Information You Need

In the business of government procurement, the right source of information and information itself is essential. This is how you progress from the planning stage to the actual bidding process.

Look for information made available to the public about awards that the government has granted for the past year. These can be gathered from various resources including websites, journals, newspapers, reports, meeting notes among others. Analysis of these information yields an operational understanding of government spending attitude, consumer trends, and public demands. This ultimately helps you tailor your responses to the specific demands of the market.

Then start looking for government bids! These bids are government contracting opportunities open for proposal. Government agencies offer bids when they are looking into purchasing a product or a service. Bids will ideally include all relevant information to the service or product they seek and to which interested parties, such as yourself, will respond by submitting pricing details. 

StateandFederalBids.com features the most extensive collection of bids from state, local, and federal agencies on almost every category of products and services. Whether you offer construction materials and services or own a mid-size bakery, StateandFederalBids.com is your one-stop site for government business opportunities!

You can read about the basic bidding process here.
   

Strategies to Get That Contract!

In the light of the recent federal government shutdown, it is consoling to businesses all over the nation that are considering government contracting or are already into this activity to note that state and local government agencies are still buying more products and services though budget for federal spending have been reduced.

Companies who esteem themselves to be good business investors don't just blindly look for bids but instead determine the compatibility of the opportunities during the planning stage.  If you are looking for a steady cash flow from doing business with the government, then you should know about term contracts.

Term contracts (also known as: blanket purchase agreements, recurring contracts, IDIQ and state purchasing coops) are an opportunity source for companies that provide items consistently needed by agencies.  State and local entities will set up a term contract to allow agencies to buy a product (computers, for example) at pre-negotiated prices from a limited number of vendors for a pre-set period of time.

Research!

This is very important for successfully making your name in the government market. Researching is always hard work, but more so with government bidding! You'll have to look into hundreds of websites, read notes from council meetings, and analyze what they want and how they want it done. On top of this, it is also advisable to check what kind of contracts they offer and consequently if you are within capacity to see them through and which companies have already and are most likely to snag contracts.

Of course, as an entity who is already running a business, it'll probably cost you time to do all this digging around. Fortunately, there are online resources who do this work for you. Stateandfederalbids.com actively and thoroughly gathers federal, state, and local government contracting opportunities all over the nation! Now you can focus on identifying the kind of opportunities you want to take on.


Target!

Keep your strategic eye on opportunities and contracts. Again, we bring back the importance of gaining some working knowledge on the spending and awarding attitude of government agencies. This will help you in establishing your foothold in the government market as the awarding agency will stick with you if you perform well and beyond their expectations.

Respond!

Invest everything you have to make the best bid response ever! Practice thoroughness and clarity in addressing the requests of the bid. Present your company as a brand with competence and dedication worthy of investment!

Why Do Business with the Government?

Government contracting can be a very good and rewarding business move, especially when the proper steps are taken with careful thought and effort. Here are some reasons why:

1. Financial security.

Government contracts typically span a couple of years, three to five years on average, which means that venturing into government bidding can provide you a secure and steady cash flow within a certain period of time. You'll know when the contract ends, so you'll have time to look for other opportunities before it expires.


2. The government is a loyal customer.
 

If the government chose your bid, that means they trust you enough to stay with you for the duration of the contract. This also means that even though you might slip up a couple of times, they are literally obligated to see you through the project (although you might want to avoid slip-ups as this could mean your last government contract).

3. Smart marketing.

Admit it. Having done a good job for a federal, state, or local agency will look good on your company resume. This will make you more attractive to other government agencies who might be looking for your products or services. Don't fret if you're still working your way up with smaller contracts. If you know what you're doing, you'll eventually get the bigger fish. Learn as you progress, always have your eye on evolution and expansion.

4.  Whoever you are, the government wants you!

Whether you make bagels or build rocketships, there is an agency in the government that wants you. The government market isn't a question of the demand but of supply. The demand is always there; what they are looking for is you, the supplier. 

So waste no time and start doing business with the government! Visit our site for the most extensive database of government bids at the federal, state, and local level!

