State’s Senior Procurement Executive, Michael Derrios, encourages contractor self-assessment as part of the CPAR process. He notes that it is rare that vendors provide self-assessments, adding that part of the explanation is that the ratings often happen at the end of the fiscal year.
Whether you’re a State Department contractor or not, Derrios’ point reinforces the importance of engagement throughout contract performance, not just at the end. Documentation is also key, especially to help inform an otherwise subjective perspective on the government’s side.
Continuous engagement and providing a self-assessment are also an opportunity to turn a tough score due to a performance challenge into a higher rating by describing what was done to manage the issue.
