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October Newsletter 2004
Nattiionall Conttractt Managementt Associiattiion
Na ona Con rac Managemen Assoc a on
San Gabriiell Valllley Chaptter
San Gabr e Va ey Chap er
Chaptter Chatttter
Chap er Cha er
OCTOBER LUNCH MEETING
"NCMA PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS –
THE NEXT LEVEL IN YOUR
CONTRACT MANAGEMENT CAREER”
The NCMA professional certification program is designed to elevate professional standards,
enhance individual performance, and distinguish those who demonstrate knowledge essential to
the practice of contract management. NCMA has now fully implemented its new Certification
program and the SGV Chapter is committed to supporting its member interested in obtaining
certification designations or those who need to prepare for re-certification.
Please join us on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 to find out more on the certification process.
You will have the opportunity to hear from Contracts Professionals that have earned their
CACM, CFFM and/or CPCM certifications and what the criteria is for acceptance into the
certification program. In addition, we will have certification materials available and study group
sign-ups.
Please RSVP no later than Noon on Tuesday, October 19, by contacting Jenny Felix at (626)
812-1147, or e-mail to Jenny.Felix@NGC.com.
When: Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Where: Four Points Sheraton Hotel
700 West Huntington Drive
Monrovia, California
Time: 11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (Lunch will be served)
Cost: Students = $13 Members = $16 Non-Members = $18
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October Newsletter 2004
WHAT ARE NCMA PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
AND WHY DO I NEED IT?
CFCM: A Certified Federal Contracts Management (CFCM) shows that you are knowledgeable
about the practice of contracts management in the federal environment. To earn the CFCM, a
candidate must take and pass two examinations; the Business Knowledge and Federal
Knowledge modules
CCCM: A Certified Commercial Contracts Manager (CCCM) shows that you are knowledgeable
about the practice of contracts management in the commercial environment. To earn the CCCM,
a candidate must take and pass two examinations; the Business Knowledge and Commercial
Knowledge modules.
CPCM: A Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) shows that you are knowledgeable
about all facets of contracts management, both within the government and the commercial
arenas. To earn the CPCM, a candidate must have the following: a degree from a regionally
accredited institution at a level higher than a bachelor's, five years of experience, a self-authored
"Statement of Professional Qualification" (500-800 words), provided with the application, a
current Certified Federal Contract Manager (CFCM) designation, and a current Certified
Commercial Contract Manager (CCCM) designation (waivers to the advanced degree
requirement will be considered for those candidates who have a Bachelor's degree and ten years
of experience who present a letter from a supervisor supporting their candidacy).
Certification is a mark of distinction. It sets the credentialed individual and his/her
workplace apart from others in the same profession. A certified individual communicates
that he or she has attained a certain level of expertise and is committed to maintaining the
highest level of professionalism.
Certification provides a direct link between the individual in the workplace and the rest of
the professional community. This link provides support, guidance, and opportunity.
Certification increases and enhances competition in the labor market. Employers also
enjoy a level of assurance with respect to a certified individual's knowledge, application of
that knowledge, and continued professional development.
NCMA's certification program, in particular, sharpens candidates' focus.
Re-certification continues to hone that focus and maintain or increase the candidates'
professional role in the organization.
Additional details about the certification process, including waivers and “grandfathering” into
the certification program, will be presented at the October 20th Chapter Luncheon. See you there!
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October Newsletter 2004
MESSAGE FROM YOUR PRESIDENT
SEPTEMBER 22, 2004
SGV E-Board Meeting Welcome to a new NCMA program year. As your Chapter
President, I have but one goal for this year – to provide our
OCTOBER 20, 2004 membership with the necessary tools to further excel in the field of
Chapter Lunch Meeting
Contract Management. This begins by providing an updated
4 Points Sheraton
website with current news and informative links. Our Webmaster,
NOVEMBER 17, 2004 Aren Vartanian, has been working with NCMA HQ and the Region
Workshop 5:00 PM to get our new website on-line! Check out our new look and current
Chapter Dinner Meeting events at http://intranet.ncmahq.org/sangabriel.
4 Points Sheraton
The Chapter E-Board has been working over the summer
DECEMBER 8, 2004 months to ensure a successful program year. A technology transfer
Joint Christmas Dinner Party meeting was held at the Cheesecake Factory on September 22nd.
