevin and Paul continue the conversation from previous "who is the customer and how/when should I talk to them" kind of episodes.  Listen and learn customer roles as well as when each role has influence over the acquisition process.  The discussion continues with what can go wrong if the customer doesn't have context into the tradeoffs and decisions that are made to create and execute an acquisition.        _________ If you enjoy this podcast, we invite you to check out the Skyway Community at skywaymember.com. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for anyone at any stage of starting, growing and running a government contracting business. We speak GovCon. Whether you are brand new to GovCon, just got your first contract, or you are already a successful government contractor, the Skyway Community will guide you to the next level. With our extensive tools and training, exclusive member discounts on consulting support, and a supportive and active community of peers to help you along the way, the Skyway Community is the perfect resource for anyone who is serious about winning more contracts. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or check it out at skywaymember.com.  ___________ Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also walked in industry's shoes, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time.  Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting.  It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession.  Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

  2. 1h ago

    304 - Which Regulations Should I Follow?

    If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!) There are thousands of pages of Government acquisition regulations. Between the FAR and 30+ supplements, not to mention local guidance, how do you know what applies to you? Kevin and Paul dive into the pile of regs and come up with answers.  Listen and learn to gain a little clarity on which regulations apply and when.       _________ If you enjoy this podcast, we invite you to check out the Skyway Community at skywaymember.com. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for anyone at any stage of starting, growing and running a government contracting business. We speak GovCon. Whether you are brand new to GovCon, just got your first contract, or you are already a successful government contractor, the Skyway Community will guide you to the next level. With our extensive tools and training, exclusive member discounts on consulting support, and a supportive and active community of peers to help you along the way, the Skyway Community is the perfect resource for anyone who is serious about winning more contracts. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or check it out at skywaymember.com.  ___________ Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also walked in industry's shoes, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time.  Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting.  It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession.  Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

  3. 1h ago

    303 - Why SBIRs? (with Geoff Orazem from Federal Foundry)

    If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!) Today we welcome special guest Geoff Orazem (Eastern Foundry, Federal Foundry, Agency-Capital) and return to a semi-regular topic: SBIRs.  Listen and learn as Paul absorbs Geoff's unique take on why SBIRs are a great way for small businesses to enter GonCon, what processes are streamlined for SBIRs vs. other GovCon acquisition methods, and why SBIRs are a valuable source of venture capital.      _________ If you enjoy this podcast, we invite you to check out the Skyway Community at skywaymember.com. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for anyone at any stage of starting, growing and running a government contracting business. We speak GovCon. Whether you are brand new to GovCon, just got your first contract, or you are already a successful government contractor, the Skyway Community will guide you to the next level. With our extensive tools and training, exclusive member discounts on consulting support, and a supportive and active community of peers to help you along the way, the Skyway Community is the perfect resource for anyone who is serious about winning more contracts. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or check it out at skywaymember.com.  ___________ Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also walked in industry's shoes, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time.  Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting.  It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession.  Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

  4. 2h ago

    301 - What is a Micro-Purchase?

    If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!) We spend a lot of time on this podcast talking about the complexities inherent in giant source selections government by FAR Part 15 rules. Which means we talk about the few major acquisitions and maybe neglect the vast majority of Government purchases - those that are below the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) and even smaller, those that are below the Micro-purchase Threshold (MPT).  This is where the majority of transactions occur.   Today Kevin and Paul talk micro-purchases. Listen and learn how the thresholds are set up to streamline small dollar buys, who makes these purchases, and how industry's interaction with the Government changes for micro-purchases.   Also note, the thresholds are updated to keep up with inflation.  Effective 31 August 2020 the MPT is $10,000 and the SAT is $250,000.  This episode references the previous lower thresholds.     _________ If you enjoy this podcast, we invite you to check out the Skyway Community at skywaymember.com. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for anyone at any stage of starting, growing and running a government contracting business. We speak GovCon. Whether you are brand new to GovCon, just got your first contract, or you are already a successful government contractor, the Skyway Community will guide you to the next level. With our extensive tools and training, exclusive member discounts on consulting support, and a supportive and active community of peers to help you along the way, the Skyway Community is the perfect resource for anyone who is serious about winning more contracts. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or check it out at skywaymember.com.  ___________ Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also walked in industry's shoes, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time.  Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting.  It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession.  Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

  5. 2h ago

    302 - The Fresh Air Test

    If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!) Kevin and Paul discuss the common fear of exposing your work (or your ideas) to others before they are complete. Fear of critical feedback or just plain old criticism often stifles early collaboration that can provide context and improve products and results.  Listen and learn how exposing your work to "fresh air" can help both Government and industry achieve better acquisition outcomes.     _________ If you enjoy this podcast, we invite you to check out the Skyway Community at skywaymember.com. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for anyone at any stage of starting, growing and running a government contracting business. We speak GovCon. Whether you are brand new to GovCon, just got your first contract, or you are already a successful government contractor, the Skyway Community will guide you to the next level. With our extensive tools and training, exclusive member discounts on consulting support, and a supportive and active community of peers to help you along the way, the Skyway Community is the perfect resource for anyone who is serious about winning more contracts. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or check it out at skywaymember.com.  ___________ Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also walked in industry's shoes, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time.  Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting.  It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession.  Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

