Discussion 1: "Initial Bid"

Please respond to the following:

• Suggest the most significant manner in which the cost of the solicitation process adds to the bottom-line in the initial bid for a government contract. Justify your response.

• Determine the steps in the sealed bidding process. Next, create an argument for or against the sealed bidding process as a method of lowering the government's potential expense for a good or service. Justify your response with one example.

Discussion 2: "Fixed Price -vs- Cost-Reimbursement"

Please respond to the following:

• Compare and contrast the fixed-price and cost-reimbursement for the VectorCal navigation system. Determine which type of costing mechanism best serves VectorCal's needs. Provide a rationale for your response.

• From the e-Activity, compare and contrast the characteristics of the federal contact project that you researched with the contract used during the VectorCal scenario. Specify which characteristics you believe to be the most and least important for any project, and justify your rationale for each.

Discussion 3: "Professional Format and Style"

How you do anything is how you do everything. - T. Harv Eker (from Secrets of the Millionaire Mind)

This Course is a mixture of learning a new format (business style) and adapting your English language skills to a different audience. Business communication relies equally on format (how you communicate) and content (what you say).

1. Discuss the Eker quote as it pertains to your professional experience and the material.

2. Find a quality resource that discusses the importance of format OR find a quality support that proves format does not matter in the context of the professional environment.

Assignment: Professional Email Message

Choose one of the professional scenarios provided in Blackboard under the Student Center tab, or click here to view them in a new window.
Write a Professional Email Message (in the form of Figure 5.1 on page 76 of BCOM7) from the perspective of a character in the scenario. The email should discuss the communication issue provided in the scenario and should be addressed to another character from the scenario.

The message should take the form of an email; however, you will submit your assignment to the online course shell.

The professional email message must adhere to the following requirements:

1. Content:

1. Address the communication issue from the scenario.

2. Request a face-to-face meeting to discuss the issue (at a specific time).

3. Concentrate on the facts of the situation and avoid using overly emotional language.

4. Assume your recipient is learning about the situation for the first time through your communication.

5. 2. Format:

6. Use a descriptive subject line or heading.

7. Include an appropriate and professional greeting / salutation.

8. Use email form including: To:, From:, Subject:, and Signature.

9. 3. Clarity / Mechanics:

10. Focus on clarity, writing mechanics, and professional language/style requirements.

11. Run spell/grammar check before submitting.

12. 4. Your assignment must:

13. Be typed, single-spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides. Your professor may provide additional instructions.

14. 5. Submitting your assignment:

15. Submit your assignment through the online course shell only.

16. 6. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

17. Plan, create, and evaluate professional documents.

18. Deliver professional information to various audiences using appropriate tone, style, and format.

19. Analyze professional communication examples to assist in revision.

20. To download the assignment instructions provided above and assignment rubric, click here.

 Professional Scenarios

1. Saban is a top performing industrial equipment salesperson for D2D. After three years of working with his best client, he receives a text message from Pat (his direct manager) assigning him to a completely different account.

Pat has received complaints that Saban gets all of the good clients and is not a "team player."

Saban responds to the message and asks for a meeting with Pat to discuss this change. Pat responds with another text message that reads: "Decision final. Everyone needs to get a chance to work with the best accounts so it is fair. Come by the office and pick up your new files."

Moments later, Saban sends a text message to Karen, his regional manager and Pat's boss. It simply reads, "We need to talk."

2. Amber, Savannah, and Stephen work for Knowledge, Inc. (a consulting company). While on a conference call with Tim Rice Photography (an established client), the group discusses potential problems with a marketing campaign. Tim Rice, lead photographer and owner of Tim Rice Photography, is insistent the marketing is working and changes are not needed.

Amber reaches over to put Tim on "Mute" but accidently pushes a different button. She immediately says to Savannah and Stephen that the marketing campaign is not working and that "...Tim should stick to taking pretty pictures."

Tim responds, "You know I can hear you, right?"

3. James shows up to work approximately five minutes late this morning, walks silently (but quickly) down the hallway and begins to punch in at the time clock located by the front desk.

Sarah, the front desk manager, says, "Good morning, James," but James ignores her, punches in, and heads into the shop to his workplace. Sarah rolls her eyes, picks up the phone, and dials the on-duty manager to alert her that James just arrived and should be reaching his desk any moment.

4. Paul works for the website division of SuperMega retail company. He receives an email late Friday afternoon that explains a new computer will launch at the end of next June and it will be in high demand with limited stock. Also contained in the three-page-message is that customers will be able to preorder the item 30 days before launch according to the production company. Paul is asked to create a landing page for consumers who are interested in learning more about the product.

By mistake, Paul sets up a preorder page for the product that afternoon (well in advance of the company authorized period) and late Friday evening consumers begin to preorder the product. Sharon, Vice President of Product Sales at SuperMega, learns of the error Saturday morning and calls Paul to arrange a meeting first thing Monday morning. Sharon explains to Paul on the phone that the company intends on canceling all of the preorders and Paul responds that the company should honor the preorders because it was not a consumer error. After a heated exchange, Paul hangs up on Sharon when she insists that the preorders will be canceled because of Paul's error.