CRG believes that the government is made up of great people who are working very hard to meet the many requirements of their jobs. In this environment, relationships are everything. Because a good relationship can save our client and the federal government time and money, our seasoned contract specialists work tirelessly to connect our corporate clients with the people they need inside federal agencies. Through highly customized training packages we share more than expertise with our clients. We share tips and tricks and contacts with your in-house staff.

Government Initiatives, Inc. (GI²) and Contracting Resources Group (CRG) partner to bring the following half-day introductory seminars highlighting the critical components of marketing, selling and performing on Federal Defense contracts, and need-to-know information on security and security clearances. These seminars introduce GI² and CRG's partnership in bringing a series of detailed workshops in 2010.

GSA Schedule Writing Training
This one-day training course provides companies with all the information and templates needed to write a GSA Schedule. No lengthy speeches, just a detailed review of each step in the writing, submission and negotiation process. Participants come away from this course with a hardcopy and softcopy of their draft offer. For years our GSA experts have been working with contracting officers and writing GSA Schedules. While other companies do provide GSA Schedule training, most programs require additional consulting and costs for completion. Our goal at CRG is to provide businesses with the knowledge and skills to complete the process independently and with ease.

Course Highlights:

• The GSA Schedule Process at a Glance
• Administrative and Past Performance Requirements
• Pricing and Negotiation Strategies

When: 07 September 2010
Where: Federal Hill, MD
Price: $2,000.00 per person

Course Highlights:

• Understanding the US Government Structure as it relates to the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community Procurement Process
• Understanding the Rules of Engagement: How to effectively package your company.
• Contracting and Compliance: Business structure, processes, and financial requirements.

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$295.00 per person

Selling to the Federal Defense Market using a GSA Schedule
Selling to the Federal Government requires a contracting vehicle to process the sale of your Companys products and services. Companies are being strongly encouraged to obtain a schedule to sell to the Feds. This half-day seminar highlights the benefits of a GSA Schedule as a successful sales tool, techniques in making a GSA Schedule work for you, and some of the basic requirements in obtaining a GSA Schedule. This intro class is a preamble to a one-day training seminar offered to provide businesses the knowledge and skills to complete the process independently and with ease.

Course Highlights:

• Understanding how sales are made using the GSA Schedule and why GSA schedules are important in federal sales
• Reviewing GSA Schedule sales and marketing tools and techniques
• Relationship-based government business development

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$295.00 per person

Penetrating the Intelligence Community:
This half-day seminar provides information to Companies who plan to enter the Intelligence Community and/or Companies who seek to expand their current IC market penetration. It provides highlights to assist in developing effective capture strategies through systematic pursuit of opportunities that fit your companys competencies and capabilities. This seminar is best suited for Business Development, Sales, and Program Managers since it designed to get the creative juices with fresh ideas and insight into the DOD/Intelligence Community.

Course Highlights:

• The Intelligence Agencies: Who are they?
• IC Budget highlights and buying trends
• Critical aspects of selling to the Intelligence Community
• Getting your foot in the door

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$295.00 per person

Understanding the Government Security Process:
This half-day seminar provides an introduction to a series of detailed workshops that are designed to provide a clear and concise explanation of the personnel security process and is taught by an expert from the National Security Agency with hands-on experience. This introductory workshop is designed to provide participants a base of knowledge of the entire Security Process critical to the overall understanding of Security. It will address the differences between security requirements of different Agencies, the personnel and physical security process, and guidelines on Information Security.

Course Highlights:

• The Security Clearance Process at a Glance
• Personnel and Physical Security
• Systems Security and Information Assurance

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$295.00 per person

Understanding the Federal Government Market
This workshop is primarily focused on marketing to the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and the Intelligence Community to give participants an inside view of these Agencies. It is an interactive course that delivers the knowledge, strategies, techniques, real world insights, and resources from experts how have been there and done that. The intent is to provide the participant basic information on federal government marketing, and more importantly, knowledge on how to establish winning strategies that enable the participant to pursue various channels with limited resources. It is also ideal for those with little or no marketing and sales training or experience, or those who desire a refresher and real-world perspective.

