Department of Treasury 

Vendor Outreach and Communication 

Plan 

February 10, 2020 

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Treasury Vendor Outreach and Communication Plan 

Access to current market information is critical for Treasury program managers as they define 

requirements and develop acquisition strategies. Treasury encourages productive interactions 

between federal agencies and our industry partners to ensure a solid understanding of the 

marketplace and to negotiate and award contracts for effective solutions at reasonable prices. 

Early, frequent, and constructive engagement with industry is a fundamental practice when 

planning Treasury’s high impact acquisitions. Conversely, inadequate industry engagement in 

the acquisition planning process can impact the clarity of Treasury’s needs and the effectiveness 

of Treasury’s contracts. Artificial barriers to engagement often stem from an abbreviated 

planning horizon or from misconceptions among members of the acquisition community about 

appropriate vendor communications. 

This plan identifies the steps Treasury has taken and will continue to take to reduce any 

unnecessary barriers to vendor engagement, publicize opportunities for Treasury to communicate 

with industry, and prioritize engagement opportunities for Treasury’s high impact acquisitions. 

Implementation of this plan will enhance communication with and engagement of industry, 

including small businesses and businesses not previously engaged with Treasury contracts, 

through a campaign to optimize acquisition planning, community awareness, and vendor 

outreach. Treasury is committed to the principles of openness and fairness and will work 

together with our industry partners to increase the transparency of the acquisition process while 

protecting non-public information. By enhancing vendor communication and engagement, and 

increasing the level of involvement of small and emerging businesses in Treasury contracts, this 

plan is intended to promote efficient and effective Treasury operations and reinforce public trust. 

Transparency 

Transparency in Treasury’s acquisition process serves to inform our industry partners, including 

those who have yet to engage in Treasury business, about our current and emerging needs. 

Information regarding Treasury contracts are published through the Federal Procurement Data 

System (FPDS) at: www.fpds.gov and associated web sites. Treasury posts contract 

opportunities and requests for information related to contract requirements on the interactive 

Federal Business Opportunities page at: www.fbo.gov. In addition, the department publishes an 

annual forecast of planned acquisitions on www.treasury.gov. 

Treasury is committed to adopt new and existing technologies to publish timely and meaningful 

information online, and to continually seek feedback regarding information of value to our 

strategic partners. During the recent financial crisis, in response to public concern for the 

oversight and management of Troubled Asset Relief Fund (TARP) contracts, Treasury took the 

extraordinary step of publishing all contracts and financial agency agreements, along with key 

information about these contracts, on the internet at: 

http://www.treasury.gov/initiatives/financial-stability/procurement/. Treasury invested in the 

rapid development of new technology applications and business processes to enable the 

collection, publication, and maintenance of contract information for public release under the 

TARP program. Treasury drew important lessons from that experience and plans to extend key 

aspects across the department. 

Protection of non-public information 

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Treasury Vendor Outreach and Communication Plan 

Treasury is committed to protect non-public information, including vendors’ confidential 

information and the agency’s source selection information. Two statutory principles limit 

government communications with industry in the acquisition cycle: preventing unfair 

competitive advantage through selective release of source selection information and preventing 

competitive harm to a firm through release of its proprietary information. Treasury takes these 

obligations seriously, and will use all available means to protect non-public information from 

unauthorized disclosure. For example, the publication of TARP contracts presented a risk of 

disclosure of non-public information. To insure such disclosure did not occur, Treasury 

incorporated a contract clause affording contractors the opportunity to review their contracts and 

propose redactions of non-public information prior to publication on the Treasury website. The 

contracts and proposed redactions were reviewed under the standards of the Freedom of 

Information Act (FOIA) to ensure appropriate information was published. 

Effective Vendor Engagement 

Collaborative Treasury-vendor engagement is crucial to enhance the effectiveness and quality of 

Treasury acquisition decisions. Technical expertise is dispersed across industry. Treasury 

officials need access to that expertise to make informed decisions. Among several contributing 

factors, limiting access to industry knowledge and expertise can result in contracts that are 

difficult to manage due to poorly-defined requirements. Enhanced communications between 

Government and industry are vital to define and convey requirements clearly and realistically 

within the market environment, appropriately assess and assign risk for the effort, and set 

respective cost, schedule, and performance expectations to ensure effective contract 

management. 

