2 Planning and Preparation

It is essential to plan and prepare the description of the requirements carefully if they are to be translated successfully into an effective statement of work (SOW). Writing an SOW is not simply a matter of drafting a memo saying “I want what I want when I want it.” The government’s needs must be analyzed, the work requirements identified, the marketplace researched, and the requirements described in contractual language.

Today’s marketplace is dominated by technological advances and innovations that make planning and preparation more important than ever to ensure that government acquisitions take full advantage of what the marketplace has to offer. Two key elements of planning and preparation are acquisition planning and market research. Acquisition planning identifies the agency requirement and its initial description and is accomplished before the statement of work or performance work statement is developed. Market research develops information about marketplace capabilities and processes and refines the description of the requirement by correlating the government need with what industry can provide. Market research takes place both before and during the preparation of the statement of work or performance work statement.