2026 Training Catalog

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Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) Course Overview

Generating Superior Basis of Estimates (BOEs) Course Overview

The course also examines how BOEs integrate with the broader business development lifecycle, emphasizing the importance of early planning, baselining, and coordinated team roles. Training topics include: • What a BOE is and why it is essential to cost credibility. • BOE definitions, components, and documentation standards. • Cost estimation techniques: analogy, engineering build up, parametric, expert opinion. • Ground rules, assumptions, and the importance of well defined baselines. • The BOE development process from kickoff through reviews. • Responsibilities of capture, proposal, pricing, PTW, and estimating teams. • How to identify common challenges and avoid pitfalls in BOE creation. • Conducting Pink and Red Team reviews to strengthen BOE quality and compliance. • Attributes of superior BOEs: well documented, accurate, and credible.

• Planning and executing accelerated Pink and Red Team reviews • Pricing strategies and ROM development for CSO responses • Intellectual property, data rights, and licensing considerations • Planning for follow on contracts and transition to production Workshop Description This 1-day, hands-on workshop guides participants through the complete CSO lifecycle from opportunity identification through proposal submission and planning for follow on awards. Emphasis is placed on disciplined capture execution, focused proposal development, and evaluator aligned messaging in fast moving, non traditional acquisition environments. Using practical examples and structured exercises, participants apply Shipley best practices to analyze CSO, develop win strategies, organize compliant and persuasive responses, and manage reviews and revisions within compressed schedules. The course integrates business, pricing, and IP considerations to ensure solutions are positioned for both award and long term growth.

This workshop equips participants with the knowledge and skills to develop high quality Basis of Estimates (BOEs) that demonstrate fair, reasonable, and realistic pricing. A superior BOE reduces customer perceived risk, strengthens credibility, and supports a compelling cost proposal. Participants learn how to apply estimating techniques, develop well document- ed cost rationales, and align BOEs with technical, program- matic, and price to win (PTW) strategies. Key learning outcomes include: • Understanding the purpose and role of BOEs in government and commercial proposals. • Recognizing required content, documentation, and estimating methods. • Incorporating win strategy and PTW factors into BOEs. • Identifying risks, assumptions, and cost drivers that influence estimates. • Applying best practices to create credible, auditable, customer focused BOEs. Workshop Description This interactive workshop blends lecture, discussion, and practical exercises to build the skills needed to produce superior BOEs. Participants explore BOE fundamentals, learn how to interpret WBS and SOW requirements, analyze analogues and complexity factors, and select appropriate estimation methods.

Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) represents a fundamentally different approach to acquiring capability that emphasizes speed, flexibility, commercial innovation, and outcome based evaluation. Winning in this environment requires rethinking traditional capture, proposal, and pricing approaches. This workshop equips participants with practical, end to end methods for identifying, shaping, and responding to CSO. Participants learn how to align capture strategy, proposal execution, and business considerations to position commercial solutions for selection while managing risk, intellectual property, and follow on opportunities. Topics covered include:

• CSO purpose, authorities, and acquisition models • Differences between CSO, FAR based RFPs, and OT pathways • Opportunity identification and qualification for CSO • Capture planning tailored to CSO timelines and evaluation models • Stakeholder mapping and early win strategy development • Proposal structuring for CSO formats (white papers, slides, videos) • Developing clear win themes, discriminators, and evaluator focused messaging Who Should Attend This course is ideal for professionals in: • Business Development and Capture Managers • Proposal Managers and Proposal Leads • Technical and Solution Architects • Program and Project Managers supporting CSO efforts • Pricing, Contracts, and Legal professionals involved in non traditional acquisitions • Executives responsible for CSO pursuit decisions

Participants leave with a structured framework, real world examples, and proven techniques to elevate BOE quality and improve the probability of winning.

Certification • 1 Elective Unit

Who Should Attend • Cost Estimators

Certification • 1 Elective Unit Workshop Length • 1 Half Day, depending on delivery • Includes pracical exercises and hands-on analysis

Workshop Length • 1 Day

• Capture Managers • Proposal Managers • Pricing Analysts / Cost Volume Leads • Program Managers and Solution Architects • Functional SMEs contributing to estimates

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Shipley Training Catalog

Shipley Training Catalog 41