The first meeting after award sets the tone for everything that follows. Called a kickoff, a post-award conference or an orientation meeting, it brings the contractor’s team and the government’s team together to confirm what was promised, who is responsible for what and how the two sides will work day to day. A well-run kickoff prevents months of misunderstanding. A perfunctory one leaves gaps that surface at the worst possible moments.
Who calls it and who attends
The contracting officer typically decides whether a formal post-award conference is needed, often based on the contract’s complexity, the contractor’s experience and the risks identified during source selection. For many contracts the contractor can and should request one if the government has not scheduled it. Attendees usually include the contracting officer or contract specialist, the contracting officer’s representative, program staff and, on the contractor’s side, the program manager, key personnel and whoever handles contracts and invoicing. Subcontractors with significant roles may attend as well.
What to confirm
The meeting is the moment to turn the written contract into shared understanding. Agenda items that pay off include:
- Roles, names and contact information for every government and contractor participant, with the limits of each person’s authority
- The period of performance, key milestones and the transition schedule if one applies
- Deliverables: what, when, in what format and to whom
- Reporting and meeting cadence, from weekly status calls to monthly reports
- Invoicing: the system, the required supporting documentation, the approval process and the payment office
- Security, badging and system access, with realistic timelines
- Government-furnished property or information and when it will be provided
- The quality assurance surveillance plan and how performance will be measured
- How changes, questions and problems will be raised and resolved
Surfacing problems early
A kickoff is also where the contractor should raise anything in the contract that is unclear or that has changed since the proposal. A key person who has become unavailable, a start date that security processing will not permit, an assumption in the proposal that needs confirming: all of these are easier to address in week one than in month three. Government staff generally appreciate candor at this stage, and the contracting officer can document resolutions so there is a record.
Preparing your team
Before the meeting, make sure every member of your team has read the contract, not just the proposal. The two documents are not identical; the contract may include changes negotiated during discussions or clauses the proposal team never saw. Prepare a short briefing on your approach, your staffing and your transition plan, and bring questions organized by topic. Assign someone to take detailed notes.
Afterward
Write up the meeting promptly and send the summary to the contracting officer, inviting corrections. The government may issue its own minutes; if so, compare them with yours and resolve any differences in writing. Then build the agreed cadence into your calendar and your project plan. The first status report, the first invoice and the first deliverable are each a test of whether the kickoff worked. If they arrive on time, in the agreed format and without surprises, the relationship starts on solid ground.
The government staff at a kickoff are forming their first impression of your firm as a performer rather than a proposer. Preparation, directness and a visible interest in their mission go a long way. The contract is signed; the goal now is to become the contractor they are glad they chose.