What Is Acquisition Planning? Process, Steps, and Systems

Acquisition planning in government procurement  is the part of government acquisition management where government agencies strategize and prepare for the acquisition of goods and services. 

The acquisition planning process involves a systematic approach to identifying the needs of the agency, determining the most effective and efficient methods for fulfilling those needs, and developing a plan to acquire the necessary resources. It is critical for ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently, transparently, and in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements, while also meeting the needs of the government agency and supporting its mission.

Key components of acquisition planning in government procurement typically include:

• Needs assessment. Government agencies first identify their requirements and objectives, including the specific goods or services needed, the quantity, quality standards, and desired outcomes.
  

• Market research. Agencies conduct market research to understand the availability of potential suppliers, market trends, pricing, and technological advancements that may impact the acquisition process.
  

• Acquisition strategy. Based on the needs assessment and market research, agencies develop an acquisition strategy outlining the approach they will take to procure the goods or services. This may involve determining whether to use existing contracts, conduct a competitive procurement, or pursue other acquisition methods.
  

• Solicitation planning. Agencies plan the solicitation process, which includes drafting the necessary documentation such as requests for proposals (RFPs), requests for quotes (RFQs), or invitations for bids (IFBs), as well as determining evaluation criteria and contract terms and conditions.
  

• Budgeting and funding. Agencies allocate budgetary resources and secure funding for the acquisition, ensuring compliance with financial regulations and procurement laws.
  

• Risk management. Identification and assessment of potential risks associated with the acquisition process, such as legal, financial, technical, or performance risks, and developing strategies to mitigate them.
  

• Small business considerations. Government agencies may also incorporate small business participation goals and requirements into their acquisition planning process to promote competition and support small business development.

Any speed bumps in the acquisition planning process can cause issues for your project. The two most significant problems you could be at risk of are:

• Delays. Inefficiency in the acquisition cycle can keep you from getting crucial goods or services within the timeframe you want or need.
• Waste. Without proper preparation, your project might unintentionally result in what the FAR aims to prevent, wasted time and resources.

Before you dive into the acquisition planning process, be prepared to encounter these three common roadblocks that could lead to delays or waste:

Contracting offices receive acquisition packages all the time—and often, unexpectedly. If yours lands on their doorstep and it’s the first time they’ve heard about it, they may not be able to get to it for some time because they weren't able to plan for it.

Since the contracting office is the only group with the authority to purchase your goods or services, you need your contracting officer to push the project through. Unfortunately, if they decide to leave or get reassigned, which is common, you could be facing more delays. Why? Well, if the project manager and contracting officer haven’t mutually documented all agreed-upon process steps, the new contracting officer who takes over won’t know what was agreed on. And you may have to repeat your work.

Although human error can be difficult to avoid, it’s critical that you meet every requirement outlined in the FAR—and that you get it right the first time. A contract package that doesn’t meet the regulation can get stuck in approvals for months as you try to fix mistakes. It’s in your best interest to submit everything correctly on the first go around. Also, the FAR changes often—sometimes quarterly—and you have to keep up with the changes.

You’ll want to document everything that’s agreed upon in your acquisition proposal and make sure the contracting office and other teams can access and approve these documents. Create a digital space where the participants can see what you’re working on and where you can all document decisions. Ideally, your documentation will also be digestible and easy for the contracting office team to navigate.

Give the contracting office advance notice about your project, as much as you can, and when you expect to submit it. One possible roadblock not mentioned above is that you’ll need to involve multiple parties throughout the acquisition process, which could include legal, policy, contracting, a small business representative, a competition advocate, vendors, finance, and more. Having a way to loop everyone in will help you ensure communication is smooth and effective: Acquisition planning tools help greatly here.

• Developed by a vendor with experience in the public sector. Look for a solution backed by a vendor with a proven track record of serving the government with acquisition and a history of successfully delivering projects in the acquisition space. Search for a vendor that is compliant with the required government certifications.

Once you do the work to acquire an acquisition planning tool, you’ll never have to go through the process on your own again. Even better, you and your colleagues gain time back to focus on strategic work, while avoiding delays and waste.