As the saying goes: nice work if you can get it! The U.S. government spends $460 billion annually on everything from office supplies to major engineering projects. Both large corporations and small businesses can make the most of these opportunities and land lucrative contracts. The Greater Opportunities for Small Businesses Act and the Contracting Data and Bundling Accountability Act make it easier than ever for small businesses to get a piece of the federal pie. Not all businesses know how to land a government contract though. Here are some simple tips to help you understand the system. Stick with these to get the government contracts your business needs.
Do Your Research
Before putting yourself forward for any RFP, learn as much about the project as you can. Secondly, do your research on your competition and possible partners. The publicly available sites FPDS.gov and USAspending.gov as well as GSAadvantage.gov are the main platforms you can use to gather information. The FPDS Next Generation, for example, offers public users unprecedented access to the spending patterns of the Federal government—at no cost. Make good use of these to get a grip on some intelligence and facts.
Try Direct And Indirect Approaches
As a small business, you could either pitch to the government directly, or you could ally yourself with a larger corporation as a supplier or sub-contractor. The best method is to combine the direct and indirect approaches. The government has set a target to give 24% of its work to small businesses, especially ones owned by women, and veterans that are registered with the government. Large businesses have a goal of giving around 36% of their work to these companies. Be sure to put yourself in the running on both sides.
Do Plenty Of Networking to Land a Government Contract
Simply going through the usual government channels is not the best way to optimize your chances of landing federal contracts. Expand your network and get to know the right people. Leverage chambers of commerce, business incubators, PTAPs, and SBDCs, among others. Shake as many hands as you can, get a few introductions, and go to the right industry mixers.
Consec Solutions can support your organization as you apply for and fulfill your government contracts. Contact us to find out more about our information technology consulting and project management services.
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