CCH Offers Two New Expert Government Contracting Resources

(RIVERWOODS, ILL., April 7, 2008) – CCH has released two new expert resources: Getting Results: The Six Disciplines of Performance-Based Project Management and Cost Estimating and Contract Pricing: Tools, Techniques and Best Practices, to help professionals succeed in the government contracting arena. CCH is part of Wolters Kluwer Law & Business, a leading provider of research information and software solutions in key specialty areas for legal and business professionals.

“The U.S. Federal Government spends upwards of $400 billion a year to acquire products, services and integrated solutions to keep the country running. To spend more efficiently, the Office of Management and Budget and Office of Federal Procurement Policy have required expanded use of performance-based acquisitions, improved project management and focused contract administration,” said Sharon Kube, Wolters Kluwer Law & Business product manager. “Getting Results and Cost Estimating and Contract Pricing are authoritative resources that focus on these areas, providing professionals with a better understanding of what’s expected of them and a competitive edge.”

Getting Results: The Six Disciplines of Performance-Based Project Management

Getting Results: The Six Disciplines of Performance-Based Project Management explores what it takes to achieve high-performance business results in the complex world of U.S. federal government contracts and projects. This comprehensive resource provides an in-depth discussion of the six integrated disciplines of Performance-Based Project Management, including:

  • Cultural Transformation;
  • Strategic Linkage;
  • Governance;
  • Communications;
  • Risk Management; and
  • Performance Management.

Written by industry experts Ann Costello and Gregory A. Garrett, Getting Results addresses effective management of a multisector workforce; how to create and sustain a knowledge management culture; and success with complex Federal Acquisition Regulation programs and contracts in an environment of performance-based acquisition.

In addition, Getting Results includes over a hundred proven best practices, tools and techniques, as well as more than a dozen case studies from both U.S. government agencies and industry that demonstrate how to achieve successful results, with on-time delivery of quality products, services and integrated solutions at competitive prices.

Cost Estimating and Contract Pricing: Tools, Techniques and Best Practices

The process of estimating the cost for the development and delivery of a product, service or solution can be highly complex. Government contracting professionals often need take into consideration several factors, such as: technology maturity; urgency; geographic location; quantity; quality; availability of resources; hardware and software; and systems integration, to name a few. Cost Estimating and Contract Pricing provides a comprehensive discussion of cost estimating and contract pricing with extensive use of tools, techniques and best practices from both the public and private sectors.

Cost Estimating and Contract Pricing is written by Gregory A. Garrett along with key contributions from other experts in the field and covers important topics, including:

  • Cost estimating methods;
  • Cost accounting standards;
  • Cost analysis;
  • Profit analysis;
  • Contract pricing arrangements;
  • Price analysis;
  • Total ownership cost; and
  • Earned value management systems.

About the Authors

Gregory A. Garrett is a respected international educator, author and consultant who has served as a lecturer for The George Washington University Law School and the School of Business and Public Management. He has provided training and consulting services to world-class corporations and organizations in more than 40 countries and received two national awards for his contributions to the profession of contract management. Previously, Garrett was Executive Director of Global Business for ESI International where he led consulting and business training programs for numerous Fortune 100 companies and multinational organizations worldwide. Currently, he serves as Chief Operating Officer at Acquisition Solutions Inc. where he leads the consulting engagements for all U.S. Federal Government Civilian Agencies, including: U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Treasury, U.S. Department of Energy, NASA and others.

Ann Costello is Founding Partner at Acquisition Solutions, responsible as the thought leader for knowledge management offerings. Costello pioneered the firm’s corporate research and publications division and wrote most of the early Acquisition Directions™ Advisories, Updates, alerts and best-practice reports. Costello is an expert in Federal acquisition policy and management and an innovator in information presentation. She works both internally and externally to produce cutting-edge, multi-dimensional knowledge management tools. Costello also served as project manager and industry partner on an interagency team (led by the Department of Commerce, with the participation of the Departments of Treasury, Agriculture and Defense, the General Services Administration and the Office of Federal Procurement Policy) to develop the Web-based guide and knowledge center, Seven Steps to Performance-Based Acquisition. Costello has hundreds of publications to her credit, including Guide to Planning, Acquiring, and Managing Information Technology Systems.

Availability and Pricing

For more information or to order Getting Results: The Six Disciplines of Performance-Based Project Management (softcover, 350 pages, $70) or Cost Estimating and Contract Pricing: Tools, Techniques and Best Practices (softcover, 284 pages, $70), call 800-248-3248, or visit onlinestore.cch.com.

About Wolters Kluwer Law & Business

Wolters Kluwer Law & Business is a leading provider of research products and software solutions in key specialty areas for legal and business professionals, as well as casebooks and study aids for law students. Its major product lines include Aspen Publishers, CCH, Kluwer Law International and Loislaw. Its markets include law firms, law schools, corporate counsel and professionals requiring legal and compliance information. Wolters Kluwer Law & Business, a unit of Wolters Kluwer, is based in New York City and Riverwoods, Ill.

Wolters Kluwer is a leading global information services and publishing company. The company provides products and services globally for professionals in the health, tax, accounting, corporate, financial services, legal and regulatory sectors. Wolters Kluwer has annual revenues (2007) of €3.4 billion ($4.8 billion), maintains operations in over 33 countries across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific and employs approximately 19,544 people worldwide. Wolters Kluwer is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.wolterskluwer.com.

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EDITORS’ NOTE: Editorial review copies of Getting Results: The Six Disciplines of Performance-Based Project Management or Cost Estimating and Contract Pricing: Tools, Techniques and Best Practices are available upon request for members of the press. Contact Leslie Bonacum, 847-267-7153, mediahelp@cch.com or Brenda Au, 847-267-2046, brenda.au@wolterskluwer.com.