Defense Technology Manufacturer Raises DoD Proposal Process Efficiencies by 50%

Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions Division, a longstanding leader in the defense industry, has earned its reputation as a trusted supplier of advanced technology solutions deployed in defense vehicles on land, in the air and at sea. Curtiss-Wright has consistently played a pivotal role in the defense sector, focusing on delivering cutting-edge technology and optimization to enhance defense capabilities.

Defense customers, particularly the Department of Defense (DoD), rely on Curtiss-Wright’s extensive capabilities and exceptional track record, sealing its position as a crucial contributor to the nation’s defense infrastructure. In the land vehicle segment, Curtiss-Wright specializes in providing open systems architecture-based in-vehicle networking and computing solutions for the Ground Defense market. These rugged commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) building blocks empower prime customers to rapidly deploy state-of-the-art commercial systems, thereby supporting critical applications for the nation’s warfighters.

In the air, Curtiss-Wright’s technologies play a vital role in operating, monitoring and controlling flight systems, weapons deployment and data analysis for a wide range of fighter aircraft programs and unmanned aerial vehicles. The company’s contributions extend to addressing military forces’ critical intelligence and surveillance needs.

Curtiss-Wright’s expertise also extends to the sea. The company delivers innovative, high-performance technology optimization for nuclear propulsion systems and those designed to capture and launch tail hook-equipped aircraft and ship-borne helicopters, further bolstering national defense capabilities.

Working with Prime Contractors

In a recent interview, Sarah Irby, Sr. Proposal Manager at Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions’ Santa Clarita facility, reveals her business unit’s modus operandi in the government contracting sphere: “We primarily collaborate with prime contractors, such as Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Sikorsky Aircraft and Boeing during the proposal process. They, among others, are our key partners in the defense industry landscape.”

Delivering Enhanced Capabilities

When asked about the nature of Curtiss-Wright services delivered through recent contracts, Irby emphasizes that Curtiss-Wright’s core focus is enhancing the capability, reliability and survivability of digital systems solicited by prime contractors for government projects.

Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions offers engineered components, subsystems and services that optimize the prime contractors’ existing land, sea or air in-vehicle systems. These services revolve around digital system optimization, ensuring systems meet the stringent requirements of modern defense operations.

In essence, Curtiss-Wright’s collaboration with ProPricer^™ further strengthens its ability to deliver advanced solutions to prime contractors, which in turn, helps advance the nation’s defense capabilities through innovation.

The Challenge

Many subcontractors in the industry face a significant challenge when it comes to accurately and efficiently pricing their products and services. The intricacies of cost estimation, proposal preparation and data exchange with prime contractors can become a cumbersome and error-prone process.

With government contracts requiring precise cost data and compliance with stringent regulations, subcontractors may struggle to keep pace with the industry’s evolving demands. Their existing spreadsheet-based methods not only lead to time-consuming manual calculations but also introduce a heightened risk of inaccuracies and compliance issues. These challenges could jeopardize a company’s profitability in the competitive government contract landscape if left unaddressed.

The Solution

Recognizing the need for a transformative solution, Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions has turned to ProPricer Contractor Edition, a specialized software platform tailored to the unique needs of both primes and subcontractors in government contracts. ProPricer’s powerful capabilities for cost estimating, proposal generation and data sharing offer Curtiss-Wright the tools they need to streamline operations and enhance competitiveness.

Here’s how the software transforms Curtiss-Wright operations:

1. Government-approved and auditor-friendly

“ProPricer Contractor Edition has a great reputation with government agencies,” notes Irby. Government auditors see the software as an integral part of an estimating system. They are familiar with its reports and format, making the auditing process or proposal analysis significantly more efficient. When auditors or analysts need to review a proposal, ProPricer’s transparency and user-friendly interface enable a seamless walkthrough of the files, ensuring clarity in cost allocation and data sources. This expedites the auditing and reviewing process and enhances the credibility of Curtiss-Wright proposals.

2. Streamlined collaboration with prime contractors

ProPricer Contractor Edition facilitates seamless collaboration with the proposal analysts from prime contractors to easily integrate live files. This synergy streamlines the exchange of critical pricing information, ensuring that proposals align seamlessly and meet the requirements of all stakeholders.

