Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) Competencies
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- Attention to Detail
Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail. - Decision-Making
Makes sound, well informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change. - Flexibility
Is open to change and new information; adapts behavior or work methods in response to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacle; effectively deals with ambiguity. - Influencing/Negotiating
Persuades others to accept recommendations, cooperate, or change their behavior; work with others towards an agreement; negotiates to find mutually acceptable solutions. - Integrity/Honesty
Contributes to maintaining the integrity of the organization; displays high standards of ethical conduct and understands the impact of violating these standards on an organization, self, and others; is trustworthy. - Interpersonal Skills
Shows understanding, courtesy, tact, empathy; develops and maintains relationships; deals with difficult people; relates well to people from varied backgrounds; is sensitive to individual differences. - Oral Communication
Expresses information to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information; makes clear and convincing presentations, listens to others; attends to nonverbal cues. - Planning and Evaluating
Organizes work, sets priorities, determines resource requirements, determines goals and strategies; coordinates with other organizations, monitors progress; evaluates outcomes. - Problem Solving
Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and make recommendations. - Project Management
Develops and maintains a workable plan and manages resources to accomplish the overall goal of the project; plans, manages and follows through to ensure the smooth flow and timely completion of activities that deliver project results; anticipates obstacles or gaps that would impact project success and works to continuously improve the agency's capability to achieve success. - Reasoning
Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or accurate conclusions. - Self-Management/Initiative
Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior. - Teamwork
Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust; fosters commitment; works with others to achieve goals. - Writing
Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information in a succinct and organized manner, produces written information that is appropriate for the intended audience.
Technical Competencies and Aligned Skills
- Strategic Planning
Ability to advise customers on their acquisition-related roles and in the development and implementation of strategies needed to assure that supplies and services are available when needed to meet mission requirements.
Aligned Skill- Strategic Planning - Advise customers on their acquisition-related roles and the development and implementation of strategies needed to assure that supplies and services are available when needed to meet mission requirements.
- Market Research (Understanding the Marketplace)
Ability to collect and analyze relevant market information and identify possible sources for the acquisition through effective market analysis and industry knowledge.
Aligned Skill- Market Research - Collect and analyze relevant market information from Government and non-government sources as well as prospective offerors. Identify possible sources for the acquisition through effective market analysis and knowledge of suppliers.
- Defining Government Requirements in Commercial/Non-Commercial Terms
Ability to determine or develop offer evaluation factors that will discriminate between offerors and that tie back to the technical requirements included in the solicitation. Ability to determine the most appropriate method of acquisition for each procurement request.
Aligned Skills- Selecting Offer Evaluation Factors - Selecting appropriate offer evaluation factors for incorporation in the solicitation.
- Determining Method of Acquisition - Determine the most appropriate method of acquisition based on forecast requirements, acquisition plans, market research, the Procurement Request, and other related documents.
- Defining Contractual/Business Relationships
Ability to identify and select the most appropriate contractual terms and arrangements; for example, in pricing, financing, and payment methods.
Aligned Skills- Environmental, Energy, and Water Efficiency - Comply with applicable FAR requirements when acquiring energy, environmental, or water efficient products and services.
- Pricing Arrangements - Select the most appropriate pricing arrangements(s) to solicit.
- Recurring Requirements - Determine whether and how to provide for recurring requirements.
- Unpriced Contracts - Prepare unpriced orders and contracts using a simplified acquisition procedure.
- Contract Financing - Determine whether to provide for Government financing, and, where necessary, the method of financing to use.
- Methods of Payment - Select the most appropriate method of payment that will best minimize the Government's overhead.
- Documenting the Source - Selection Plan Determine whether a written source selection plan is necessary, and if so, properly documenting the source selection planning.
- Effective Communication/Solicitation of Offers
Ability to manage the solicitation process and adhere to procedures, including writing and publicizing the procurement, conducting discussions and conferences, and amending or canceling the solicitation when appropriate.
Aligned Skills- Publicizing Proposed Acquisitions - Selecting and implementing a method of publicizing the proposed procurement.
- Subcontracting Requirements - Establishing requirements and incorporating the appropriate subcontracting and make-or-buy clauses in the solicitation.