Course Highlights:

• Government Agencies and their Focus
• Identify the best agencies for your service or product
• Positioning to your advantage: The marketing rules and regulations of the government game.
• Capture strategies and learn how to stop chasing opportunities and be in front of them
• Strategies for winning consistent government business
• How to use the government sales cycle to your advantage
• Learn how to identify and gain market intelligence on your federal competitors
• Creative techniques to get and stay in front of your prospects

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

Promoting your Company's Strengths
Whether you are a start-up company or a seasoned one seeking new markets, this course will help you develop a sound strategy for marketing your companys products or services effectively to the US Government, particularly to the defense/intelligence agencies such as NSA. Topics include target marketing, understanding your companys strengths and weaknesses, developing your companys value proposition, and targeting the agencies that best fit your profile. Understanding how to promote your Companys strengths is critical and even more important in Federal contracting because of the many alternatives available to the government buyer.

In this workshop, learn how to promote your company in an interactive environment. Understand the difference between sales, marketing, promotions, and public relations, and use these concepts to your advantage to differentiate your Company from competitive alternatives. Learn how to catch your customers attention and how to entice them to give you the time to present your capability.

Tabletop exercises will be used to assist the participant in clearly identifying his/her business strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. At the completion of this course, the participant will be able to use their strengths in developing and/or directing their marketing and public relations format.

Course Highlights:

• Introduction: The differences between sales, marketing, promotions and public relations
• Determining your Companys Strengths and Weaknesses to establish your Value Proposition
• Delivering your Companys Message through an effective elevator speech and Marketing Collateral
• Creative Ways to Create Market Recognition
• Making your Companys Successes Work for You

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

The Intelligence Community: Who they are and how to sell to them
This workshop is a 1-day seminar designed to provide attendees with a clear understanding of the Intelligence Community (IC) agencies through a thorough discussion of the IC agencies, their mission, and how each agencies mission affects their procurement behavior. It discusses the correlation between the IC agencies and specific DOD agencies to identify their buying trends, the barriers to entry, while offering creative solutions that may mitigate these barriers.

This seminar is designed to provide information to Companies who plan to enter the Intelligence Community and/or Companies who seek to expand their current IC market penetration. Additionally, this seminar is intended to assist Managers, Programs Managers, Business Development and Sales Executives in developing effective capture strategies through systematic pursuit of opportunities that fit your companys competencies and capabilities. Through open discussion and one-on-one interaction with the instructors, this seminar is designed to get the creative juices flowing so you return to your job and office with some fresh ideas and insight into the DOD/Intelligence Community.

Course Highlights:

• The Business Of Intelligence
• The Intelligence Agencies: Who are they?
• Budget in the IC Community
• Buying trends: What do they buy?
• Peeling the onion back: An overview of the DOD market as it pertains to the Intelligence Community
• Critical aspects of selling to the Intelligence Community
• Getting your foot in the door
• Focusing on Sales Tactics

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

The Proposal Development Process
Responding to multi-year and multi-million/billion government RFPs can easily require 20 to 30 people working to develop a cohesive response addressing the technical solution(s), developing management plans if the proposed contract is awarded, pricing a myriad of Contract/Service Line Items (CLINs/SLINs), and ensuring all terms and conditions are understood and addressed. Because of the nature of these large government RFPs, it is rare to do one with less than a half-dozen people involved. On the other hand, it is difficult to have these numbers of people dedicated to one proposal effort. Most organizations hire outside Proposal Managers, technical writers and pricing analysts to assist in this effort.

However, since it is incumbent upon the Company to manage the proposal consultants and to ensure that the response developed is in accordance with the Companys capabilities and objectives. To minimize proposal costs and to ensure a cohesive response, it is necessary for a Company contemplating a large proposal response to fully understand the proposal development process and the roles and responsibilities of each individual in the team. Proper planning leads to positive results.

