Once the acquisition is linked to the agency's mission needs, the thoughts of the team should turn to what, specifically, are the desired results (outcomes) of contract performance? Is it a lower level of defaults on federal loans? Is it a reduction in benefit processing time? Is it broader dissemination of federal information? Is it a reduction in the average time it takes to get relief checks to victims? What is the ultimate intended result of the contract and how does it relate to the agency's strategic plan?

Note that these are questions that a former solicitation... or someone else's solicitation... cannot answer. This is one of the tough tasks that the integrated project team must face.

These answers can normally be found, not with an exhaustive analysis, but through facilitated work sessions with program staff, customers, and stakeholders. By taking the process away from a review of paper or an examination of the status quo, greater innovation and insight is possible. Once aired, those thoughts need to be captured in the performance work statement (PWS) or statement of objectives (SOO).

Note also that, to do this well, the team will need to plan to seek information from the private sector during market research (step three). Industry benchmarks and best practices from the "best in the business" may help sharpen the team's focus on what the performance objectives should be.