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) authorizes a broad range of options for vendor 

communication throughout the acquisition process. Awareness of these options is all too often 

limited to a relatively small cadre of staff within procurement offices. Treasury has taken direct 

measures to engage the broader acquisition community, comprised of program managers and 

executives in addition to the formal procurement staff, to increase awareness of available 

avenues to best engage the private sector. This increased awareness enables the Treasury 

acquisition community and industry to optimize interactions, making the best use of available 

time and resources. Towards this end the department has developed a consolidated 

communication roster to regularly communicate acquisition-related issues and initiatives, and to 

build a sense of common cause and community. Treasury is committed to an active effort to 

educate and refresh the acquisition community regarding effective means of vendor engagement. 

This education campaign will enhance information exchange within the department and with the 

private sector to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of Treasury-acquired products and 

services. 

Technology has enhanced the ability of Treasury contracting and program staff to engage 

industry in our acquisition process. Leveraging the use of industry association contact lists such 

as the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) enabled 

Treasury to reach hundreds of firms previously not involved in government procurement, 

resulting in a healthy competition for the provision of legal services to Treasury. New agencies 

created within or temporarily supported by Treasury, such as the Consumer Finance Protection 

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Treasury Vendor Outreach and Communication Plan 

Bureau, have further leveraged internet communication platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn 

to expand industry outreach and communication. Treasury is drawing on the creative energies 

generated through these experiences to identify and adapt effective innovative approaches to 

vendor engagement across the department. 

Small and emerging business outreach 

Small businesses drive innovation throughout the economy. Treasury recognizes the reluctance 

of small and emerging vendors to engage due to the perceived complexities and cost of entry, 

and the need to overcome this reluctance to derive the best value from our acquisition portfolio. 

Unlike larger, more established firms, new entrants have limited stake in current systems and are 

more likely to produce the creative solutions needed for some of Treasury’s most intractable 

problems. 

The department has implemented an aggressive small business outreach program to bring new 

and emerging businesses to the table with Treasury. Treasury’s Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) hosts monthly vendor outreach sessions to give 

small businesses an opportunity to meet with the respective small business specialist from each 

bureau and make contact with Treasury program offices with requirements related to their line of 

business. Information about these sessions is posted on our website at www.treasury.gov/osdbu. 

The website also contains a wealth of useful information, including a step-by-step guide on 

“How to do Business with Treasury”, our annual procurement forecast, a list of the small 

business specialists assigned to each Treasury bureau, and general information about the 

responsibilities of each bureau. The Treasury OSDBU maintains a list of small businesses 

interested in contracting with Treasury, and firms are encouraged to communicate their 

capabilities and interest by e-mail at: TreasuryOSDBU@do.treas.gov. 

The Department of Treasury is committed to early, frequent, and constructive communication 

with our industry partners, including small businesses and those who have not previously 

engaged in Treasury contracts. Treasury plans to extend the techniques and tools effectively 

used to engage the small business community to the broader industry audience to facilitate the 

engagement of emerging firms offering innovative and niche commercial solutions to achieve 

Treasury objectives. 

Treasury Action Plan 

To fulfill these commitments, Treasury reviews vendor engagement strategy as part of 

acquisition planning for the department’s high impact acquisitions; assigned as ombudsman the 

Director of Acquisition Management responsible for the department’s vendor engagement 

strategy; and is committed to improve the quality and accessibility of acquisition tools and 

information, leveraging traditional communication forums through the use of emerging social 

media. 

Treasury high impact acquisitions include all planned or existing procurement actions that: have 

an estimated value greater than ten million dollars; support OMB E300 major investments; 

constitute competitive Sourcing actions under OMB Circular A-76; are controversial or 

otherwise sensitive such that they warrant the attention of the Senior Procurement Executive; or 

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Treasury Vendor Outreach and Communication Plan 

obligate American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds. Treasury conducts strategic 

review boards of targeted high impact acquisitions to ensure that acquisition planning includes 

adequate and appropriate industry outreach and communications consistent with law, regulation, 

and Treasury policy. The strategic review boards assess vendor engagement strategies to ensure 

optimal vendor engagement, ensure that sufficient time is allocated for meaningful 

communications prior to proposal submission, and meaningful discussions following receipt of 

vendor proposals. 

