Your pre-solicitation agent is designed to streamline the creation of critical procurement documents while ensuring compliance with federal regulations. This guide will help you get the most out of your interactions with the agent, whether you're a procurement novice or an experienced contracting professional.
What Your Agent Does
Your pre-solicitation agent specializes in creating comprehensive pre-award documentation packages, including:
Market Research reports with vendor analysis and capability assessments
Performance Work Statements (PWS) and/or Statements of Work (SOW) with detailed requirements
Brand Name Justifications with proper regulatory citations
Acquisition Technology/OPSEC assessments for security considerations
Independent Government Cost Estimates (IGCE) with supporting rationale
Contract vehicle recommendations based on requirement analysis
The agent leverages extensive knowledge of FAR, DFARS, and AFARS regulations, DoD APL requirements, vendor catalogs, and Govly's database of similar solicitations and awards to deliver accurate, compliant documentation.
Core Prompting Principles
1. Include Key Personnel and Points of Contact
Make sure to identify relevant team members, stakeholders, and points of contact early in your conversation. The agent will incorporate these individuals into the appropriate documents and coordination processes.
Include contacts such as:
Technical points of contact and subject matter experts
Program managers and government leads
Security personnel (for AT/OPSEC requirements)
End users and stakeholder representatives
Contracting officer representatives (CORs)
Example:
Key personnel for this network modernization project:
Technical POC: John Smith, IT Systems Manager (john.smith@army.mil)
Program Manager: Sarah Johnson, Network Operations
Security Officer: Mike Davis, Information Systems Security Manager
2. Provide Complete Requirement Details
The more context you provide upfront, the better your documents will be. Include all relevant details about your requirement, even if they seem minor.
Essential Information to Include:
Requirement description and technical specifications
Estimated value and funding source
Performance period and key milestones
Delivery location(s) and special requirements
Security considerations and clearance requirements
Stakeholder requirements and user community size
Example:
Requirement: Cloud-based cybersecurity monitoring solution for 500 users
Estimated value: $850K over 3 years
Performance period: 1 base year + 2 option years
Location: Joint Base Andrews, MD
Security: Must be FedRAMP High authorized
Current system: McAfee SIEM (contract expires in 6 months)
Users: IT security team (12 personnel) + network operations (25 personnel)
3. Specify Your Document Priorities
Tell the agent which documents are most critical for your timeline and which areas need the most attention.
Good Example:
Priority 1: Market research (due in 2 weeks for market research report)
Priority 2: PWS development (technical requirements are complex)
Priority 3: IGCE (need detailed cost breakdown for budget justification)
4. Use Industry-Standard Terminology
Don't be afraid to leverage proper procurement and technical terminology. The agent is trained on these terms and can provide accurate responses.
Include relevant standards (e.g., "NIST 800-53 controls," "STIG compliance")
5. Set Clear Expectations for Outputs
As your conversation progresses, reference previous information to build comprehensive requirements.
Example Progression:
"Based on the network requirements we discussed, now I need to address the OPSEC considerations for this cloud migration."
"Given the security classification level we established, update the market research to focus on vendors with appropriate facility clearances."
Request Specific Regulatory Citations:
Ask for exact FAR/DFARS references when you need to support your acquisition strategy:
Include specific FAR citations for the brand name justification, particularly addressing the "only one responsible source" rationale under FAR 6.302-1.
Leverage Comparative Analysis
Ask the agent to compare your requirement against similar Govly awards for benchmarking.
Example:
Search Govly data for similar cybersecurity monitoring contracts at military installations over the past year.
Common Use Cases and Examples
Refining Technical Requirements:
Review the PWS draft we developed for the cybersecurity requirement. My team's feedback indicates we need to add:
Integration with existing SIEM tools (Splunk Enterprise)
24/7 SOC monitoring capability
Incident response within 15 minutes for critical alerts
Update the performance standards and include appropriate government surveillance methods.
Cost Estimation Support:
For the IGCE development, I need cost analysis based on:
Industry benchmarks for similar services
Small business pricing considerations
Include supporting rationale for each cost element per FAR 36.203.
PWS/SOW Development
Provide detailed technical specifications and performance standards
Include government surveillance and inspection methods
Specify deliverables, timelines, and acceptance criteria
Address security and compliance requirements explicitly
Brand Name Justifications
Provide technical rationale for brand name specifications
Include market research supporting "only one responsible source"
Request specific FAR citations and regulatory compliance language
Address alternative approaches considered and rejected
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If outputs seem too generic:
Add more specific technical details and organizational context
Reference similar requirements or incumbent contracts
Specify your organization's unique requirements or constraints
If regulatory citations are insufficient:
Request specific FAR/DFARS sections with full text
Ask for compliance analysis with your specific requirement
Request alternative regulatory approaches if applicable
If cost estimates seem unrealistic:
Provide more detailed requirement specifications
Include geographic and labor market considerations
Reference benchmark data from similar contracts
Ask for sensitivity analysis on key cost drivers
Refining and Improving Results:
If you're not satisfied with any of the generated output, you can ask the agent to rerun specific analyses or searches:
Govly Data Searches:
"Search Govly again for opportunities" - Get fresh opportunity data
"Search Govly again for awards" - Pull updated award information
"Broaden the search for opportunities" - Expand search criteria if results are limited
"Broaden the search for awards" - Cast a wider net for similar contracts
Analysis Refinements:
"Analyze potential vendors again" - Reassess vendor capabilities and qualifications
"Rerun the pricing analysis" - Update cost estimates and benchmarking
"Rerun the benchmarking" - Compare against different or additional data points
Start with the big picture - Provide complete requirement context upfront
Be iterative - Build on previous conversations and refine as needed
Don't settle for first results - Ask for re-analysis if outputs don't meet your needs
Verify compliance - Always ask for regulatory citations and compliance verification
Use industry benchmarks - Leverage Govly data for cost and technical comparisons
For additional guidance on advanced procurement strategies consult your Govly account manager.
This guide is designed to help you maximize the effectiveness of your pre-solicitation agent. The agent's responses should always be reviewed for accuracy and compliance.