  6. 2h ago

    300 - It's all about Context (and Communication)

    If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!) Episode 300!  Today Kevin and Paul take a look back at what they've learned the podcast is really about.  From the first episodes to the days of COVID, the Contracting Officer Podcast has focused on ground level, "what can you do about it today" information for everyone who is working (or wants to work) in the GovCon world.  If you're a regular listener, you've probably already guessed that the conversation centers on the power of open communication and sharing context to enable better acquisition, mission, and business outcomes.   Thanks for listening and we hope you'll continue to join us for the next 300 episodes and beyond.   _________ If you enjoy this podcast, we invite you to check out the Skyway Community at skywaymember.com. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for anyone at any stage of starting, growing and running a government contracting business. We speak GovCon. Whether you are brand new to GovCon, just got your first contract, or you are already a successful government contractor, the Skyway Community will guide you to the next level. With our extensive tools and training, exclusive member discounts on consulting support, and a supportive and active community of peers to help you along the way, the Skyway Community is the perfect resource for anyone who is serious about winning more contracts. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or check it out at skywaymember.com.  ___________ Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also walked in industry's shoes, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time.  Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting.  It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession.  Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

  7. 2h ago

    299 - The Proposal Kickoff Meeting (Step 3 of 4) with Vicki Strycharske

    If you work in the Government acquisition world, this podcast is for you. (not just for Contracting Officers!) Kevin welcomes back Vicki Strycharske to discuss best practices for proposal writing - this time focusing on the Proposal Kickoff meeting.  Vicki is a regular guest, former contracting officer, professional proposal manager, and Skyway Acquisition Solutions team member.   This is Step 3 of 4 in a series about the first 4 steps that industry should take when an RFP is released by the Government.  Episode 165 is an overview of the steps.  Episodes 176 and 196 cover the first two steps - reading the RFP and building a proposal schedule.  _________ If you enjoy this podcast, we invite you to check out the Skyway Community at skywaymember.com. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for anyone at any stage of starting, growing and running a government contracting business. We speak GovCon. Whether you are brand new to GovCon, just got your first contract, or you are already a successful government contractor, the Skyway Community will guide you to the next level. With our extensive tools and training, exclusive member discounts on consulting support, and a supportive and active community of peers to help you along the way, the Skyway Community is the perfect resource for anyone who is serious about winning more contracts. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or check it out at skywaymember.com.  ___________ Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also walked in industry's shoes, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time.  Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting.  It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession.  Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

  8. 2h ago

    298 - Incumbentitis - ENCORE

    Kevin and Paul describe the symptoms of a preventable disease that often infects the incumbent contractor during a recompete: the dreaded incumbentitis.   Many recompetes are lost because the incumbent contractor becomes overconfident and fails to recognize changes that have occurred during the period of performance of their current contract.  Learn how to recognize the symptoms and how both government and industry can prevent incumbentitis from becoming a fatal infection.   _________ If you enjoy our podcast, we invite you to check out the Skyway Community at skywaymember.com. The Skyway Community is the essential resource for anyone at any stage of starting, growing and running a government contracting business. We speak GovCon. Whether you are brand new to GovCon, just got your first contract, or you are already a successful government contractor, the Skyway Community will guide you to the next level. With our extensive tools and training, exclusive member discounts on consulting support, and a supportive and active community of peers to help you along the way, the Skyway Community is the perfect place for anyone who is serious about winning more contracts. Give us a call at 877-884-5280 or check us out at skywaymember.com.  ___________ Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer created the Contracting Officer Podcast to help government and industry acquisition professionals understand more about how the other side thinks. As former government Contracting Officers who have also walked in industry's shoes, Kevin and Paul share their perspectives in support of the podcast mission:  Make government contracts better, one contract at a time.  Admittedly, the podcast’s name sounds very limiting.  It is not just for contracting officers or even just for those in the contracting profession.  Anyone with an interest in the Federal acquisition world can benefit from the insight and down-to-earth explanations of complicated topics provided by the hosts.

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4.7
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258 Ratings

About

THE podcast for those who want to learn about the government market from the contracting officer's perspective. Kevin Jans and Paul Schauer, both former federal contracting officers, explain the rules, processes and the "why" behind government contracts. They know because they've done it. 

Information

  • Creator
    Kevin Jans, Paul Schauer, Contracting Officer, government Contracting, proposal management, proposal writing, targeting, contract administration, contract management, subcontracting
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    489
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Contracting Officer Podcast 2.0 (samples)
  • Show Website
    Contracting Officer Podcast 2.0 (samples)

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