The COR Handbook

Federal contract spending on goods and services topped $360 billion in 2008 - $160 billion more than in 2000. So Federal contracting is clearly an effective and efficient way to do the government’s work but there is always room for improvement, according to the authors of The COR Handbook.

Ensuring that the Government meets the public’s interests in achieving successful contract outcomes requires that agencies have enough Federal employees with the right skills and competencies to design and oversee contracts, said Steve Stryker and Don Philpott.

Unfortunately, while contracting has become more costly and more complex, the number of contracting officers available to work on contracts has remained essentially the same Most of the work done assessing the employees involved in contracting has been focused on contracting officers and other employees working on the business aspects of contracting..

Surprisingly little attention has been paid to the Contracting Officers Technical Representatives (CORs) who provide the technical and program expertise for developing the technical aspects of contracts and for overseeing the technical work of the contractor. These employees are critical to ensuring positive contract outcomes, and the technical aspects of their contracting work have become increasingly more complex. In addition, CORs may have added pressure to take on more responsibility for managing contracts because there are relatively fewer COs available to work on current contracts.

Successful acquisitions now require a fresh, results-oriented view of the process with acquisition professionals serving as business advisors to their respective agency stakeholders. A key guiding principle for any acquisition contributor is to develop a sound business solution that links short-and long-term goals. The COR’s role bridges the acquisition and program communities.

The authors have researched extensively through federal sources to bring the reader the most comprehensive desk reference available on all aspects of the COR role and mission. This book has drawn heavily on the authoritative materials published by the a wide range of federal agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the General Services Administration (GSA), and Headquarters, Department of the Army. Then, the authors have organized the information into an organized and logical presentation, added their own experience and a high value 5-Step process to provide a valuable resource to COR veterans and new managers alike.

This practical handbook looks at the complex duties performed by CORs and explains how best to carry them out in order to achieve a stronger organizational performance. The easy to follow Five Step Process explains the environment in which the COR operates, duties and responsibilities of all parties in the acquisition process, key skill areas required and how these are applied throughout the contracting life cycle. Finally, the authors provide a wealth of forms, report formats, checklists – checklists and more checklists – that guide the COR, and all key individuals in the acquisition process.

Throughout this handbook, there are case studies, checklists, exercises and structured “if-then” guides designed to prepare CORs for the tasks in hand, give them a powerful set of management tools, motivate them to succeed and inspire them to adopt best practices in order to achieve even more positive outcomes.