Wanted to draw your attention to a blog post by my DAU Contracting Center counterpart entitled “Defense Pricing and Industry Dialogue "Best Value Contracting: Getting to the Right Price", which reads in part:

“On 7 November 2014, the DAU Alumni Association and Mr. Leonardo J. Manning, Contracting Center Director, will host a DAU Hot Topics Forum featuring a candid, open dialog between senior Government contracting officials and industry representatives. The theme of the forum is “Best Value Contracting: Getting to the Right Price.” Mr. Shay Assad, Director of Defense Pricing, Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and senior pricing leadership, in coordination with CODSIA, will engage in an open dialog on issues of concern to the defense industry.  Mr. Lenny Manning, DAU Center Director for Contracting, is the DAU event sponsor. The DAU Alumni Association will present this forum on behalf of DAU as part of DAU’s Hot Topic Training Forum Series.  Member organizations of CODSIA include the Aerospace Industries Association, the American Council of Engineering Companies, Information Technology Alliance for the Public Sector, the National Defense Industrial Association, the Professional Services Council, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.  The dialogue is critical for all DAW personnel engaged in the pricing, negotiation, award, and administration of defense contracts. The event will consist of four panels discussing issues of great interest to the defense industry.  Mr. Assad will moderate these four panels, which include:

·         Government panel consisting of senior DoD procurement executives

·         Acquisition of Services panel consisting of DoD Senior Service Managers and Industry personnel

·         Cost estimating, pricing, and contracting issues panel consisting of senior DoD and Industry personnel

·         Commercial acquisition panel consisting of senior DoD and Industry personnel

This event will take place on November 7, 2014 from 0900 – 1600, in Bldg. 226, Howell Auditorium, Fort Belvoir, VA.  Registration is through the DAUAA at http://02e1de5.netsolhost.com/dauaa_site/Web2011/HotTopic/2014Nov/14NovHTF.htm.  This event will be broadcast via VTC to all DAU regions.  The event will be videotaped and hosted on the DAU Pricing Community of Practice.  Attendees will earn six continuous learning points for participation in this event. Seating is limited so reserve your seat so register NLT COB Friday, October 31, 2014.”

This appears to be an excellent and insightful professional development opportunity and one which interested Life Cycle Logistics workforce members and DoD Product Support Managers (PSMs) – particularly those crafting, implementing, and/or implementing best value outcome-based product support arrangements -- should consider participating in.