This seminar discusses the preliminary steps necessary in planning and identifying the team members, including potential subcontractors.

Course Highlights:

• Understanding the ins and outs of proposal development from start to finish
• Roles and responsibilities in the proposal planning process
• Roles and responsibilities in the proposal development process
• Developing a preliminary response template (management and technical)
• Planning the pricing strategy
• Reviewing common mistakes to avoid

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

The Bid & Proposal Process: Developing Proposals that Win
This course takes the mystery out of responding to government Request For Proposals (RFPs). Its emphasis is on understanding the governments requirements and preparing your responses accordingly. The workshop helps to reduce the anxiety associated with RFPs by breaking the process into manageable pieces, in a lively, interactive format thereby introducing participants to a strategy that provides a competitive edge. A step-by-step, logical process is taught for use in preparing a compliant response to a Request for Proposal (RFP). Concentration is on understanding where to locate the governments requirements, how to get started in preparing your response, what should be included in your Technical Proposal, and pre-proposal planning activities. This workshop also applies to Subcontractors in preparing their response for a Prime Contractor, while showing their savvy in the Proposal Process. This interactive workshop focuses on the step-by-step mechanics of producing a complete and compliant response to an RFP.

Course Highlights:

• Identifying the governments requirements
• The importance of Strategic Alliances
• Making a "Bid/No-Bid" decision
• Knowing where to start preparing your proposal
• Using an outline to prepare your proposal
• Creating and customizing the Management Plan
• Tailoring your Past Performance information
• Putting the final response together
• Reviewing common mistakes you should avoid

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

Introduction to the GSA Schedule
If you want to sell to the Federal Government your company needs a GSA Schedule! Many businesses are not familiar with the GSA Schedule Process, this session answers questions of why a GSA Schedule is important, what level of investment you should expect and the overall process of obtaining a GSA Schedule.

Course Highlights:

• What is the GSA Schedule?
• Why is the GSA Schedule important to a contractor?
• How does a company obtain a GSA Schedule?

When: TBD
Where: Market Access Training Center, Arlington, VA 22203
Price:$595.00 per person

Cutting the Red Tape and Getting Government Contracts
The United States Federal Government is the largest purchaser of goods and services in the entire world. Companies new to the process find it very daunting. The administrative requirements are manageable, procedures need to be developed. This course will take you from determining the government market as a target for your business to developing proposals and white papers to win business.

Course Highlights:

• Government Market Overview
• Advantages and Challenges when Doing Business with the Government
• Seven Steps to Securing Contracts

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

Marketing Your GSA Schedule
Currently, there are 17,495 GSA contracts in place. For fiscal year 2005, approximately $33.8 billion worth of sales were recorded through the GSA Schedule Program. Marketing your GSA Schedule is the key to success in the program. This course will review the marketing steps that include but are not limited to distributing your price list, maximizing your web presence, developing GSA marketing partnerships and many more marketing tips.

Course Highlights:

• GSA Schedule Pricelist Distribution
• GSA Advantage Catalog
• Agency Criteria and Selection

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

Business Planning
Whether you are a start-up business looking to enter the Federal Government market or an ongoing business seeking to establish a Federal Market presence, Business Planning is critical to ensure a thorough understanding of the necessary business adaptations to meet Government regulations. The following individual courses are offered to provide in-depth information from which organizational development and business structure planning may commence.

