Give Your Company the Edge It Needs
Celebrating 14 years in business in 2011, Sterling Innovations staff of experienced government accounting, contracts and project controls professionals provides expert services to clients ranging from very small to very large.
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The Right Training
In the world of government procurement, training is paramount. The Government mandates specific compliance requirements that are generally not necessary in commercial business operations. The compelling factor for many business concerns is the significant costs associated with continuous learning requirements and performance specific training. The problem is compounded even further, if you consider the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which predicts that 2010 to be the year that the domestic market will encounter the greatest shortage of skilled labor in our countries history.
So in an environment of declining skilled labor and increasing regulation, what is the overall cost to businesses? When you consider processing costs, replacement hiring costs, orientation, loss of productivity, and the impact on morale - a conglomerate of market research firms agree that it is roughly 35% of the employees first year's salary! At an average wage of $40,000, that equates to a cost of no less than $14,000/year for the sake of organic on-the-job training, where the quality and timeliness of the training is hardly value-added. Do your business, employees, and productivity rates a favor. Enroll in the training opportunities Sterling Innovations provides. You will have quality instruction from professionals engaged in government procurement for upwards of 25+ years, dedicated question and answer sessions, and a forum to relay customer specific concerns to industry professionals – all at a fraction of the cost you're already paying with in-house attempts.
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Services Offered
Sterling Innovations was established in 1997 with a mission of helping businesses of all sizes become successful Federal Government contractors. The missions still exists today with a very strong history of clientele who have excelled at conduction Government business. Whether you are a company just entering the market, or one that is looking to improve your standing in the market, Sterling Innovations has the knowledge and expertise to guide you t your goal.
Sterling offers a wide variety of services to clients of all sizes and locations throughout the US. An overview of the services offered is as follows:
- Understanding Government Regulations
- Developing Highly Competitive Proposals
- Creating Compliant Internal Business Practices across all functions
- Training of staff on individual or group basis
- Provide outsourced business functions
- Perform Project business requirements, such as writing subcontracts, setting up project cost reports, developing earned value processes, etc.
- Prepare for and support DCAA and other Government auditing tasks
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Policies and Procedures
Policies, if developed correctly, are established from business requirements. Their purpose is to protect business operations, financial integrity, and intellectual property, comply with laws and regulations and define the culture of an organization. However, policy development is to be approached with care, as it can establish an obligation of compliance. An obligation, if breached, can expose the organization to liability.
A well-defined procedure is written in such a way that metrics are established from it to measure policy compliance and effectiveness. Properly built procedure metrics can also identify where management oversight and operations need improvement to meet business requirements and protect operations. Employees become significantly more productive when adequate procedures are in place and used as a guide for the daily practices.
Sterling Innovations has developed procedure templates developed consistent with Federal Government business practices, including; Accounting, Purchasing, Time Keeping, Travel, Estimating, Ethics, and Government Furnished Property. These templates, when enhanced to include unique internal practices become the focal point for successful performance under Government contracting. Contact Sterling Innovations to obtain the solution for a rapid, low cost development of fully compliant business procedures
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Proposal Development
In 2009, over $500B of Government business will be distributed to qualified government contractors; over 85% of that money will be awarded to the author of a winning proposal. Many people believe that proposal development is so dependent on input from the folks closest to the solution it wouldn't make sense to outsource it. Creating in-house proposals may seem like a cost-effective strategy at first, but it can be risky. When creating proposals in-house, firms tend to use standard templates that overemphasize technical superiority and overlook the value of presentation. Proposals are typically awarded to the best written rather than the most technically superior solution. They are also usually the most visible opportunity for a company to give a great first impression. A winning proposal must present the right balance of compliance, technical superiority, best-value pricing, innovative ideas, and – as superficial as it sounds – catch the reader's eye.
If you speak to anyone involved in proposal development, you'll hear the same gripes – writing proposals detracts from Òreal workÓ, causes unrealistic suspenses, leads to abundant review cycles, is costly, and can cause a negative impact to morale if the award goes to a competitor. Don't let your firm fall victim to these pitfalls. Sterling Innovations boats win-rates as high as 75% because of our expertise with proposal strategies, formats and processes, and a complete understanding of Government expectations.. We can help you develop a compliant proposal that conveys the message you intend to give without overlooking the areas that often lead to dismissal. Partner with us to win your portion of the market.
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Project Business Management
Now that you've won the contract, how prepared are you to address the various execution criteria the government will mandate? Some common areas of concentration are in the form of a Risk Management, Project Planning, compliant Accounting , Time Keeping, & Earned Value Systems, Records Retention, Change Management policies and procedures, and Contract closure/termination policies.
Some of the common issues that arise as a result of poor Project Business Management include overruns, "Scope Creep", improper budget allocation, and non-compliance. Due to the risk of these potential issues, government, customer, and internal auditors and surveillance reviews are often scheduled, where the consequences of failure can lead to lack of certifications or even contract termination. Sterling Innovations has a team of experts ready to help establish controls for confidential information, integrate Risk Management techniques into your cost, schedule and Earned Value data; tie work scope to cost/control accounts with proper change management documentation; and work contract closure. Don't make the mistake of assuming commercial business practices will suffice for government contracts, let Sterling Innovations help conduct program start-up or pre-audit activities to ensure that your government business practices are compliant, efficient, and used as a discriminator to gain new government business.
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Federal Regulation Compliant
Federal government contract work involves many details and technicalities, one of which is making sure you are within federal government compliance. Compliance can be a tough needle to thread when you consider the multitude of government agencies and their individual nuisances, multiple and often conflicting sources of information, and the often misunderstood legal implications and consequences. The burden of compliance is compounded further when you consider contract type, phases of the acquisition life-cycle, payment terms, teaming agreements, types of awards, and the various roles and responsibilities of the individuals involved in the process.
Don't let the complications of Federal Regulation Compliance dissuade you from pursuing this potentially lucrative market segment. Sterling Innovations understands that with the ever changing series of Federal Regulations, the best approach to navigating thru these complex compliance mandates is to understand customer requirements, exercise ethical business practices, leverage lessons learned, and nurture positive relationships with Government compliance monitors. Sterling Innovations has implemented successful and compliant contracting arrangements for numerous small to large size business concerns operating under the guidelines of the Federal Acquisition Regulations and at risk of being audited by the Federal Government Ð we can do the same for your business.
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Improved Business Practices
While every company desires to eliminate non-value added activities, and invest in efficiencies that increase the bottom line, accomplishing this requires strong internal business and support service functions. This includes providing accurate and timely management information, paying the bills for goods and services, managing office space, and handling financial and budget record keeping. Bear in mind that while you may not be immediately connected with a visible member of our United States Armed Forces, the Department of Transportation, the Department of National Intelligence, or any other Government sponsored agency, that the money awarded within Government Procurement comes from The American people who want real value for their tax dollars. They want to know what government is costing them, and they want costs reduced wherever possible.
It is the responsibility of government contractors to introduce cost-savings solutions while increasing the quality and timeliness of delivered goods and services. Sterling Innovations sees the execution of taxpayer dollars as more than a marketing pitch; we appreciate responsible business partners who see the value of increasing the efficiency in cost accounting, proposal development, and contact management, other business practices and partner with them to support the best values solutions back to our communities and businesses.
