Top 7 Habits of Successful Government PMs and CORs

I used to work for the government as a Program Manager and Contracting Officer Representative (PM/COR) at GSA FEDSIM. My role involved managing IT and Professional Services contracts for our client agencies. Even though I'm now a contractor, I'm still passionate about acquisition because it plays a crucial role in the success of many agency services.

I have a vivid memory of a Program Management Review for a DoD satellite communications program. One of the DoD engineers was surprised by my knowledge about the program and asked, "How does she know so much? I thought she was just the COR?" In my opinion, if the COR isn't informed, then who is?

As a COR, your responsibility is to ensure that the contractor performs according to the contract. You manage the contract's funding, review and approve invoices, request modifications, and handle the receipt, distribution, and feedback on deliverables.

Rather than listing the 17 responsibilities commonly mentioned in COR Appointment and Delegation memos, I want to propose the Top 7 Habits of Successful CORs. Let's see if you agree.

1. Plan and lead the Post-Award Orientation Meetings (kick-off meetings), involving all acquisition team members and stakeholders.
2. Familiarize yourself with the contract and maintain a good relationship with your Contracting Officer (CO/KO) to show that you actively manage contractor performance and keep them informed.
3. Share accountability and goals with your contractor. Avoid an "us versus them" mentality because contract success should be a shared objective.
4. Take charge of the Status Meetings instead of simply attending them.
5. Keep track of how government funds are being utilized through Technical Descriptions, Consent to Travel, and Consent to Purchase. Waiting for the invoice and burn rate is too late, as the money has already been spent.
6. Communicate frequently and directly with your contractor about their performance. This way, there are no surprises when it comes to the Award Fee or the Contractor Performance Assessment and Reporting System (CPARS).
7. Develop and implement a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) that adapts to the contract's lifecycle.

I understand that many overloaded CORs rely on program support contractors, but these top habits should still be the COR's responsibility.

A highly effective PM/COR can significantly influence the contract's outcome. It's crucial to ensure that you fulfill these important areas because the success of your contract may depend on your performance as the COR.

Now, I'd like to hear from you. What other top habits do you think I missed?