Qualify For Bidding a Government Contract
4 Tips For Bidding on Your First Government Contract
Start small. This was the No. 1 tip from successful small business contractors. Government agencies view past performance as a key indicator of potential success,
and to get your foot in the door, you should bid on projects worth as little as $3,000. A good strategy is to start by subcontracting. More than half of all the surveyed federal contractors said they got their start by pursuing these opportunities. "Find out who the larger prime contractors are, and offer to provide your services to them," says Julie Weeks, president and CEO of Womenable, a business consulting firm based in Empire, Michigan, that focuses on enabling women's entrepreneurship.
Do your research. "Many small business owners think that the government's not going to buy what they have," says Susan Sobbott, president of American Express OPEN. "[But] they buy almost everything." Much of your research can be done online. The first place to start is registering yourself on the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database, where you can create a profile making it easier for government procurement officers to find your product. Then, get on the pre-approved bidder list on the General Services Administration (GSA) schedule, where you can also look up what your competitors are doing. For a complete list of all Federal Business Opportunities, visit fbo.gov. Knowing your specific target market will help, says Randall Lebolo, president of Lebolo Construction Management, a construction company in Boynton Beach, Florida, whose business is now 90 percent government contracts.
Stay persistent. In the survey, contractors reported that it took almost two years on average to win their first federal contract. "Preparing for a government contract is like training for a marathon," Sobbott says. The most successful contractors unsurprisingly invested the most time and money in the bidding process an average of $86,000 in cash and resources during 2009, according to the survey.
Cultivate relationships. "You think of the federal government as this cold entity, and that it's all about putting together a big proposal, but it's still all about relationships," says Maureen Borzacchiello, president and CEO of Creative Display Solutions, a trade-display company in Garden City, New York, that has bid on five contracts. Relationships with government procurement officers are crucial. Agencies also have liaisons from the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) who will lobby on your behalf. Partnerships with other small contractors are also important; bidding for contracts as part of a team is another good strategy for getting started.
Source: Inc
Patty Block, President and Founder of The Block Group, established her company to advocate for women-owned businesses, helping them position their companies for strategic growth. Charting the course for impactful, sustainable, profitable businesses, the beacon is control: of your strategic direction, your money, your time, your staffing, and your ability to bring in business. The Block Group brings together the people, resources and ideas that build results.
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