- Conducting Oral Solicitations/Proposals - Planning and conducting effective oral solicitations/proposals.
- Solicitation Preparation - Prepare a written solicitation that includes the appropriate provisions and clauses for the requirement, assembled in a format appropriate to the acquisition method and market.
- Responding to Inquiries and FOIA Requests - Respond appropriately to an inquiry about the solicitation received prior to contract award or a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act.
- Pre-Quote/Pre-Bid/Pre-Proposal Conferences - Conduct a pre-quote, pre-bid, or pre-proposal conference when appropriate and maintain an accurate record of the meeting.
- Amending/Canceling Solicitations - Amend or cancel a solicitation when it is in the best interest of the Government and conforms to laws and regulations.
- Detailed Bid Evaluation Skills
Ability to receive, handle, and evaluate bids adhering to proper procedures.
Aligned Skill- Managing the Bidding Process - Effectively manage a sealed bidding process including receiving and recording bids, evaluating the received bids, calculating the evaluated price, and determining whether the low bid conforms to all requirements.
- Proposal Analysis and Evaluation (Analytical Skills)
Ability to receive, handle, and evaluate quotations/proposals adhering to proper procedures. Ability to obtain proper disclosure of accounting practices and to determine if the firm's accounting practices comply with Government cost accounting standards.
Aligned Skills- Managing the Quotations and Proposal Process - Receive quotations/proposals including the safeguarding, opening, tracking, assessing compliance with minimum solicitation requirements, and identifying the quotations/proposals that will not receive further consideration.
- Evaluating Non-Price Factors - Apply non-price factors in evaluating quotations, proposals, and past performance.
- Pricing Information from Offerors - Determine what pricing information to require from offerors.
- Evaluating Accounting and Estimating Systems - Determine the adequacy of a firm's accounting and estimating systems in making contracting decisions. Assure that a firm properly discloses its accounting practices when required by Government cost accounting standards (CAS) and that the disclosed practices comply with CAS requirements.
- Using Audit Information - Using audit findings to support cost analysis, price analysis, or cost reasonableness analysis and to develop negotiation objectives.
- Negotiation Skills
Ability to plan negotiation positions and prepare negotiation strategies. Ability to conduct a negotiation session and document the elements of the negotiated agreement.
Aligned Skills- Performing Price and Cost Analysis (Negotiated Acquisitions) - Establish pre-negotiation positions on price and cost factors.
- Performing Analysis for Negotiated Acquisitions - Establish pre-negotiation positions on price and cost factors and on other terms and conditions.
- Conducting Proposal Communications - Conduct communications to enhance Government understanding of proposals and to facilitate the Government's evaluation process.
- Establishing the Competitive Range - Select the offerors/quoters to participate in discussions thereby establishing the competitive range under FAR Part 15.
- Negotiation Strategy - Prepare a negotiation strategy and plan that will permit negotiators to maximize the Government's ability to obtain best value.
- Conducting Discussions/Negotiations - Conduct a negotiation session and negotiate an agreement on cost/price, terms and conditions.
- Determining Responsibility/Capability - Determine and document the responsibility or capability of a firm to effectively perform the terms and conditions of the contract.
- Requirements Management (Effective Communication of Contract Requirements)
Ability to administer contract requirements and manage vendor relationships for effective delivery of goods and services.
Aligned Skills- Contract Administration Planning and Orientations - Plan for the review, evaluation, and judging of a contractor's performance; clearly define the COTR roles and responsibilities. Conduct post-award orientation meetings to review contract milestones and responsibilities.
- Contract Modification and Adjustment - Modify or adjust a contract when appropriate in an effective and equitable manner.
- Task and Delivery Order Contracting - Apply the policies and procedures for utilizing task and delivery order contracts and using basic ordering agreements.
- Performance Management
Ability to monitor contract performance and take any necessary action and apply remedies to protect the rights of the Government. Ability to use performance metrics to evaluate actual performance against goals.
Aligned Skills- Performance Metrics - Monitor performance by evaluating actual performance processes, workflow requirements, and outputs against pre-determined goals.
- Performance Management - Monitor contract performance and take any necessary action related to delays in contract performance or the need to stop work under the contract. Document past performance information completely and fairly, validly characterizing the contractor's actual performance.