Treasury created the position of Director, Acquisition Management to build a more cohesive 

acquisition community, increase the transparency of information regarding Treasury acquisition, 

and ensure high-impact acquisition strategies and contract performance align with Treasury 

objectives. The Director, Acquisition Management serves as the ombudsman for industry 

communications for the Treasury. Firms interested in doing business may submit inquiries, 

issues, or capabilities statements to the Office of the Procurement Executive at 

acquisition@treasury.gov. 

Training and awareness efforts for employees 

Treasury engages acquisition community members in targeted outreach and training events that 

include informational email and other communications, acquisition discussion forums, and 

formal course offerings related to vendor outreach and the conduct of market research. The 

department uses web-enabled technologies such as net meeting/WebEx, SharePoint, and other 

collaborative technologies to ensure a broad dissemination of information and collective 

engagement. The departmental offices host regular Contracting Officer Technical 

Representative (COTR) discussion boards and Acquisition Information Sharing Session to 

provide updates to policies and procedures, provide "How To" workshops on all aspects of the 

acquisition process and allow COTR’s and program managers to ask questions and obtain 

feedback from colleagues around the department. 

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) hosts the Treasury Acquisition Institute (TAI) that provides 

ongoing training and development for the Department of the Treasury procurement and 

acquisition professionals. The TAI website at 

http://www.irs.gov/opportunities/procurement/article/0,,id=125419,00.html provides a wealth of 

information about issues and initiatives of interest to the federal acquisition community, and 

enables Treasury employees to review course offerings and register for courses. TAI delivers 

courses in-person and is expanding its use of the Saba Classroom feature in 2011 to enable 2-

way video and full classroom participation by remote students. Saba Centra allows employees to 

create a virtual environment for delivering meetings, conferences and classes using different 

event types such as eMeeting, Conference and Symposium. This type of e-Learning product 

allows individuals from different locations to attend events from their offices or homes. Large 

groups of people can interact and learn real-time using Centra. 

The Treasury Enterprise Content Management (ECM) is a set of web-based tools for 

collaboration and management of documents and data across Treasury utilizing multiple 

applications within the SharePoint 2010 Enterprise. ECM currently provides solutions for 

electronic collaboration, records management, correspondence tracking, evidence management, 

FOIA, and case management. Within ECM, the Treasury Acquisition environment located at: 

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Treasury Vendor Outreach and Communication Plan 

http://thegreen.treas.gov/do/ope incorporates wikis, document libraries, managed data, and 

integrated business services to both deliver and provide a collaborative workspace to further 

develop, refine and improve information of interest to the Treasury acquisition community. 

Treasury will continue to build-upon these successes to foster the sharing of information and 

ideas across the department. 

Training and awareness efforts for industry 

Treasury will continue to engage interested firms through general and targeted outreach events. 

General outreach includes participation in government-wide outreach events such as the GSA 

Expo, FOSE, and industry association sponsored events. Communications at such events include 

general discussions on business opportunities at Treasury and information on how to contact the 

right Treasury program and procurement officials. Treasury will also continue to engage in 

targeted outreach activities, including hosting monthly vendor outreach sessions, solicitationspecific industry days, and pre-solicitation/pre-proposal conferences. Treasury is currently 

updating its web presence related to contracts and acquisition, and is implementing key 

enhancements highlighted throughout this plan through the Treasury website. 

Implementation and Follow-up 

Treasury plans to reach out to government and industry representatives to refine and improve 

Treasury-industry communications. Follow-up may include surveys of Treasury acquisition 

community members assessing results of training and outreach activities, post-award surveys of 

contracting officers, program managers, and offerors on high impact acquisitions to assess the 

effectiveness of procurement-specific communications, focus group meetings to gather general 

feedback and recommendations for improvement, and similar activities as deemed appropriate by 

the implementation team. 

Publication 

The final Vendor Outreach and Communication Plan will be published on Treasury’s publicfacing website. Instructional material for program and procurement staff will be posted to the 

Department-wide portal to highlight and expand on best practices in this area. Treasury 

Acquisition policies can be found on the Treasury website at: 

http://www.treasury.gov/about/organizational-structure/offices/Mgt/Pages/ProcurementPolicyRegulations.aspx. 

