Government*Horizons Inc. and Market*Access Training Series™

Capital Planning & Investment Control Manager's Boot Camp

With an Emphasis on Learning How to do OMB Exhibit 300 Business Cases 

November 29-30, 2007

Registration for this event is now closed. You may still register at the door by bringing this form with you the day of the event.

Government*Horizons Training Center
4301 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1003 (10th Floor), Arlington, VA

This course is recommended for 16 CLPs and is designed to fulfill a DAWIA/FAC-C Level II elective.

Students will receive a Government*Horizons certificate of completion.

"Janelle Hill offers superb clarity & background for real drivers in Government for years to come."

- Judson Johnson, Director, Business Development, Northrop Grumman IT

“I highly recommend this training to anyone who works with the Exhibits 300. Mrs. Hill is very

knowledgeable on this subject.” 

- Mr. Brian Simpkins, Senior Project Manager, CA

Registration: 8:00 AM (Day One Only)
Program Starts: 8:30 AM
Wrap-up: 4:30 PM


Course materials, continental breakfast (coffee and pastries), refreshments included.

“ During fiscal 2005 budget reviews in February, OMB put 621 projects with budgets totaling $22 billion on the at-risk list for missing at least one of three major requirements: IT security, a qualified full-time project manager and defined performance measures." Government Computer News, Jason Miller, on OMB & GAO.  To read the article, please visit: http://www.gcn.com/print/23_31/27708-1.html 

About This Workshop

Many managers and contractors today know the federal and defense IT and Professional Services markets have changed but they aren't sure exactly what has changed. Perhaps you are aware that your win rate on RFP responses has diminished. Perhaps you see your role changing but aren't sure what the government economic and compliance drivers are. You see budgets are cut for O&M programs that were sustained for years. You see some programs thriving and others aren't getting anywhere. Managers may know there are requirements but aren't understanding the nuances of the compliance and budget process that drives the ability to secure funding for those requirements. Enter Capital Planning and Investment Control, or CPIC. CPIC is the new term for the practice government program managers effectively and compliantly manage their capital asset and investment portfolios. It is how they demonstrate performance and results. It is how you and they play the game today to obtain funding for requirements, systems, new initiatives, new tools and new solutions. You will learn what the OMB Exhibit 300 business case is and how it's central to all things you want to succeed in doing.  If you are selling any IT

This workshop will give you the management and subject matter expert's secrets, tools, tips and exposure to Capital Planning and to the OMB Exhibit 300 form. You will gain insight into the federal requirements, the legislative drivers and enablers, management processes, methodologies, procedures and supplemental documentation. At the end of this two day boot camp, you'll know the secrets to ensuring the successful and accurate reporting of an investment to OMB. Ultimately you'll know how to bid, compete, write or comply for the prize: FUNDING. 

This workshop is designed to take a manager or analyst into the world of CPIC and learn to play the game.

You will learn the business case justification process and be introduced to your new best friend: The OMB Exhibit 300 form. In just two days you will know how to read one, write one, and get the best possible score. (NOTE: Best Score = Best Funding Opportunity) as a way to secure funding, justify existing programs. 

Here are some ways this course will ensure your success:

• Government Contractors - send your staff to be trained if you're looking to place talent into a position on-site supporting Exhibit 300 efforts
• Government Contracting Officers - learn how the contracting and acquisition strategy and certification applies to you
• Government CIO Support Staff - learn how you will be expected to conform to this process by law and contribute in key areas such as enterprise architecture, information assurance, security & privacy, earned value management, alternatives analysis and much more
• Government Major Program IT and Management Staff -  learn how you will be expected to conform to this process by law and contribute in key areas such as enterprise architecture, information assurance, security & privacy, earned value management, alternatives analysis and much more
• Business Developers - Perform competitive intelligence and develop sales pipelines second to none. Know actual budget dollar figures of recompetes and new initiatives, know the names of the key players and their contact information, know the program's strengths and weaknesses.
• Market Researchers - Perform account forecasting and agency research with an accuracy your competitors cannot match, using the same tool market research firms are using (and charging you hundreds of thousands of dollars for the same information)
• Managers - Review where your customer is headed without having to ask them - use the tool to become a trusted advisor and solution provider without sales calls, questions and gimmicks. Know how to present solutions based on published business cases, using their own reports to substantiate your offering and your solution. Show them how to save money and increase efficiencies using this tool that they understand.  Know where to look and how to read the Exhibit 300 to know who the key players and decision makers are for a program.
• Analysts - apply what you learn to be able to complete these business cases for government clients as a full time CPIC analyst and 300 writer.
• Proposal Writers - learn what now must be in a proposal - how to read between the lines and interpret what's in an RFP; how to ghost win themes that are now legal requirements, how to write in a competitive advantage by knowing the RFP as it relates to their long-term objectives and the compliance of their business case.