How to Snag Government Contracts in 5 Steps

Even with the recent federal government shutdown, government agencies still maintain its position as the largest consumer of products and services through its state and local offices. Many businesses who want to snag federal government contracts but now find themselves at odds from the shutdown can always look into their state/local agencies for opportunities that are equally rewarding and profitable.

Here are some five steps to win that government contract:

1. Gather bids!

State and local agencies post hundreds of bid notices every day! Surely you can find an opportunity that matches with your products and services. To stay up to date with the latest bids in your state and local agencies, subscribe to StateandFederalBids.com.

2. Establish your presence.

Make yourself known through several marketing strategies; employ ones that effectively guarantee sufficient company exposure, highlighting what you can do, how you do it, and how much you'll do it for.

3. Build relationships!

This is key in any kind of business. Take time proving your worth. Always communicate to your government business partner any suggestions, oversights, or other information relevant to the execution of your project together.

4. Give it your all!

The best way to strengthen relationships is to show the other party that you will go the extra mile to get things done. Write your bid responses with keen details and comprehensive constructions. Check and double-check for any errors. Remember that your proposal is your chance to establish a great first impression.

5. Think carefully about your price.

Keep in the mind that your business partner is the government, and as such, they are required by law to give written proof on the accountability of their business endeavors. Be competitive on your pricing. Set it to high and you might not even be considered at all. Set it too low and there might be questions on the quality of your product or service. The key here is smart marketing and competitive pricing.

A Green-Minded Government

A new consciousness has enveloped the corporate world ever since the alarming aftermaths of global warming reached public knowledge. From the largest offices to the humblest household, it seems everyone in the United States of America is investing effort and money to increase the environmental sustainability of their tools and practices.

Yes, this is also especially true for government agencies.

One of President Obama's goals way back in 2009 was to reduce the government's carbon footprint by getting federal agencies to buy more energy-efficient appliances and electronic systems, observe more sustainable practices such as using stormwater for non-potable purposes (e.g., flushing toilets), and getting alternative, more environmentally friendly means of transportation. The main goal of these efforts is to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the government by 28% come 2020.

As a provider, green products are more expensive to manufacture and sustainable services a tad more difficult to perform. This means that the government is ready to spend more money for the same products and services, only greener. The supply should always complement the demand, so more environmentally conscious products are in order for your business as well.

But exactly where is the government now in its goal for a more sustainable operation? Here are some instances from four federal agencies (this might give you an idea of the services and goods they're looking for):

Department of Defense

•   The Air Force two years ago increased its alternative fuel vehicle inventory by 2,112, or 27 percent, to 10,037 total alternative fuel vehicles.

• The Air Force Information Management Office is using a new telework center in Rosslyn, Va. for 48 workers, a project expected to save about $314,000 annually in costs.

Environmental Protection Agency

• The agency is gathering rooftop runoff rainwater in large cisterns and storing the water in manufactured tanks or underground storage areas. The water is being used for flushing and cooling at EPA’s Kansas City, Kan., Science and Technology Center, for green roof irrigation at EPA’s Narragansett, R.I. laboratory, for toilet flushing at the Gulf Breeze Computational Science Building in Florida, and for landscape irrigation at the agency headquarters in Washington.

•  All EPA facilities are observing waste reduction programs and recycling of paper, corrugated cardboard, glass, plastic, and aluminum containers.

• Facilities also are recyling fluorescent bulbs, toner and ink jet cartridges and CDs, DVDs, scrap metal, wood and batteries.

• They are also composting food waste.

Department of the Interior

• The department is minimizing building energy consumption and reducing its dependence on of traditional sources of power in favor of using more renewable sources.


• The department is consolidating its computer data centers to reduce energy use.

Department of Homeland Security

• The department is replacing older vehicles with high-efficiency vehicles with low greenhouse gas emissions.

• The department developed a program to replace its law enforcement vehicles with alternative fuel vehicles. 

