Art of Zen Federal and Commercial Consultancy Offers 60% Reductions and Seasonal Discounts

ALEXANDRIA, VA, September 12, 2012 (Press-News.org) CEO-President, Donna L. Quesinberry manages ZenCon, an Art of Zen consultancy answering requirements with Client firms for bids, presentations, proposals, white papers and "other" solutions. This season, in celebration of fall and end of the fiscal year, Ms. Quesinberry decided to extend lower than low discounts for Clients' in order to aid them during the down-turn economy.

She states, "Things are really tight right now for companies. Most of our clients are emerging, small or mid-sized small organizations who have increasing hardships in managing their bottom-line. Often in federal and commercial procurement you hear consultants say, 'You get what you pay for.' This is due to the reality discounts are perceived in the government and commercial contract community with suspicion. There is an abnormality associated with government (federal, state, local) and commercial contracting, suggesting if you are not requested to pay top dollar - you are not going to get top quality results. It is unfortunate many government and commercial vendors have been sold the idea exorbitant payouts for consultants ensure qualitative acquisition and procurement results. This very thinking has created pricing mechanisms emerging small companies cannot afford and during their patterns of growth they are often the "very organizations who need to hire consultants" in order to expand understanding of the federal and commercial contract landscape.

In many acquisition and procurement arenas - seasoned or veteran skills are essential for emerging and niche' organizations to gain essential knowledge reservoirs for submitting quality solutions in order to aid others through the services and solutions they proffer. In order to succeed, companies are often required to expand their knowledge beyond internal personnel. It is like a puzzle, many pieces may be part and participle of a company's core competencies, but the remaining unsolved pieces can make or break their presentation. All the pieces have to come together and consultants offer elements often otherwise unperceived without assistance.

So, ZenCon offers commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) pricing mechanisms as solutions, which is not typically recognized in contracting - especially federal contracting. There is an unnatural hesitancy to believe in bid, presentation, proposal, tender, and etc. product pricing to be marketed as packages; however, at ZenCon, we have success doing just that. It does require a level of trust and also an earnest representation. Ms. Quesinberry is known for propriety in presenting Clients' to the government and she insists on ethical underpinnings in presentation of organizational facts and solutions; however, she also coaches and mentors Clients' in how to answer compliance with solid legal premise through seasoned methodologies companies are typically unaware of.

For fall 2012, ZenCon is offering dramatically reduced rates with a ten month fulfillment window. For instance, for requests for proposals (RFPs), requests for quotes (RFQs), requests for information (RFIs), ZenCon features a fall discount product. A one-half deposit secures 88 - 100 hours of effort at a fixed rate, which can take place at any time during a ten month period post-purchase. For companies with "tighter" budgets a one-third deposit is considered. If any overages exist, at submission they are re-mediated from final payment, which takes place at submission or delivery for deliverable products. ZenCon also features annual month-to-month (MTM) retainers at fixed rates for set volumes of work.

We see no reason to pay astronomical overhead for a consultancy, when oftentimes the individuals hired to provide services are consultants ZenCon promotes in an one-on-one configuration. ZenCon removes layers of cost through one-on-one remedies."

The ideal of product solutions for government and commercial contracts has been frowned on by the contracts community-at-large for years. Most companies, and consultants, insist on per hour pricing, which typically ranges between $100.00 and $250.00 per hour for "any and all" efforts. While talents associated with government and commercial contracting are developed over a lifetime of experience and do result in warranted higher-end consultant fees, generally even the most junior position titles are fielded through third-party vendors who also add significant mark-up often exceeding 50% more per hour. This amount of overhead places undue burdens on companies. During a down-turn economy, it is unfair to insist on exorbitant rate structures. Especially for new and emerging businesses who cannot afford these rates, which become necessary ingredients when desiring to raise the bar of performance in reaching contract goals and objectives.

The government contracting community especially, limits new and emerging companies ability to grow independently. Often newcomers have to remain subservient through subcontract associations in order to gain essential access funding and contract award capabilities. While this may be a stretch in imagination, the fact remains talented consultants aid contractors and vendors in gaining essential skill sets necessary to gain access to necessary government and commercial funding.

ZenCon believes high-end skills should be affordable to all Clients at all times. And, purports today's contracts market is riddled with the 88 to 100 hour procurement opportunities, which at the average of $150.00 per hour (lower end of third-party consultant rates) costs companies $13,200 to 15,000.00, when an already discounted per product rate of $7,500.00 is further reduced to the SPECIAL DISCOUNTED RATE OF $3,000.00 (FALL CELEBRATION SPECIAL) - these are 60% or greater savings. To secure these cost savings, Clients' pay one-half down to reserve the schedule for their opportunity (preliminary research and information shares are mitigated PRE-release) the final one-half is paid at the time of submission.

ZenCon provides the same quality in solutions as the $250.00 per hour consultant, because we've charged the $250.00 per hour rates previously. As a veteran in the procurement industry, with an affordable representation, ZenCon also offers annual monthly retainers, which ensure organizations have consistent assistance for fixed rates regardless of their capture or business development needs. And, ZenCon can expand services to full team supports through previously vetted "seasoned industry experts" or remain their one-on-one ace in the emergent company pocket, which can be as seamless or as present as desired.

How does ZenCon do this? Through remote one-on-one work performance. Offering additional supports in a cafeteria payment methodology results in Clients' gaining what they need, at affordable rates, without undue overhead or burdened costs, when they need it. Washington Technology's latest Fast 50 represented a 20% share of ZenCon (formerly DonnaInk Publications) Clients', most serviced at higher than necessary rates through third-party vendors hiring same services ZenCon provides one-on-one for far less.

Ms. Quesinberry concluded, "Many of my good friends are third-party consultant solution vendors. Recently, an intelligence community Client stated these 'friends' were prostituting my services to agencies such as his - while this is a hard demarcation and not aligned with the respect I carry for my third-party or agency friends. . . it is true first-hand contracts with your source for services makes good sense. Third-party consultant middle-firms will always exist, but for the budget smart practitioner, ZenCon promotes quality performance at affordable rates.

Less stress - more success!"

Feel free to reach out to ZenCon, an Art of Zen Consultancy for your government and commercial bid, presentations, proposals, tenders and "other" business product needs at info@donnaink.com or (703) 270-9440. Visit the ZenCon website: http://www.donnaink.com.

ZenCon, is a DonnaInk Publications Consultancy featuring expert solutions in government and commercial contracting among bids, presentations, proposals and tenders at affordable rates.