Assignment #1 – Firm ResearchBUS 505 Business Strategies and Proposals, Business Strategies and Pro
Assignment #1 – Firm Research
BUS 505 Business Strategies and Proposals, Business Strategies and Proposals
Firm Research
Describe the small-business line of business (LOB).
SRG Consulting is a women-owned, veteran-owned, small business, management, consulting company that provides services to federal, state and local governments assisting in identifying and delivering value through merging profound business knowledge and solid functional capabilities. We employ over 500 management consultants throughout the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area, offering consulting services in the areas of program management, project management, human resources and training and development.
Determine which federal government procurement opportunity is aligned with the LOB using the Federal Business Opportunities Website: https://www.fbo.gov.
Under the Federal Business Opportunity, solicitation number: NNC13ZMB01J, the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) in support of the Center’s Space Flight Systems Directorate project. The work performance desired in this RFP falls under NAICS Codes 541 (Professional, Scientific and Technical Services) and 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services). The solicitation provides an opportunity for HUBZone eligible companies to submit a proposal detailing their capabilities to perform tasks outlined in the RFP. Each eligible company must possess the staff capable of performing the following five tasks: (1) program and/or project integration; (2) integrated project planning and control; (3) review boards and expert program/project management support; (4) training; and (5) other program/project integration activities to include International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Intellectual
Property, and New Business Development. This procurement will be issued/awarded as a Firm Fixed Price (FFP), Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract (R-Project Management
Support Services, 2013).
Provide the firm’s current strategies and then assess the strategic success using financial figures or “soft” indicators as the background.
According to Osborne (2011) establishing and selecting measures are a good way to assess the successful progress of the company’s LOBs strategies. These measures, better known as strategic success indictors, are a mixture of the company’s financial figures and “soft” indicators (Osborne, 2011). The following chart depicts from Osborne (2011) shows SRG’s strategic success indictors.
S TRATEGIC S UCCESS I NDICATOR I NDICATOR C URRENT S TRATEGIES (2013) A NNUAL T ARGET TO B E A CHIEVED (2015) Cash Flow(increase by 10%) % 8.5 % 1.5 Percent of Competitive Proposals (increase from 2 to 5) 70 % 30 % Customer Satisfaction (increase to 98%) 92 % 6 % Improvement Human Capital (SMEs) Assets ( increase by 20% ) 5 % 15 % Employee Satisfaction (increase to 95%) 85 % 10 % Employee Turnover (decrease to 5%) 10 % 5 %
Develop a SWOT analysis (use a table) for the business to determine the internal and external factors in servicing the federal government; and then provide a gap analysis (using the weaknesses and threats) in satisfying the expected requirements.
SWOT ANALYSIS
LOB Description: Program Management/Project Management
Strength Weakness Opportunities Threats
Resources/ability 1. Limited Brand 1. Expansion of 1. Competitors with to invest Awareness business-led technology trusted brand
Valued-Focused 2. Relative immaturity 2. Mid-market 2. Competitors with
Breadth of in the government penetration to increase in-depth experience
services industry market-share with government
3. Improve industry
communication to increase brand awareness Ways to Exploit Strengths:
1. Make financial investment in new business line (i.e. technology)
Ways to Mitigate Weaknesses:
Develop a more robust marketing strategy
Open up lines of communication by developing networks with government agencies
Ways to Capture Opportunities:
1. Devise a strategic plan to explore business-led technology 2. Intensify more aggressive market research activities 3. Invest more in advertisement projects.