Course Highlights:

• Understanding the Federal regulations and creating a profitable Business Model for success
• Selecting your target Agency and understanding their specific requirements
• Determining small business status (NAICS)
• Planning your entrance into the Federal Government Market
• Organization and Structure
• Compliant Financial Systems and Financial Practices
• Possible Funding Sources (NAICS)

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

Government Rules and Regulations Made Simple
Level the playing field when dealing with government contracting officials by increasing your knowledge of the regulation that governs the Federal contracting process. This training will introduce you to the organization of the FAR and its 53 parts, explain frequently used government acronyms and contracting terminology, provide the basics of contract law, highlight the risks and rewards associated with the different types of government contracts. This course is intended to provide participants an overview of the federal acquisition process; demystify the FAR and provide participants with a layout of the FAR and key laws and regulations; and familiarize participants with the primary responsibilities imposed on federal contractors and potential contractors.

Course Highlights:

• Overview of the Federal Acquisition Regulations System
• Key Regulations and Laws
• The Government Decision-makers
• Contract Formation and the Uniform Contract Format (UCF)
• Organization and Structure
• Types of Contracts
• Security Requirements
• Protests, Disputes and Appeals
• Contract Management
• Termination of Contracts

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

The Compliance Requirements
Government Compliance is a vast subject covering many areas including Human Resources Policies and Procedures, Financial and Management guidelines imposed by the DCAA through Security issues to protect our national interests. This workshop will address all these aspects in order to provide the participant a working knowledge of these areas, while providing sources where additional information may be obtained. Completion of this workshop will enable the participant to complete Representations and Certifications documents with a level of assurance of the regulations that bid their procurement submission.

Course Highlights:

• Overview: Legal and Ethical Compliance
• Human Resources Compliance
• Understanding Business and Financial Management Compliance
• Contract Formation and the Uniform Contract Format (UCF)
• Security Requirements

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

Introduction to Security Clearances
This half-day seminar provides a glimpse into the world of security clearances, what they are, why you need one and how you obtain it. Included is the authority to issue clearances under the National Industrial Security Program, the types of security clearances and who has jurisdiction. Well also touch on the investigative requirements, clearance adjudication and the appeal process for both personnel and facility clearances. Attendees will have ample opportunity to discuss individual situations and ask questions pertaining to the security clearance process. This introductory seminar serves as a gateway to more detailed courses on the subject offered by GI2.

Course Highlights:

• DOD/IC organization
• Jurisdiction
• Primary and secondary Pools

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$295.00 per person

Personnel Security Clearances
This one-day seminar provides a clear understanding of the operational organization of DOD and the Intelligence Community necessary to grasp the interdepartmental relationships concerning security clearances, reciprocity, who has jurisdiction and why. It defines classified materials, explains the levels of security clearances and what is required to obtain them. The seminar provides an understanding of the requirements for control and access to US Government classified materials, how the personnel security clearance process works and what is required to obtain the various levels of clearance. It delves into the investigative steps needed to satisfy the various levels of clearance and discusses polygraph, and its role as an investigative tool. The adjudicative process is presented through an explanation of the criteria which must be met to satisfy each clearance level and, when necessary, how the security clearance appeal process is implemented. The day will end with a table top exercise placing you in the role of evaluating, adjudicating and making decisions on who gets a security clearance.

Course Highlights:

• What is a security clearance?
• Why do I need it and how do I get it?
• NISPOM clearance authority/DD 254
• DCID 6/4
• Rate Structures
• Clearance criteria/foreign national association
• How does HR fit into process
• SF 86 and related release forms
• Background investigation and Polygraph
• Evaluation, adjudication and appeal process
• Brief/debrief/crossovers/conditional clearance authority/contingency clearance contracts

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

Facility Security Clearance
This one-day seminar will define the facility clearance process, why it is important and what is required to obtain one. The roles and responsibilities of the Key Management Personnel, who can be one and who can't will be explored. It will discuss the function of, and selection criteria for, the Facility Security Officer, the criterias importance in the overall security scheme and how to get the FSO help, when needed. The DD Form 441, Department of Defense Security Agreement, will be covered and the ramifications of Foreign Ownership, Control and Influence (FOCI) will be explained as well as some of the ways available to successfully mitigate unfavorable situations. A table top exercise concerning facility clearances and a comprehensive Q&A period will conclude the workshop.

