proper citation of sources

You have two topics from which you may choose. You must choose only one topic and respond to the situation making your recommendations to the scenario.

Please note that there is no single answer to this scenario, but you should keep your focus on procurement issues in your response.

APA Standards

Students are responsible for APA only for in-text citations and a reference list.  Therefore, students will follow the instructions as stated below.

Required Formatting of Scenario Essay:

· This essay should be double spaced, 12-point font, and three to four pages in length excluding the title page and reference page;

· Third person writing is required.  Third person means that there are no words such as “I, me, my, we, or us” (first person writing), nor is there use of “you or your” (second person writing).  If uncertain how to write in the third person, view this link:  http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/first-second-and-third-person;

· Contractions are not used in business writing, so you are expected NOT to use contractions in writing this assignment;

· Use headings;

· Title page with your name, the course name, title of paper, the date, and instructor’s name;

· Include reference page;

· Use APA formatting for in-text citations and reference page;

· Students need to paraphrase and avoid direct quotes;

· Submit the paper in the Assignment Folder.

The expectation is that you provide a robust use of the course readings.  No other books besides the course eBook can be used.   When using a source document, the expectation is that the information is cited and referenced with a page or paragraph number.

NOTE:  All submitted work is to be your original work. You may not use any work from another student, the Internet or an online clearinghouse.  You are expected to understand the Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism Policy, and know that it is your responsibility to learn about instructor and general academic expectations with regard to proper citation of sources as specified in the APA Publication Manual, 6th Ed. (Students are held accountable for in-text citations and an associated reference list only). 

Assignment 1:  Scenario Essay: Option 1

Background:

The contract you are assigned to as the contracts administrator calls for the delivery of a product called “The Superwidget”. The United States Government (USG) buys thousands of these Superwidgets a year. Several companies manufacture them and competition for Superwidgets is fierce, based on technical innovation, price, and delivery criteria. The Superwidget is manufactured from components, software, and firmware from numerous companies. The final Superwidget usually sells for between $800 and $1200 per unit, based on some special features, warranty, and service. Your contract is a multi-year contract with a base period and several option years, and you are performing in Contract Year One at the moment. Also, there are about 8 to 10 other contracts with other companies for a competing and similar Superwidget.

The Situation:

You are a contracts administrator and you work for the prime contractor.

Let’s say your company (the prime contractor) buys a particular subwidget for $100/unit. This subwidget is a critical component of the prime’s Superwidget. You have a multi-year subcontract with this subcontractor.

You have just been informed in a monthly status meeting that deliveries of the subwidget will be late for the next 3 to 4 months. After your company completes an analysis, you determine that you do not have sufficient stock of subwidgets to cover the required deliveries to the USG. You will need to notify the USG that deliveries of the Superwidget will also be late.

You check the prime contract: your company may be subjected to damages based on the value of the prime contract. You may also face a potential termination for default. You check the subcontract: The subcontractor’s liability is based on values in the subcontract, that is, the price of a subwidget at about a $100/unit level. You also have the right to terminate the subcontractor for default.

Management recognizes that it has the potential for a lot of problems in this situation, which it may not be able to correct for several more months (if you believe in and rely on the subcontractor).

Your boss, the VP of Contracts, asks you to develop some business scenarios, focusing on the contractual and subcontractual issues that may arise.

Required Elements to include in this Scenario Essay – Option 1:

· You are required to identify all the issues the company faces in this scenario.

· You  are required to identify all the issues the government faces in this scenario.

· Provide some ideas about resolving these issues and mitigating risks the customer (USG) may face in the near future.

· Provide some ideas about resolving these issues and mitigating risks the company may face in the future.

Assignment 1:  Scenario Essay: Option 2

You are the Government contracting officer’s representative (COR) of a program management support contract awarded to Easy Corp.  It is the first year of a five-year contract.

You have noticed the following trends:

· Management reports are typically late and incomplete.

· The contractor program manager is rarely seen by Easy Corp employees or the COR.

· Billing is often delayed and contains errors.

· The company requiring activity is very pleased with the professionalism of Easy Corp employees who deliver quality support and up-front analysis, and who excel at ethical customer service.

Required Elements to include in this Scenario Essay – Option 2:

Looking at this issue from two different perspectives:

· What potential issues does the customer (USG) face if the invoices are continually submitted late and with errors?

· What potential issues does the company face if the invoices are continually submitted late and with errors?

· What issues confront the employee?

· How would you recommend all of these issues be addressed?

· You will need to be formal in your responses and to rely on the textbook and other sources to the extent you can.

As the COR:

· What do you recommend the contracting officer discuss at the next program review meeting with the Easy Corp chief executive officer (CEO) and program manager?

· What suggestions for improvement will you make to the contracting officer in advance of the meeting?