Attachments: 

Appendix A: Acquisition Community Members’ Roles and Responsibilities 

Appendix B: Vendor Outreach and Communication instructional materials 

The following appendices are included for purposes of review only – not included in actual plan 

Appendix C: Treasury Procurement public-facing communication architecture 

Appendix D: Vendor Outreach and Communication Review Comments 

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Appendix A: Acquisition Community Members’ Roles and Responsibilities 

Contracting Officer (CO) – Supports the program manager in the development of the 

acquisition plan. Provides guidance on effective vendor engagement strategies. Establishes 

and maintains the ground rules for information sharing and ensures high integrity and 

fairness during all phases of the acquisition process. Manages publication of acquisition 

information, vendor engagement events, and communications between potential contractors 

and the government related to a requirement from release of the solicitation until contract 

award. 

Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) – Often involved in early market research, 

contractor communications, defining requirements and supporting a sound acquisition strategy. 

Plans and coordinates communication exchange activities with the contracting officer. Attends 

vendor communication meetings to better understand industry capabilities and requirements in 

order to enhance the Government’s requirements Monitors contractor performance to ensure 

products and services conform to contract requirements. Provides technical direction to and 

communicates with contractors following contract award. Assesses and reports on contractor 

performance to the Contracting Officer and other Department officials as requested. COTRs are 

critical members of the acquisition team and are required to certify under the Federal Acquisition 

Certification for Contracting Officers Technical Representatives program. 

Director of Acquisition Management – Oversees vendor engagement and related acquisition 

review programs to ensure Treasury objectives are addressed and commitments are met. 

Serves as the ombudsman for department-industry communication. 

General Counsel / Ethics Attorney – Advises agency officials on issues related to contract 

law and interactions with industry. Provides periodic training on Procurement Integrity Act 

(PIA). Provides advice on the propriety of individual vendor contacts and potential conflicts 

of interest in relation to the PIA and other statutes. 

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) – Sets the Department of 

the Treasury socio-economic goals in coordination with the Small Business Administration. 

Conducts small business outreach conferences and meetings to assist businesses in 

understanding agency business practices and procedures and small business contracting 

opportunities. Reviews acquisition plans for adequate small business participation. Supports 

and provides leadership to department small business specialists. 

Program/Project Manager – Initiates new projects or implements changes to an on-going project; 

maintains currency of market intelligence, conducts market research, and identifies known 

sources; develops the requirements documentation and other artifacts of the acquisition package; 

obtains program office approval; may lead Source Selection Evaluation Board and support, cost 

analyses and negotiations; and monitors contractor performance for achievement of program 

objectives. Uses information gained through the vendor engagement process to enhance the 

quality of agency requirements and budget estimates. The Program/Project Manager may also 

serve as the COTR during contract performance. Program/Project Managers, as critical members 

of the acquisition team, are encouraged and in many cases required to certify under the Federal 

Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers. 

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Appendix A: Acquisition Community Members’ Roles and Responsibilities 

Small Business Specialist: Coordinates and conducts small business outreach events and 

initiatives for their bureau and in support of Departmental outreach efforts. Reviews acquisitions 

for adequate small business participation. Supports acquisition staff in the identification of 

qualified small businesses to support individual requirements. 

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Appendix B: Vendor Outreach and Communication instructional materials 

Communication with vendors runs along a continuum from relatively open communication to 

more formalized, written forms intended to protect proprietary or competition sensitive 

information from disclosure. Exchanges of information among all interested parties are 

encouraged to improve the understanding of Government requirements and industry capabilities. 

An early exchange of information among industry and government participants in the acquisition 

process can help identify and resolve concerns regarding the acquisition strategy, including 

proposed contract type, terms and conditions, and acquisition planning schedules; the feasibility 

of the requirement, including performance requirements, statements of work, and data 

requirements; the suitability of the proposal instructions and evaluation criteria, including the 

approach for assessing past performance information; the availability of reference documents; 

and any other industry concerns or questions. 

We are all buyers. We go to the grocery store for food, the electronics store for televisions, 

the car dealership for our automobiles, and so on. As private buyers we usually tend to 

perform some sort of market research for our personal purchases. For example, when 

shopping for food we may compare prices at different markets, we may consider sales, 

coupons, or rebates, or comparing the price of similar items against our personal preferences. 

We normally do these things in all purchases we make, either consciously or subconsciously. 

