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A Civilian Services Acquisition Workshop, or CSAW, is a facilitated requirements development workshop built around a specific acquisition and your multi-functional integrated project team, or IPT. The workshop walks the complete team through the Steps to Performance Based Acquisition , or PBA, process from beginning to end.
What is the purpose of a CSAW?
Develop the vision, mission, high-level objectives, performance requirements, measurable standards and performance-based strategies for the agency project and a roadmap to complete it.
What is the focus of a CSAW?
The primary focus of the CSAW is to get all members of the acquisition team or IPT contributing and working together to accomplish the necessary work. CSAWs focus on getting actual work product started , giving the team the tools to continue the process through to completion, and building a team commitment to continuing to work together.
What are the objectives of a CSAW?
Understand the Performance-Based Acquisition, or PBA, process and the Steps to PBA
Explore the tools, resources, techniques, innovations and best practices to successfully execute this requirement
Collaborate as a team through facilitated activities to develop draft documentation for this requirement
Develop a high-level roadmap for successful implementation of this performance-based acquisition
Gain consensus on critical decisions and the path ahead
What defines good-fit customer requirements for a CSAW?
Preponderance is a SERVICES requirement for which there is a clear need/plan to procure
Full commitment from Agency Leadership + Contracting Office & Program Office
Total Lifecycle Value >= $50M (or requirement is significantly complex)
Average total lifecycle value of previous requirements is approximately $100-200M
Workshop ismosteffective for acquisition teams that have sufficient lead time (18 months to 2 years)
Check out this video on improving requirement outcomes with facilitated workshops:PILCast Episode #52
Workshops bring the right team of people together based on pre-workshop engagement with executive sponsor(s) and project manager
The highly structured, facilitated workshop is built around the specific needs of the team while walking them through all the steps in the PBA process
Teams collaborate to develop the mission, vision, high-level objectives, and team success factors
Teams identify market research needs, high-level risks, key stakeholders, and a high-level communications strategy
Teams will identify and refine performance requirements with associated performance standards, AQLs, and quality assurance approach
Teams work together on each step in the PBA process and document the additional actions that will need to be taken after the workshop to complete each step
Throughout the workshop, teams will gain consensus on their work products and path ahead
Reduced lead times and better team dynamics
Greater participation and accelerated team performance
Clarity of purpose that is shared among all members
Better overall project management
Better performance outcomes
A high-level roadmap for working together to accomplish the project
Increased stakeholder buy-in the end product
For the SAW to be effective, all members of the acquisition team or IPT need to attend. However, the program manager, contracting officer, and contracting officer’s representatives, or CORs MUST attend the complete workshop. The following key members of the acquisition team should attend:
Program / Project Manager
Contracting Officer and Specialist
Contracting Officer’s Representative
Technical Representatives / SMEs
‘Customer’ Representatives such as Requirements Owners / Key-Users)
Oversight/Management Personnel Representatives such as quality assurance specialist(s), inspector(s))
Senior Leadership to kickoff CSAW and possibly attend on the last day
OPTIONAL: Small business representative(s), if applicable
OPTIONAL: Legal Counsel, if there are known legal complexities requiring significant input and participation
OPTIONAL: Budget / Finance Office Representative, when needed
The duration of a CSAW is generally four (4) days for a virtual workshop, though more complex acquisitions may require follow-on sessions. Attendees will need to be present for all 4 days to fully participate in the workshop’s facilitated team activities, as well as to receive CLPs.
Purpose: Learn more about you and your team, discuss the workshop format and requirements, discuss next steps and what we need from your team, and look at potential dates for a workshop. The workshops are built around a specific requirement and its acquisition team. Attendees should include the POC, the program/project manager, the contracting officer, the COR and ideally, the project sponsor.
Decide on date for workshop
Schedule separate 1 hour interviews with the following:
The project sponsor, or senior leader, if available
The Contracting Office including CO & CS, supervisory CO optional, but welcome
The Program Manager and team
Purpose: During these interviews, we will work to understand your requirements in more detail and from different perspectives, identify areas of focus for the workshop, and discuss logistics and workshop participation.
Conduct CSAW workshop
Send CSAW participants workshop documentation and CLPs
CSAWs are facilitated workshops built around a specific acquisition and their acquisition team or integrated project team, or IPT. The workshop walks the team through the performance-based acquisition process.
If you are interested in becoming a certified CSAW facilitator or co-facilitator, please review the below One- Pager and CSAW Facilitator Certification Memo on requirements:
Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations,
unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where
lodging is obtained.
Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely
surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within
those boundaries."
Per diem localities with county definitions shall include"all locations within, or entirely
surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties,
including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties
(unless otherwise listed separately)."
When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is
located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the
entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties,
even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.
U.S. General Services Administration