Due Date  
Sep 17, 2017 11:59 PM

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Rubric Name: Written Assignment (20%)

Criteria Outstanding Superior Good Substandard Failure
Critical Thinking/Reasoning 7 points

Comments reflect a highly accomplished level of analysis, synthesis, evaluation and reasoning of the case material and case study facts resulting in accurate, thorough, and soundly reasoned conclusions.

(6.3 – 7)

5.95 points

Comments reflect an excellent level of analysis, synthesis, evaluation and reasoning of the case material and case study facts resulting in accurately reasoned conclusions.

(5.6 – 6.29)

5.25 points

Comments reflect a satisfactory level of analysis, synthesis, evaluation and reasoning of the case material and case study facts resulting in partially correct conclusions that lack development or detail that demonstrates insight into reasoning.

(4.9 – 5.59)

4.55 points

Comments reflect an unsatisfactory level of analysis, synthesis, evaluation and reasoning of the case material and case study facts, resulting in conclusions that are underdeveloped or lack soundly reasoned conclusions.

(4.2 – 4.89)

0 points

Comments reflect an unsatisfactory level of analysis, synthesis, evaluation and reasoning of the case material and case study facts, resulting in failure to draw little to no conclusions.

(0 – 4.19)

Application of Resources 7 points

Presents exceptionally well-supported arguments or positions with evidence from the readings/experience; ideas go beyond the course material and recognize implications and extensions of the material and concepts.

(6.3 – 7)

5.95 points

Presents excellent arguments or positions that are mostly supported by evidence from the readings and course content; ideas presented demonstrate understanding of the material and concepts.

(5.6 – 6.29)

5.25 points

Satisfactory arguments or positions are presented but there is a mix of opinion or unclear view with supported arguments using course readings.  Case study facts are occasionally used but arguments would be much stronger with use of facts.

(4.9 – 5.59)

4.55 points

Arguments are frequently illogical and unsubstantiated; Limited use of facts in case study and essential information presented in course readings.

(4.2 – 4.89)

0 points

Arguments lack meaningful explanation or support of ideas.  Does not provide facts presented in case study.

(0 – 4.19)

Attention to Instructions 3 points

Demonstrates exceptional understanding of requirements responding completely to each aspect of assignment including minor aspects of the assignment such as using third person writing, required use of course readings, and assignment format.

(2.7 – 3)

2.55 points

Demonstrates excellent understanding of requirements; missed one minor aspect of assignment.

(2.4 – 2.69)

2.25 points

Demonstrates satisfactory understanding of requirements; missed a key element or two minor aspects of assignment.

(2.1 – 2.39)

1.95 points

Fails to show a firm understanding of requirements; missed two key elements or several minor aspects of assignment.

(1.8 – 2.09)

0 points

Fails to demonstrate understanding of assignment requirements.

(0 – 1.79)

Writing Mechanics 2 points

Strictly adheres to standard usage rules of written English, including but not limited to capitalization, punctuation, run-on sentences, missing or extra words, stylistic errors, spelling and grammatical errors. No errors found. No contractions or jargon used.

(1.8 – 2)

1.7 points

Excellently adheres to standard usage of mechanics: conventions of written English, including capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. One to three errors found.

(1.6 – 1.79)

1.5 points

Satisfactorily adheres to standard usage rules of mechanics: conventions of English, including capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Four to 10 errors found.

(1.4 – 1.59)

1.3 points

Minimally adheres to standard usage rules of mechanics: conventions of written English, including capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. More than 10 errors found.

(1.2 – 1.39)

0 points

Does not adhere to standard usage rules of mechanics: conventions of written English largely incomprehensible; or errors are too plentiful to count.

(0 – 1.19)

Adherence to APA Style (6th ed.) 1 point

No APA style or usage errors; Proper citation of source material is used throughout paper; Reference titles follow APA with only the first word, the first word after a colon and proper nouns capitalized.

(0.9 – 1)

0.85 points

Attempts in-text citations and reference list but one or two APA style errors noted or fails to use APA citations when appropriate 1-2 times.

(0.8 – 0.89)

0.75 points

Attempts in-text citations and reference lists; APA style errors are noted throughout document; Fails to use APA citations when appropriate 3 times in document.

(0.7 – 0.79)

0.65 points

Attempts in-text citations and reference lists; Fails to use APA citation when appropriate 4-5 times; or presents only 1-2 in-text citations and reference list in a paper that requires APA citations throughout the document.

(0.6 – 0.69)

0 points

No attempt at APA style; or attempts either in-text citations or reference list but omits the other.

(0 – 0.59)

Overall Score Outstanding 18 or more Superior 16 or more Good 14 or more Substandard 12 or more Failure 0 or more