Survival Guide: FY24 Government Shutdown

We are less than four days from the (false) start of FY24. As of Wednesday, September 27th, we all are holding our breath as another shutdown looms as Capitol Hill has made little progress toward passing a federal budget for FY24.

Although a government shutdown is considered a worst-case scenario, it is time to face this reality and prepare for impact. So get that bug-out bag ready! Here are a few things to know, ask, and do while sheltering in place.

Things to Know

• Know the latest agency shutdown guidance.

• Know whether your contract has constraints on billing, and check for possible accelerated billings or payment options.

• It is essential to know that contracts with prior funding continue unless a) they are subject to a stop work order, b) they require access to unavailable government facilities, or c) they require actions by an unavailable government employee.

Things to Ask

• Will your CO/KO/COR/COTR, etc., be deemed “essential” (i.e., they will work) during the shutdown?

• How can you contact your CO/KO/COR/COTR during a shutdown? If they are unavailable, who can you contact, and how should you reach them?

• Who will accept delivery of goods or services, and how can you reach them?

• Who will approve invoices for payment, and how can you reach them?

• Who will approve the exercise of an option, and how can you reach them

• If you have on-site personnel at a government facility, confirm if your employees will still have access to those facilities. If their access is denied, who should they contact? If access is denied, what are the remote work arrangements?

Things to Do

There are things you can do to prepare yourself for the interruption and minimize the damage to your business. We at The Pulse suggest taking the time one would usually spend going after new work and instead turning that focus inward. That’s right – a shutdown is the perfect time to reflect on current strategies and operations.

• Submit all possible invoices for work performed and ensure invoices are accepted for payment.

• Get your contract information (prime, subcontracts, all of them) in one place to have complete situational awareness of your funding sources and to understand the critical dates for a period of performance, task/delivery orders, and options/renewals.

• Review your past market research responses and collect the government POC information to create a targeted customer communications plan.

• Refresh those proposal graphics you’ve used for years and cringe whenever you do (you know the ones).

• Train your business development, sales, and proposal personnel on leveraging policy, market research, capture, and proposal best practices through our BD360 Intensive.