This course is recommended for 18 CLPs and is designed to fulfill a DAWIA/FAC-C Level I elective. Students will receive a Government*Horizons certificate of completion.
 

GAO recently reported in INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, Agencies Need to Improve the Accuracy and Reliability of Investment Information :

Underlying support was often inadequate for information provided in the exhibit 300s reviewed. Three general types of weaknesses were evident:

• All exhibit 300s had documentation weaknesses. Documentation either did not exist or did not fully agree with specific areas of the exhibit 300. For example, both these problems occurred in relation to calculations of financial benefits for most investments. In addition, for 23 of the 29 investments, information on performance goals and measures was not supported by explanations of how agencies had initially measured their baseline levels of performance (from which they determine progress) or how they determined the actual progress reported in the exhibit 300.

• Agencies did not always demonstrate that they complied with federal or departmental requirements or policies with regard to management and reporting processes. For example, 21 investments were required to use a specific management system as the basis for the cost, schedule, and performance information in the exhibit 300, but only 6 did so following OMB-required standards. Also, none had cost analyses that fully complied with OMB requirements for cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses. In contrast, most investments did demonstrate compliance with information security planning and training requirements.

• In sections that required actual cost data, these data were unreliable because they were not derived from cost-accounting systems with adequate controls. In the absence of such systems, agencies generally derived cost information from ad hoc processes. See report: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06250.pdf .

What other attendees have said about this training:

• “Excellent knowledge of the Capital Planning Process and the Exhibit 300.”
• “Instructor took the time after class to review a business case with me to help me understand it better.”
• “This instructor is engaging and has excellent eye contact with the students, she made the material easy to understand and made the concepts easy to grasp."
• "The Instructor allowed discussion in the class and did not dictate material from slides, I preferred this style of teaching to the typical death by PowerPoint."

Who Should Attend

Those individuals who will gain the most benefit from this course are those who are Program, portfolio and project managers who are assigned the development of the business cases, who want a better understanding and justification of the business case and IT Portfolio process or who need to understand the new 99% solution format and expectations.

Attendance is highly encouraged for those affiliated with failing business cases, business cases requiring improvement plans, programs with funding at-risk, and programs on the OMB Watch List.

• These individuals may elect to bring their existing business case(s) to the session so the targeted information in specific areas may be used for reference purpose.

A new government report recommends contract training to achieve better federal contracting results.   Click here to download the Managing the Government’s Technical Experts to Achieve Positive Contract Outcomes report by the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board dated December 2005.

Early Registrants Include:

• CACI, Business Systems Analyst
• CMS, Executive Director
• Computer Associates, Senior Project Manager
• Northrop Grumman IT, Director, Business Development
• Rockwell Collins, Director
• Siemens, Market Analyst
• TTB, Management Analyst
• U.S. Department of Labor, Contracting Officer
• U.S. Department of Transportation, Budget Analyst

Course Syllabus

Day 1: Key Concepts & Introduction to the 300

For registration and billing information, please email Katie Smith or call (703) 807-2758

Registration Fee

• Government attendees: $870 per person
• Small Business (100 employees or fewer):  $1,070 per person
• Industry: $1,190 per person