Market research is an important aspect of government-industry communications related to 

acquisition. The government relies on market research to gain a deeper understanding of the 

state and trend of the market and to assess the competitive environment in which goods are 

produced and services provided. While in the private sector this tends to be focused on the 

sell-side of operations in relation to a marketing plan, within the Government it involves 

gaining intelligence surrounding the conditions under which something can be purchased on 

the market. Are there seasonal price trends? Are there quantity breaks at which discount 

pricing will apply? What is the demand within or across federal agencies? What are our 

opportunities to increase leverage to get the best product or performance for our budget? 

Market research involves general surveillance and targeted investigation. The former 

constitutes the activities government program managers undertake to maintain a currency of 

knowledge about their program or area of expertise, and is an effective tool to assist agency 

management in its strategic planning. Market surveillance is conducted by program/project 

managers and COTRs to incorporate existing and emerging product and market advances 

into their programs. In our daily work we read trade journals, join professional associations, 

monitor on-line social networking sites, and generally keep in touch with our colleagues to 

learn what is going on in our field. These types of activities represent general market 

surveillance. 

Targeted investigation is required in response to particular need to gather information to help 

us move out smartly. Targeted investigation may involve a formal request for information 

(RFI) or a notice seeking potential suppliers or service providers (Sources Sought). 

RFI/Sources Sought notices, along with associated information about the specific 

requirement, are published on the Federal Business Opportunities website at: www.fbo.gov. 

Treasury program staff is encouraged to publish as available information about their 

requirement as early as practicable to ensure that any vendor interested in doing business 

with the department has the opportunity to engage and to foster a robust discussion with 

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Appendix B: Vendor Outreach and Communication instructional materials 

interested vendors to ensure the program obtains the products or services best able to fulfill 

the requirement. 

The use of federal funds carries additional obligations to help support national 

socioeconomic programs such as those identified in the Small Business Act and other federal 

programs and initiatives. A number of tools are available to help with a targeted 

investigation, including: 

• Central Contract Registry Dynamic Small Business Search – 

https://www.bpn.gov/ccr/ 

• Federal Procurement Data System – https://www.fpds.gov 

• Federal Business Opportunities Page – https://www.fbo.gov 

• GSAAdvantage - www.gsaadvantage.gov 

Your procurement and small business team members will be familiar with these tools and can 

help you most effectively engage the vendor community. 

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), as well as good business practices, requires the 

conduct of on-going market research of the industries that provide products and services that 

support Department of Treasury programs. The Acquisition Team should use market research 

information to: 

• Refine a requirement to maximize the benefit of competitive market forces; 

• Identify commercial products and services that may satisfy the agency's needs 

• Establish the most suitable approach to acquiring and managing products and services 

from the best available source(s); 

• Optimize achievement of federal and Department policies and initiatives; 

• Reduce acquisition costs through negotiation of fair and reasonable prices; and 

• Mitigate risks of doing business for the Government and the contractor. 

Questions answered in earlier phases of an acquisition can save significant time and 

frustration during the evaluation phase when the communication process becomes more 

formal and controlled. General information about agency mission needs and future 

requirements may be disclosed at any time. After release of the solicitation, the contracting 

officer must be the focal point of any exchange with potential offerors. When specific 

information about a proposed acquisition necessary for the preparation of proposals is 

disclosed to one or more potential offerors, that information must be made publically 

available to all interested offerors to avoid giving any one offeror an unfair competitive 

advantage. However, information must not be disclosed if doing so would reveal a potential 

offeror’s confidential business strategy. 

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Appendix B: Vendor Outreach and Communication instructional materials 

Considerations in targeted market research 

1. Determine if commercial products or services are available to meet the Government’s 

needs or could be modified to the Government’s needs. 

2. Identify the capabilities of businesses in the market place, specifically including the 

capabilities of small businesses. The Small Business Administration (SBA), and US 

Treasury Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) are available 

to assist in identifying qualified small business concerns. 

3. Search the General Service Administration (GSA) website at www.gsaadvantage.gov to 

identify potential qualified sources on GSA schedules for the products or services 

required. 

4. Review Bureau Contractor Capabilities Databases to identify potential sources who have 

expressed interest in working with your Bureau and/or the Department. 