San Fernando/San Gabriel Agenda included a presentation from SLCP, Membership Program,
Location TBD upcoming speakers and activities, and of course the Chapter Budget
was adjusted to accomplish our goals. One of the changes is to our
JANUARY 19, 2005
monthly meeting fees, which have been increased (1st time in many
Chapter Lunch Meeting
4 Points Sheraton years!) by $1 to $16 for Members (includes meal).
FEBRUARY 16, 2004 Your feedback is vital to guiding the Chapter's activities and
Chapter Dinner Meeting focus for the future. We look to our membership in planning
“Fellows Night” meetings that are of interest and will enhance the value of your
4 Points Sheraton membership in NCMA. Based on last year’s feedback and
comments, we’re planning several workshops and seminars this
MARCH 16, 2004 program year. Topics and Registration information will be posted
NES Seminar on the website. We are also planning more networking and career-
4 Points Sheraton building opportunities for our membership.
APRIL 20, 2004
Also, let’s not forget our exceptional leadership over this past
Chapter Dinner Meeting
4 Points Sheraton year. Please extend your thanks to the 2003-04 Chapter Officers
and Chairpersons for a job well done!
MAY 18, 2004
FEBRUARY 16, 2004 We have a wonderful chapter and I look forward to seeing you
SGV/SLCP Joint Meeting soon at an upcoming event.
“Awards Banquet”
4 Points Sheraton Pam Solis
Your Chapter President
JUNE 15, 2004
Chapter Lunch Meeting
4 Points Sheraton
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October Newsletter 2004
REGULATORY UPDATES
GAO Reverses Prior Decision Dismissing Protest as Untimely, but Denies Protest on Its
Merits –
August 25, 2004, GAO ruled that American Multi-Media, Inc.'s (AMI's) original protest was
timely when it protested the award of a contract to Potomac Talking Books Services, Inc.
(PTBS), by the Library of Congress (the Library) to record magazines on cassettes in accordance
with National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped specifications. AMI
alleged that PTBS should have been required to possess IRTS federal tax exempt status under 26
U.S.C. 501(c) to qualify for the 10 percent preference in the solicitation. However, GAO
concluded that neither Public Law 89-522 nor the solicitation defined "nonprofit" for purposes of
an evaluation preference. Furthermore; GAO noted that PTBS, as a state-chartered not-for-profit
entity, fell within the definition of FAR 31.701 which includes "any nonprofit scientific or
educational organization qualified under a State nonprofit organization statute." Based on this
rationale, it denied AMI's protest. (Comp. Gen. Dec. B-293782.2, Aug. 25, 2004)
GAO Denies Protest of an Impermissible OCI as Untimely Where Protestor Was Aware
that an Offeror Aided in Development of the Statement of work –
August 11, 2004, denied a protest by Abt Associates, Inc. (Abt) alleging an organizational
conflict of interest (OCI) involving another offeror, TCG International, LLC (TCGI) as untimely
because (1) the solicitation issued by the Agency for International Development (AID) contained
an assessment prepared by TCGI; (2) Abt knew that TCGI was participating in the procurement;
and (3) Abt had express notice that AID did not consider TCGI to have an OCI that precluded it
from receiving a contract award. The GAO ruled that under those circumstances, the protestor
could not wait until an award had been made to file a protest, but must have done so before the
closing date for receipt of proposals (Comp. Gen. Dec. B-294130, Aug. 11, 2004)
FR Seeks Public Feedback on Proposal to Amend the FAR Regarding Accounting for
Unallowable Costs –
On September 28, 2004, the Federal Register noticed that “The Civilian Agency Acquisition
Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council are proposing to amend the FAR by
revising language regarding accounting for unallowable costs.” The history of prior related
notices/proposals and public responses are included in this notice. Public feedback is requested
in the following areas:
o Retention of requirement to segregate unallowable costs.
o Optional technique on use of statistical sampling.
o Interplay of penalties: Statistical sampling verification versus segregation.
o Statistical sampling advance agreements.
o Materiality threshold applied to directly associated unallowable costs—
percentage threshold not supported by DoD.
o Definition of directly associated cost.
o Treatment of salary expenses of employees that participate in activities that
generate unallowable costs.
Comments are due on/ before November 29, 2004.
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October Newsletter 2004
SAVE $20--Become a NCMA San Gabriel Valley Chapter Member! Are you planning or do you
know of anyone who plans to become a member of the NCMA San Gabriel Valley Chapter? If
you do, and submit your application to the San Gabriel Chapter, our chapter will sponsor your
individual application fee. This applies only to new members for new individual membership
applications, and will be on first come first served basis. Funds are limited so JOIN NOW!
Please make your $100.00 check payable to NCMA, and mail your application and application
fee to:
Rita Murgas-Lee, Treasurer, NCMA San Gabriel Valley Chapter, P.O. Box 32434, Los Angeles,
CA 90032 or via e-mail to murgar@dcfs.co.la.ca.us.
Congratulations to our NCMA SGV Scholarship Recipients! All the scholarship
recipients will be honored at the October 20, 2004 NCMA SGV Luncheon Meeting.
The James MacIntosh Award (the highest scholarship honor) is awarded to Ann Lewis. ,
Second place goes to Sang Huynh, third place goes to Andrew Vago, and fourth place
goes to Salomon Lee.
We wish all the scholarship recipients good luck on their upcoming classes, and hope
that this award will assist in completing their education and pursuing their goals in
contract management.