3. Alignment with government standards

The fact that most government agencies use ProPricer Government Edition not only enhances collaboration between agencies and prime contractors but also ensures pricing to the primes is in sync with the expectations of those agencies.

4. Exceptional customer support

Irby’s praise for ProPricer’s help desk highlights the invaluable support system that comes with the software. “ProPricer customer service people are always available whenever I need them.” When faced with challenges or uncertainties, immediate assistance is just a phone call away. The proactive support team resolves issues promptly and offers guidance, whether by creating personalized algorithms, adjusting or developing new reports, assisting in navigating the platform or making necessary adjustments to the software platform itself.

5. Compatibility with essential tools

ProPricer Contractor Edition seamlessly integrates with commonly used software tools such as Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint, as well as Adobe Acrobat—enhancing the flexibility and versatility of a company’s estimating system and proposal preparation processes.

Simply, the implementation of ProPricer Contractor Edition software has been instrumental in the Curtiss-Wright journey to overcome the challenges of cost estimation and proposal preparation as a government subcontractor.

The Results

Significant time savings

One of the most striking results observed by Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions was the substantial reduction in the time required to organize proposal documents. Irby highlighted that even for relatively straightforward proposals, the use of ProPricer slashed the time needed by half. “If something’s going to normally take you 10 hours, it’s going to take you five with ProPricer,” explains Irby.

In Irby’s personal experience, “ProPricer delivers a 50% increase in speed to proposal. When your proposal is submitted on time, and it’s current, accurate and complete, your need for a proposal revision is zero. Therefore, your turnaround speed increases by 50% compared to manual proposal adjustment methods.”

Streamlined reporting

ProPricer Contractor Edition also delivers substantial improvement in reporting capabilities. Irby emphasizes that ProPricer simplifies the process of generating various reports, with the click of a button. The software has the ability to quickly modify proposals in a matter of minutes. “This is a game-changer,” states Irby. “The professional, clean and easy-to-understand reports that result enhance the overall quality of Curtiss-Wright’s proposals to primes.”

Increased proposal throughput

Enhanced speed and efficiency have led to a notable decrease in the turnaround time for responding to any proposal or audit questions. This has ultimately led to an increase in time available to be spent on other tasks or projects. Irby confirms: “The reduced backlog in proposal pricing allows analysts to move proposals through inter-company approval processes more quickly, ultimately resulting in an increased number of submissions.”

Enhanced workforce continuity

Curtiss-Wright acknowledges the importance of workforce continuity in the contracting industry, where employee turnover can be common. ProPricer plays a pivotal role in maintaining structured proposal information that facilitates a smooth transition for newcomers. With standardized data and a user-friendly interface, onboarding new team members becomes seamless. “A new person can pick up right where a previous employee leaves off,” recognizes Irby.

Reduced compliance burden

ProPricer’s impact on compliance is also notable. In the context of Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA) proposals, the software’s ability to increase the accuracy of submissions leads to zero or reduced request for information (RFI) from the customer. This, in turn, translates to a significant decrease in the time required to interact with the auditors or analysis, further reinforcing Curtiss-Wright efficiency gains.

The Future

As Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions continues its journey of success with ProPricer Contractor Edition, the firm is poised for an exciting future that involves harnessing the full spectrum of ProPricer’s capabilities. Irby, who has been at the forefront of implementing ProPricer at Curtiss-Wright, shares her strategic plans for the upcoming year and beyond:

BOM analysis and integration

Curtiss-Wright recognizes that ProPricer offers a comprehensive set of tools beyond its core functionalities. “My next task will be discovering ProPricer’s capability with a Bill of Materials (BOM),” says Irby. This forward-looking approach demonstrates Curtiss-Wright’s commitment to leveraging ProPricer’s full potential.

Expanding ProPricer across the organization

Curtiss-Wright’s enthusiasm for ProPricer extends beyond its current implementation and is considering expanded use internally. Irby mentions she has recommended the platform to a different sector within Curtiss-Wright, which is now actively considering the integration of ProPricer into its own systems.

The collaboration between Curtiss-Wright and ProPricer is set to continue driving efficiency, accuracy and innovation in the firm’s government contracting efforts, positioning the firm for ongoing success. The last word on ProPricer? “I love it,” Irby concludes.