a first pass compliance matrix (privia conf)

A First Pass Compliance Matrix in Under 10 Minutes: Fact or Fantasy?

Fergal McGovern, CEO

Baltimore, MD, USA | Dublin, Ireland | www.visiblethread.com

CEO and founder VisibleThread, a strategic Partner of Deltek & Privia

Works with Strategic Accounts to:

Help drive more efficient Capture and Proposal Process

Provide Language analysis insights

Establish better Language Heuristics for Winning bids

Prior to VisibleThread, was Product Management Director with

Compuware (NASDAQ: CPWR), a $1.3 billion a year ISV

Linked In: ie.linkedin.com/in/fergalmcgovern/

About Fergal

http://ie.linkedin.com/in/fergalmcgovern/




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1. Brief context setting: Who is VisibleThread?

2. Some Compliance Matrix Background

3. Automating the Creation

4. Q&A

Today’s Agenda


4About VisibleThread – who are we?

©2013 VisibleThread

4 of the top 5 US Gov. Contractors use VisibleThread

Strategic Partnerships Better Bid / No Bid /

Teaming decisions

Clear Language

analysis of responses

Win Theme validation in

responses

Starter Compliance

matrix


So, what is a Compliance Matrix?5


This?6

Solicitation Requirement RFP Section Page Status Page OwnerThe contractor may be required to travel in support of some CLINs, as identified

in the attached PWS. Estimated travel costs associated with routine tasks shall

be included within the applicable CLIN for travel.

1.1.1 2 Open TJ

The purchase of hardware, software, telecommunications, and Cloud

Computing services is not covered in this requirement. However the contractor

will have to interact with third parties regarding the resolution of issues and/or

provision of these services in the course of supporting this requirement.

1.1.4 3 In Process BJ

The contractor shall perform the effort required by the resulting task order on a

firm fixed price and labor hour basis by CLIN as proposed in Section B.12, Draft

Section B Tables. Travel and Other Direct Costs (ODCs) will be estimates with

not to exceed (NTE) dollar amounts for each base and option period.

1.1.5 4 Closed 18 RK

ABC Company ProposalGovernment Solicitation for Cloud Computing Services - Solic. # GS248R2040


Or this?7

244 Columns!


Agree on Common Characteristics8

• Typically created by hand

• Review each requirement

(e.g., „contractor will‟, „contractor

shall‟, „contract must‟, etc.)

• Copy the text into a spreadsheet (or

Word doc) - Copy/paste


9

• 72% (20) of these federal contractors

• 26% (8) primarily chasing commercial business

• All 28 North American based.

• All 20 of the federal contractors use a compliance matrix

The State of Play in 2011


10How Do Companies Produce Compliance Matrices Today?

Source: Deltek


11Level of Interest in Compliance Matrix Generating Tool – a survey

Average Rating = 4.3 out of 5

Deltek asked those

responsible for the proposal

what their level of interest

would be in having a tool for

generating Compliance

Matrices - (Survey 03/2012)

Source: Deltek


12The Typical Four-Step Process

Convert to MS Word

If solicitation is a

PDF, convert to MS Word.

1

Search

Using search, identify all

occurrences of „shall,‟ „will,‟ „must‟

and other indicators.

2

Copy Text

For each occurrence, populate a row in the compliance spread sheet. Include the page or paragraph number and the text of

the compliance statement.

3

Record Response Section Paragraph

Once all occurrences are in the spreadsheet, then for each row, fill in the

details relating to where in the response we meet

the requirement.

4


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1. Can we automate some or all of the process?

2. If so, which steps?

3. Can we create it in under 10 minutes?

If we automate the process, can we keep it simple?

Is it possible with no prep work?

If we automate the process, is the output readable?

Can we „shred‟ both PDF and Word formatted

solicitations?

Some Key Questions


Can We Automate Some or All of the Process? If So, Which Steps?

14

Convert to MS Word

If solicitation is a

PDF, convert to MS Word.

1

Search

Using search, identify all

occurrences of „shall,‟ „will,‟ „must‟

and other indicators.

2

Copy Text

For each occurrence, populate a row in the compliance spread sheet. Include the page or paragraph number and the text of

the compliance statement.

3

Record Response Section Paragraph

Once all occurrences are in the spread sheet, then

for each row, fill in the details relating to where in the response we meet

the requirement.

4


15

Yes, but…

it is a „starter compliance matrix,‟ a starting point

Simplicity over complexity leads to speedy results

How?

Can We Greatly Accelerate the Initial Creation of the Compliance Matrix?

Copyright Visible Thread 2011 – Confidential and Proprietary

“Starter Compliance Matrix” in 5 minutes

1. Upload your document(s) into a VisibleThread

folder.

2. Run a „dictionary‟ based scan, select „Run

Quality Scan …‟ and choose dictionary.

RFP & SOW from

NASA

Choose „will‟ „shall‟

„must‟ dictionary


Flag ‘will’, ‘shall’, ‘must’…

'Will', 'shall', 'must' etc.

Numbers show occurrences

322 'wills'


Extract the text…

Text Extract with all text

containing 'Will', 'shall', 'must'

etc.


Export to Excel19

This export button is

above the text grid

and this is the output


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“It takes minutes instead of hours to begin a

compliance matrix.”

“It cuts about a day out of my efforts. Which I will

greatly appreciate.”

“I just went through this exercise manually and it was

very tedious and time intensive. Having an

automated tool to do it for me would have saved me

at least two days.”

Feedback from customers


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What are the benefits?

Time: Cut much of the copy/paste hell!

Sense Check: Provides a quick sense for the major

requirements of a draft solicitation to help:

Make bid/no bid decisions

Identify key requirements a company may need to fill through

teaming partners

Deltek GovWin IQ clients have analyzed over 2,800 opportunities

Benefits and ROI?


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Manual Review Still Required

You Need to Add Response Detail

File Types: Works for MS Word, PDF and Excel. Does not

extract text from scanned images.

Paragraphs: For PDFs, the matrix cross-references the page

number. Reliable extraction of paragraphs is technically tricky

and error prone, so we do not output paragraph numbers.

There Is No ‘Silver Bullet’!

A First Pass Compliance Matrix in Under 10 Minutes: Fact or Fantasy?

Phil Kent’s answer:

“A Compliance Matrix in under 10 minutes = Myth

A FIRST PASS Compliance Matrix in under 10 minutes =

Reality”

http://www.visiblethread.com/2012/03/a-compliance-matrix-in-10-

minutes-%E2%80%93-myth-or-reality/

http://www.visiblethread.com/2012/03/a-compliance-matrix-in-10-minutes-%E2%80%93-myth-or-reality/





























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For more information:

visit www.visiblethread.com or email [email protected]

3 Minute online demos

Check out our blog at:http://www.visiblethread.com/blog/


Q&A

http://www.visiblethread.com/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.visiblethread.com/blog/






































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