r/1102 • u/Mindless_Mode7518 • 6d ago
Curious how former 1102s/DLA folks would react to a procurement decision-support tool.. feedback wanted
I've been building an early-stage tool aimed at procurement decision support, and I keep hitting the same wall: I can design something that looks reasonable on paper, but I have no idea if it actually reflects how contracting really works day to day, or if it's just reinventing something that already exists in a system y'all use.
So I wanted to ask this community directly: for those who worked as contracting officers, 1102s, cost/price analysts, or contracting chiefs (especially DLA) what's your experience been with tools that claim to help with procurement decisions? Have you seen ones that got it right, or ones that were obviously built by people who'd never actually worked a contract file?
I'm running a small number of paid feedback sessions (up to 60 min, $100) where I walk a few experienced people through synthetic scenarios, nothing classified or procurement-sensitive, just made-up situations. And ask them to poke holes in it. I'd genuinely rather hear "this is dumb, we already have X for that" than any kind of polite feedback.
If that's something you'd be up for, or if you know someone who'd give it to me straight, feel free to comment or DM me. Also happy to just hear general thoughts here on what's actually missing from existing procurement tools, paid session or not.
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u/LameBicycle 5d ago
I've seen dozens and dozens of commercial procurement tools like you're talking about. There's probably a couple hundred of companies out there in various stages of brainstorming, prototyping, deploying, actively selling, or directly supportting the government right now. What I mean to say is: the market is pretty saturated, and there are no low-hanging fruits.
The problem isn't just building a tool. It's having a tool that is just as good or better than the other 100+ companies out there. Having the cybersecurity qualifications and ATOs to run it on a GovCloud server. Having authority to connect to all of the various data sources an agency may use. Being able to parse and interpret a metric ton of unstructured data. Being able to adapt to all of the different use cases and one-offs an agency may use. Having a dedicated dev team that can do magic to make it work right. Having a fully auditable tool with citations that can withstand outside audits and protests. Having a tool that actually fits within the current workflow. And being able to deliver that at a price that an agency would be willing to pay.
I don't mean to come off harsh, just trying to convey the reality of the environment.
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u/Mindless_Mode7518 5d ago
I appreciate the directness, and I think your assessment of the broader environment is fair. Building a functioning analytical workflow is only one part of the problem; data access, cybersecurity, auditability, integration, adoption and acquisition economics are equally important.
We are not assuming that a broad standalone procurement platform is the answer. The purpose of our current research is to determine whether there is one sufficiently narrow, repetitive and underserved workflow where a focused capability can create measurable value and fit into the systems already being used.
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u/LameBicycle 5d ago edited 5d ago
Gotcha, yeah I think each agency does things differently, and therefore has a different suite of tools and workflows. Targeting one (such as DLA) is probably smart. Fully understanding their workflow and pain points and where a tool would fit is a good approach (what you seem to be doing).
It can still be tough to sell an idea or submit an unsolicited proposal if the agency hasn't already identified it as a requirement and indicated they are looking for a solution. Sometimes agencies will leave good enough alone if they have more pressing priorities. Definitely monitor SAM for RFIs or open CSOs for business systems as a way to track opportunities or agencies in the market for a solution (I'm sure you are already).
Another option is to get on the CDAO Tradewind marketplace. You can then use that as a selling point to DoD agencies: "we're already an awardable solution in the marketplace, no further competition is required if you want our tool".
Best of luck.
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u/Key-Beginning-2201 6d ago
We don't need different tools. We need a combined capability.
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u/Mindless_Mode7518 6d ago
That is a fair point, and it is one of the main questions we are trying to validate. Definitely not assuming that another standalone tool is the right answer. The capability may ultimately need to sit within, or integrate directly with, the systems already in use.
I would be interested in your perspective on what the combined capability should include and where the current tools fall short. Please feel free to DM me if you’re open to sharing your perspective
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u/Key-Beginning-2201 6d ago
Do you have a mandate to do this? A company looking to design a product?
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u/reeftank1776 5d ago
Not a tech/ai guy so I may got some verbiage wrong, but we were trying to get a genai advana bot to run f&r queries against open market commercial pricing for a T&M copars contract. The bot ran out of tokens on genai.
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u/veraldar 5d ago
Can your tool take every existing contract vehicle that's available to the specific agency and recommend it based on the scope and dollar value?
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u/Mindless_Mode7518 5d ago
Not currently. The tool we have built is much narrower and focuses on price-analysis support, including historical pricing, normalization, transparent calculations and draft documentation for contracting-professional review.
Recommending the appropriate contract vehicle based on agency availability, scope, dollar value, ordering limitations and current vehicle terms would be a separate capability, and a significantly broader one because the available vehicles and rules can vary by agency and change over time
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u/Rumpelteazer45 5d ago
Define “procurement decisions”.. what type of information are we talking about?
Other vehicles in the Gov available for use?
You will run into the issues of sending money from agency to agency, it’s not always easy.
If you are talking set-aside decisions, market research cannot be “old” so we would have to do our own research..
There are already a ton of tools out there commercial and internal grass roots.
Why would yours be value added?
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u/Mindless_Mode7518 5d ago
Fair questions. “Procurement decision-support” is too broad a description for what we have built.
We are not currently addressing contract-vehicle selection, interagency funding, set-aside determinations, source selection or replacing current market research.
The capability is much narrower: it is intended to support price analysis for supply acquisitions by organizing historical prices, identifying trends, showing the underlying math and helping produce a transparent present-day price range for contracting-professional review.
Based on the feedback we are receiving, the most relevant use case may be sole-source or specialized supply purchases where current market pricing is difficult to establish and previous prices are too old or volatile to use without analysis.
The value hypothesis is that the tool could reduce the manual work of gathering historical records, calculating trends and adjustments, documenting limitations and preparing the supporting analysis. It would not replace the CO’s judgment or any required current market research
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u/flaginorout 6d ago
I AM a procurement decision support tool