Ways to Counter Threats:
Develop government partnership
Work as a sub-contractor on a larger government contracts to boost awareness of the company’s capabilities
LOB Description: Human Resources (Training and Development)
Strength Weakness Opportunities Threats
Current 1. Small pool of 1. Revised Training and 1. Competitive strategic planning, Subject Matter Expert Development Program possess a larger pool
offers key (SME) 2. Mentor/Internship of SMEs
innovative 2. Succession Planning Program 2. Competitors
solutions 3. Cross-functional 3. Identify and utilize may attract employees
High Training staff hidden talents and businesses
Employee Moral – 4. Certifications and 4. More creative and dedicated to the Licenses flexible options (i.e.
mission compensation &
Possess benefits)
the necessary tools 5. Availability of to improve HR information about “best
activities (i.e. practices” interview guide & training manuals)
Proactive
Management Team
Ways to Exploit Strengths:
1. Use current strategic plan and tools to creative a more robust recruiting and hiring program.
Ways to Mitigate Weaknesses:
Revise current hiring practices to capture a greater pool of SMEs
Implement a success plan and cross functional training program
Offer the necessary tools to assist staff with obtaining certifications and licensing.
Ways to Capture Opportunities:
Utilize training and development program to capture and attract SMEs
Assess talents of current senior employees and utilize it to help mentor and train juniorlevel and novice employees and adopt best practices.
Ways to Counter Threats:
1. Seek to hire and attain SMEs, through a more vigorous and aggressive recruiting and hiring practice.
Taking into consideration SRGs weaknesses and threats, the firm must use these indicators to develop a gap analysis to identify the differences between its current and desire performance.
This can be accomplished by developing more specific strategies. For instance, to close the HR SME gap SRG will employee a more robust recruiting and hire plan. To close the brand recognition gap, SRG will employ a more robust advertising and marketing plan.
Using the federal procurement process, create an action plan to fulfill the expected requirements based off the gap analysis.
There is a significant deficiency in SRG’s human capital capabilities, as the firm does not possess the needed Subject Matter Experts (SME) in the field of technology, engineering and telecommunications. This is a grave disadvantage for the firm, as many government contracts that are centered around project and program management skill require such SMEs. Thus, when looking at this from a competitor’s analysis viewpoint, competitors like Administrative Management and System Technology Inc. (AMST), one of the leading firms offering the same services as SRG, pose a serious threat. AMST has been very successful in winning business opportunities with DoD and other government agencies. AMST success can be contributed to its reputation in delivering SMEs in the field of technology, engineering and telecommunications.
Taking into consideration SRGs lack of SME in the fields mentioned above, SRG will seek to gain a competitive advantage. If a competitive advantage is not immediately possible, SRG will look to level the playing fields in these areas by acquiring more SMEs within its pool of human capital assets. Taking into consideration SRGs lack of SMEs in the fields mentioned above, SRG will seek to gain a competitive advantage. If a competitive advantage is not immediately possible, SRG will look to level the playing fields in these areas by acquiring more SMEs within its pool of human capital assets. To accomplish this HR strategy SRG has created action plan that requires the review and/or revision of HR programs, policies and practices to help the company recruit, develop and/or retain the key personnel needed to achieve mission success. Activities related to this action plan includes: (1) implementing a certification and licensing program; (2) ensuring leadership supports continuous learning; (3) encouraging employees to contribute by valuing and recognizing performance; (4) maximizing employees’ talent; and (5) monitoring, assessing and following-up on outcomes (Strategic Human Capital Plan, n.d.).
References
CPS Human Resources Services (2005). Workforce Planning Tool Kit: SWOT Analysis Examples. Retrieved July 15, 2013 from http://www.cps.ca.gov/workforceplanning/documents/SampleCompletedSWOTAnalysis. pdf.
Osborne, S. (2011). Winning government business: Gaining the competitive advantage (2nd. Ed.).
Bienna, VA: Management Concepts.
R-Project Management Support Services. (2013). Federal Business Opportunities. Retrieved
July 10, 2013, from https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity.
Strategic Human Capital Plan (Rep.). (n.d.). Retrieved July 15, 2013, from National Achieves and Records Administration website: http://www.archives.gov/about/plansreports/strategic-plan/human-capital/index.pdf.
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