Sterling Innovations, Inc.

• Give Your Company the Edge It Needs

  Find out how Sterling Innovations can help your company secure a government contract... Insert creative, motivating marketing text here.

  

• 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 small 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 small 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! Even at minimum wage, that equates to a cost of no less than $5,280/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.

• Strategic Outsourcing

  Outsourcing can often have a negative connotation. The reality is that outsourcing, when strategically considered, boosts productivity, lowers billing rates, and provides scalability leading to a more lean and agile business to the tune of approximately 20% in operations cost savings. Sterling Innovations has successfully partnered with several government contractors to provide back office sourcing, to include internal business functions such as accounting, payroll, estimating, proposal development, cost & schedule management, purchasing, marketing, business development, and policy & procedure development all maintaining the highest degree of government compliance with Cost Accounting Standards & Federal Acquisition Regulations.

  The benefits experienced by our clients taking advantage of Sterling’s expertise include, transition of fixed costs to variable “fee-for-service” costs ultimately leading to decreased G&A rates and increasing the firms competitive pricing position. The client is able to return focus to its core competencies, without being burdened with organizational compliance requirements. Finally, the firm retains their entrepreneurial speed and agility, which they would otherwise have to sacrifice in order to become efficient as they expand. Lets partner together to maximize your organizational structure leading to increased productivity and profit.

• 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 policy is written in such a way that metrics are established from it to measure policy compliance and effectiveness. Properly built policy metrics can also identify where management oversight and operations need improvement to meet business requirements and protect operations. Sterling Innovations has strategically integrated an intimate understanding of Sarbanes-Oxley, Cost Accounting Standards, & Federal Acquisition Regulations with Government accountability organizations stemming from the General Accountability Office (GAO), in order to provide its clients with the appropriate level of internal controls to effectively pursue government business. We also train staff, conduct dry run audit prep activities, and sit side-by-side in the event of an inquiry, to demonstrate a unified, complaint response to auditors.

• 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 – just look good.

  If you speak to anyone involved in proposal development, you’ll hear the same gripes – writing proposals detracts from “real work”, causes unrealistic suspense’s, 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 formats and processes, and by emphasizing the value of presentation. 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.

• 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.

• 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 lifecycle, 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 successfully implemented successful, and compliant contracting arrangements for numerous small to large size business concerns operating under the guidelines of the Federal Acquisition Regulations and its agency specific regulatory derivatives designed to address the policies and priorities of other Government agencies – we can do the same for your business.

• 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 sees the value of increasing the efficiency in cost accounting, proposal development, and other business practices and partner with them to support the best values solutions back to our communities and businesses.

Sterling Innovations, Inc. specializes in giving companies the edge they need to secure US government contracts. To find out how we can help your company stand out, click a topic in the menu below.

• Start Screen
• The Right Training
• Strategic Outsourcing
• Policies and Procedures
• Proposal Development
• Project Business Management
• Federal Regulation Compliant
• Improved Business Practices

• Meet Our Staff
• Contact Us
• Visit Our Site