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October Newsletter 2004
What's YOUR Weakest Link?
Building a Strong Job-Search Chain
A chain is only as effective as its weakest link-and you don't know which link is weak until the
chain is tested. If your job search is falling short, one of your job-search skills may be the weak
link. By analyzing your chain of job search skills, you can build a stronger chain, one that can
stand up to any test. There are three critical links in your job search chain. Consider each of
them carefully to determine your weakest link, then work to strengthen that link.
Link #1: Resume and Cover Letter
If your resume and cover letter aren't attracting attention and generating interviews, this may be
your weakest link. A quality resume should:
• Sell your best transferable skills
• Support those skills with bottom-line impacts and achievement
• Be easy to understand at a glance, without dense reading
• Have an easy-to-read format with a clear outline
• Not typecast you into an industry or job you are trying to leave
• Focus on only one career objective
An effective cover letter should:
• Support-but not repeat-the resume
• Not sound like a form letter
• Not start every sentence with "I," "Me," or "My"
• Focus on the hiring motives of the reader
If your weakest link is your resume and cover letter, you may want to consider investing in a
professional resume writer. Many of them have experience in Human Resources and recruiting,
so they know what hiring managers are looking for and the best way to present that information.
Link #2: Resume Exposure
Even the best resume will fail to generate interviews if it doesn't reach a wide enough target
audience. To a certain degree, generating interviews is a numbers game. If the resume is
effective to begin with, then the more resumes you send out, the more interviews you will win.
How much exposure is enough for your resume? The answer is subjective, but you'll definitely
increase your exposure by using the following methods and online tools:
• Post your resume on numerous job boards (i.e., more than two or three)
• Distribute your resumes using a reputable online resume distribution service
Proactively mass-target your resume to prospective employers
• Proactively send your resume to a wide audience of recruiters
• Identify numerous job boards that target your specific industry or occupation (again,
more than two or three)
• Use job board profile options to have job postings emailed to you on a regular basis
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October Newsletter 2004
• Utilize your existing network or build a stronger network of industry and occupational
contacts to uncover job leads
If resume exposure is your weakest link, then you might benefit from the expertise of a career
coach to help guide you in better job search strategies. A career coach can assist you in building
a campaign to gain maximum exposure for your resume.
Link #3: Interview Skills
If your resume is fine and you are getting plenty of first interviews-but no second ones-then your
interview skills may be your weakest link. To analyze the strength of your interview skills, ask
yourself the following:
• Have I adequately researched this company prior to the interview?
• Am I prepared to answer tough questions?
• Do I know what questions they might ask, or do I find myself stumped by questions I
didn't expect?
• Do I know what kinds of questions to ask in order to gain insight into important hiring
motives?
• Do I know how to uncover any concerns that might prevent a job offer?
• Am I a good interview "closer"?
If interview skills are your weakest link, you'll receive more job offers by investing in interview
coaching with a career expert. By strengthening each link of your job-search chain, you'll avoid
months of frustrating, ineffective effort. With each link strong enough to support your career
objective you'll win your dream job with confidence.
Submitted by:
Deborah Walker, CCMC
Resume Writer ~ Career Coach
To see resume samples and read more job-search tips visit www.AlphaAdvantage.com
Email: Deb@AlphaAdvantage.com
REGULATORY UPDATE
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October Newsletter 2004
Chapter Officers
2004-05
President Pamela Solis (626) 812-1467 Pamela.Solis@NGC.com
Secretary Veronica (909) 263-3289 Veronica.Serrano-
Serrano- Kusserow@Boeing.com
Kusserow
Treasurer Rita Murgas- (213) 351-5513 Murgar@Dcfs.Co.La.Ca.Us
Lee
Exec. V. P. Education John Wyatt III (909) 869-2407 Jwyatt3@aol.com
Exec. V. P. Programs Stanley (626) 812-1942 Stanley.Neves@NGC.com
Neves
Exec. V. P. TBD TBD TBD
Membership
Hospitality Chair Jenny Felix (626) 812-1147 Jenny.Felix@NorthropGrumman.com
Fellows Council/ David (818) 354-4982 David.T.Spencer@jpl.nasa.gov
Recruitment Chair
Spencer
Graalman Chair Narcis Cosa (818) 354-4807 Narcis.F.Cosa@jpl.nasa.gov
Newsletter Chair Jenny Felix (626) 812-1147 Jenny.Felix@NorthropGrumman.com
Student Liaison Andrew Vago (626) 203-9455 aevago@csupomona.edu
Workshops/Seminars TBD TBD TBD
Website Aren (714) 348-4656 Aren_vartanian@yahoo.com
Vartanian
Publication Deadline... Please send Newsletter Articles and
Deadline For Submitting Web Postings to:
Articles For The Newsletter Is Attn: Aren Vartanian
The 1st Tuesday Of Each Month Aren_Vartanian@yahoo.com
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