Course Highlights:

• What is a Facility?
• Who makes a good FSO?
• FOCI issues

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

DOD Construction Security
This one-day seminar will provide techniques and methods used to ensure full compliance with current Department of Defense construction standards for closed areas and vaults. It will cover requirements including hardware, walls, floors, ceilings, doors and windows. Areas requiring special locking devices and access control systems will be discussed as well as supplemental protection. Active and passive intrusion detection systems, their selection, installation and monitoring will be covered. Also included will be TEMPEST, COMSEC and antiterrorism measures. This seminar will provide a table top exercise for planning and constructing a secure area and ample question and discussion periods.

Course Highlights:

• DOD Construction Standards
• Hardware requirements
• Supplimental controls
• Force Protection and Antiterrorism measures

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

Security Education and Training Programs
This one-day seminar will address the value and importance of a well-designed and implemented Security Awareness and Training Program. Security education is a required part of every corporate operation; however it is especially important in US Government contracts requiring access to classified information. Any time the Federal government allows its contractors to have security clearances, there are many responsibilities incurred and security education is the foundation of all classified contract management and the basis of on-going compliance. Youll learn how to set up indoctrination sessions at the SECRET and TOP SECRET level, what is important for employees to understand to meet their obligations under the contract security and program specifications, and how to explain the counterintelligence and economic espionage threats facing corporate America. Well explore how to implement on-going security education programs that will not only fulfill contract obligations, but will enhance the overall security posture of your employees and firm.

Course Highlights:

• Counterintelligence, Antiterrorism and Security Awareness
• Protection of Classified Materials
• Classification guidelines
• Import and Export Control / ITARS
• The Foreign Intelligence Threat
• Corporate espionage/ proprietary information
• Foreign travel briefings/reporting
• Situational awareness and terrorism
• Insider threat and disgruntled employees

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

Acquisition Security - Or how to cope with Buyers nightmares
Acquisition Security - Or how to cope with Buyers nightmares As a contracting officer or representative, the use of open market purchases and commercial off the shelf (COTS) buys are becoming increasingly dangerous with the infusion of foreign-designed, developed and manufactured commodities. These threats are of particular concern when they involve hardware and software destined to be installed on US Government networks and those of industrial contractors working on sensitive or classified contracts.

This one-day seminar is designed to layout the methods of procurement risk assessments and mitigation by allowing in-depth corporate reviews, assessments of corporate financial viability and research of vendor suppliers and manufacturers. It will also teach the buyer what questions to ask the end user and suppliers to determine what interest adversaries may have in the products end use and whether it can be or was compromised before delivery. It will make you a well informed buyer and protect national security.

Course Highlights:

• The foreign threat identified
• Government vulnerability issues
• Corporate responsibilities

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

Company and Community Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP)
This one-day seminar builds on GI2s Community Crisis Management Seminar by looking at the post event recovery phases to include what needs to be done to keep your community or company functioning at least at a level that will provide life safety and minimal operations following a crisis/disaster. Well cover relocation planning, chain of command, authority transfer and communications interoperability necessary to ensure functions do not bog down in the first critical hours after the event. Youll look at what vital records and systems will require redundancy at the alternate facility. Well develop a plan and explore the training, testing and exercises that make the COOP viable and current and able to keep you in operation.

Course Highlights:

• Presents pre-incident planning requirements
• Alternate site prep and requirements
• How to keep it going after the incident
• Testing and exercises
• Operation normalization phase

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

Interviews and Interrogations
This one-day seminar will combine the best parts of several successful traditional interview techniques and proven polygraph methods. It will include discussions on non-verbal communication and psychological assessment tools to give seminar attendees a multitude of different ways to approach interviews and interrogations. The seminar will explore pre-interview research methods, question formulation, getting to know and develop rapport with the interviewee, and how to focus discussion and questioning on the subjects at hand. Well explore interviewer presence, demeanor, dress, and most of all, attitude and how each will assist you in getting the information you are seeking. This seminar is led by retired federal special agents, agency level assistant inspector generals and federal polygraph examiners with successful investigative and security careers behind them. Learn from the ones who have been there and done it!!