5. Employ other techniques as appropriate to the particular circumstances such as: 

a. Contact subject matter experts and other federal agencies to determine how they 

acquired similar products or services. 

b. Review trade periodicals, professional journals, and other sources of information 

regarding the qualifications of businesses within the business sector. 

c. Attend trade shows, professional association meetings or small businesses 

conferences. 

d. Contact your procurement office to publish a Request for Information (RFI) via 

www.FedBizOpps.gov to receive written capabilities statements or statements of 

interest in the procurement. Consider posting a link to the RFI on an industry or 

association website or other social media or distribute through association mailing 

list(s). You may provide a questionnaire or draft documents such as a draft Statement 

of Work or a draft Concept of Operations document for review and comment. 

e. Contact your procurement office to publish a Sources Sought Notice on 

www.FedBizOpps.gov requesting interested vendors to describe their capabilities, 

similar projects they have conducted as a prime or subcontractor, socioeconomic 

status, available GSA schedules, etc. 

f. Host an industry conference to provide contractor representatives information about 

the agency’s needs or about a specific requirement. These conferences could be for a 

targeted market such as small businesses or to highlight a specific program 

requirement. Contact your procurement office for assistance with industry 

conferences. 

g. Coordinate with your contracting officer to host a pre-solicitation or pre-proposal 

conference to promote an opportunity for exchange of information with and among 

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Appendix B: Vendor Outreach and Communication instructional materials 

industry participants prior to proposal submission. You may request industry 

comment on all or portion of a solicitation including pricing considerations, 

evaluation criteria, and alternative approaches. 

h. Conduct one-on-one meetings with interested/qualified firms or view demonstrations 

of offerors’ capabilities. Any meetings that are substantially involved with potential 

contract terms and conditions should include the contracting officer. 

i. Coordinate with your procurement office to host interested vendors on a site visit. 

6. Document your research at a level of detail appropriate to the size and complexity of the 

acquisition in a market research report that identifies: 

a. The individuals participating in the market research 

b. The dates that the research was conducted 

c. The agencies, associations, firms, and individuals contacted 

d. The results of the market research to include: 

i. Whether adequate competition can be obtained under existing Treasury or 

Government-wide contracts, a GSA schedule contract, or on the open 

market and 

ii. Whether qualified small businesses can provide the products or services; 

or if not whether small business subcontracting opportunities are available 

Considerations in transparency and preservation of confidential information 

The following information is intended to provide a framework for appropriate 

communications with industry. This information is intended to support the engagement 

efforts of contracting and program staff to ensure that communications with industry are 

appropriate and in accordance with applicable federal laws and regulations. Prior to 

engaging industry, program staff should consider the prohibitions and restrictions that may 

apply to the situation, including restrictions contained in the Federal Acquisition Regulation 

and other laws and regulations such as the procurement integrity act and the freedom of 

information act. Contact a contracting officer or counsel for guidance if unsure about an 

appropriate response to a specific request for information or attendance at a meeting. 

Public Information: 

Program staff may share publically available information with industry. The following types 

of information are publicly available and are not considered confidential: 

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Appendix B: Vendor Outreach and Communication instructional materials 

• Information concerning the identity and scope of work of other Government 

contracts; 

• Information that the contractor has previously disclosed to the public; 

• Information reproduced from public documents, such as requests for 

information, sources sought notices, requests for proposal, or other publically 

available documents or publications; and 

• information concerning the identity of the incumbent contractor and the 

aggregate cost for the Government contract, as such information is posted on the 

federal procurement data system. 

Sensitive or Proprietary Information: 

The following types of information must be treated as confidential, assuming the 

information was not made public by the Government and disclosure is not otherwise 

required by law, statute or regulation: 

• Information that would disclose a firm’s approach to performing contract 

work; 

• Information that would disclose a firm’s plan to manage a contract, including 

subcontracting; 

• information concerning a firm’s relevant experience and expertise, except for 

general information regarding the firm’s Government-sponsored contracts, grants or 

agreements that is public information; 

• Information concerning the identities or qualifications of specific employees, 

consultants, subcontractors, and subcontractor employees that a firm proposes to use 

in performing the contract work; 

• Information concerning a firm’s proprietary processes, devices, software, 

organization of reports, analyses, etc.; 

• Information concerning a firm’s accounting methods or practices; and 

• Information that would disclose a firm’s labor rates, salaries, overhead costs, 

general and administrative costs, fee or profit policies, and amounts (unless otherwise 

publically available such as on a GSA Schedule or other publically-available 

contract). 

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