Customized seminars are also available to assist your company, department or agency with the challenges of interviews and interrogations.

Course Highlights:

• A blend of successful techniques
• Question formulation
• How to start an interview
• Developing rapport
• Homing in on the tough questions
• Staying ahead of the interviewee

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

DOD and Intelligence Community from the Inside
How many times have you heard something about the Defense Logistics Agency, the Army or Navy or National Security Agency or the Central Intelligence Agency and said to yourselfI wonder what they really do? How many times have you heard of the billions of dollars that are spent every year by these departments and agencies and wondered how your firm could get into the inside a little better? Knowing how the DOD and the Intelligence Agencies are organized, how they function and their real missions goes a long way to making informed decisions regarding whether this business area is for you. Youll also learn what types of products and services are purchased by these organizations so you can further refine your firms strategic marketing goals. Knowing your potential customer allows you to make informed business decisions and prevents costly mistakes.

Course Highlights:

• What does DOD and the IC look like?
• Organizational structure
• Mission definition
• Buying habits and methods

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

Antiterrorism and Force Protection (AT/FP)
How does your company comply with the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations (DFAR) requirements for defense contractors? Do you understand the multitude of ways AT/FP can be implemented to ensure DFAR compliance? How does you company document security education and awareness requirements and do your employees really understand them? Do you know the legal ramifications of not providing the necessary protection for your employees who have an expectation of a safe work place?

DOD requires its contractors working on classified and unclassified contracts to comply with current AT/FP training. This seminar will lay out all the DOD requirements, how to establish a viable AT/FP programs and how to ensure DFAR compliance. Well discuss AT/FP physical security, access control, force protection conditions, living and driving outside the US, package, letter and vehicle bombs, hostage and kidnapping survival techniques. The seminar is led by a retired antiterrorism expert who began working in the AT/FP field over 30 years ago. Vulnerability Assessments Made Simple.

This one-day seminar lays out and defines the steps used to conduct vulnerability assessments of persons, places, facilities and critical infrastructure. It presents a combination of methods pioneered by the Joint Staff Integrated Vulnerability Assessments (JSIVA) team formed following the 1996 attack on Khobar Towers, Saudi Arabia (now under the Defense Threat Reduction Agency), and ones used by the Department of Energy to conduct vulnerabilities assessments of their nuclear facilities. The techniques have been refined into easy to understand procedures and effective check lists which allow informed decisions to be made at the conclusion of the assessment. All aspects are considered to ensure a thorough review is conducted providing meaningful conclusions at the completion of the assessment. The seminar is led by a retired antiterrorism expert who began assessments over 30 years ago.

Course Highlights:

• Corporate responsibility and compliance
• Physical security standards
• Force protection levels and what they mean
• Vulnerability assessment techniques
• Developing a composite plan

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person

System Security Plans
Do you have a new classified contract with the Department of Defense and it has specific requirements for processing data using automated information systems and you cant start work until you have an approved System Security Plan (SSP)? Youre not alone. This happens to small businesses entering the realm of DOD classified operations on a daily basis. Do you know the difference between certification and accreditation?

GI² has the answer. This one-day seminar will provide the outlined format and most of the words required for you to customize an SSP to suit your individual requirements and corporate profile. It wont be too much or too little and should be approved by your customer the first time it is submitted. It will comply with the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) and can be tailored to suit SCIF and Special Access Program unique requirements as long as they can be done in an unclassified document. Classified annexes can be added to the format as required. Company specific consulting services are also available.

Course Highlights:

• Whats required in the SSP
• NISPOM and DCID compliance
• How to make it fit your system applications
• Company specific plan customization

When: TBD
Where:Washington Metro Area
Price:$495.00 per person