StateandFederalBids.com

Up in a Cloud

The government has recently adopted a "cloud first" policy for the public IT sector. This implies that the cloud should be your first go-to place when buying IT products and services. Cloud computing is essentially an answer to what IT services need: a way to increase capacity or add capabilities on the service without going through the trouble of looking for a new place, hiring and training new employees, or licensing new software. 

Cloud First in Government Bidding

The “Cloud First” policy invites government agencies to make use of cloud-based computing services when looking contractors to perform work or provide service for them. Government entities who are looking to optimize their funds for contracting endeavors can achieve substantial savings by taking advantage of cloud benefits in cost-arbitrage efforts. 

Here are some advantages of cloud-based solutions for your agency:

• Increase competition within your supplier pool both locally and nationally
• Automatically create bids and develop detailed reports for better accountability
• Observe sustainability efforts by keeping tabs on your contracts and buying products in a single location

There are a number of cloud-based solutions that you can implement in your agency. Two things should influence your choice: 1) the system should look at your financial activities in a holistic perspective and 2) provides an end-to-end, e-procurement platform that consolidates strategic sourcing, contract management and purchasing tools into one comprehensive cloud-based service.

Your Chance as A Small Business

Government agencies in the United States, both federal and state/local, spend billions of dollars buying products and services ranging in complexity—from staplers to space rovers to chocolate fountains for the next presidential gala. If you own a small business, you might think that you don't stand a chance against bigger corporations who have been prime contractors for the government for a long time. Procurement laws, however, assure you that you can still snag contracts even though your business is relatively new to government contracting.  There are established goals for federal executive agencies: 

• 23 percent of prime contracts for small businesses;
• 5 percent of prime and subcontracts for small disadvantaged businesses;
• 5 percent of prime and subcontracts for women-owned small businesses;
• 3 percent of prime contracts for HUBZone small businesses;
• 3 percent of prime and subcontracts for service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.

Furthermore, the Small Business Act 15(g)(1) also states that it is the policy of the United States, that each agency shall have an annual goal that represents, for that agency, the maximum practicable opportunity for small business concerns, small business concerns owned and controlled by service disabled veterans, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, small business concerns owned and operated by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, and small business concerns owned and controlled by women, to participate in the performance of contracts let by that agency.

SBA's role

To ensure that the Government-wide goal for participation of small business concerns be established at not less than the statutory levels annually and to report the agencies' achievements relative to the goals of the President.

Subcontracting

You're a small business owner, and after evaluating your capabilities and resources against the requirements of government contracting opportunities, find yourself falling short of some areas. You're thinking that there's a small chance of you snagging a contract, but you really want in on the action! Worry not! You can still perform a part of the job through subcontracting.

Subcontracting is when you team up with a company  who has already won the contract. This experience can be beneficial to you as this can furnish you with firsthand insights on how to properly carry out contracts when you yourself finally become the prime contractor. It's not just for less-experienced businesses though. Companies who already have better chances of winning contracts can still get into subcontracting and increase their qualifications as contractors. 

There are of course regulations that govern subcontracting endeavors. Such laws include Section 8(d) of the Small Business Act and FAR 19.7. 

Prime contractors who have contracts exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT) are required by law to provide maximum practicable subcontracting opportunities to small business. Federal contracts that exceed the SAT should include the clause "Utilization of Small Business Concerns."

These laws, among other things, require that:

• On contracts over $500,000 (or $1,000,000 for construction of a public facility), large prime contractors and other-than-small subcontractors submit subcontracting plans containing specific percentage goals for small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business, VOSB and service-disabled VOSB.
• Subcontracting plans must contain a description of the methods and efforts used to assure that small business enterprises have an equitable opportunity to compete for subcontracts.
• Subcontracting plans must be submitted by contractors for review prior to the award of any contract; failure to comply in good faith with its approved plan may subject the contractor to liquidated damages or termination for default.

The requirement to submit a subcontracting plan does not apply to:

• Small businesses;
• Contracts under the prescribed dollar amounts;
• Prime contracts not offering subcontracting possibilities;
• Contracts to be performed entirely outside the United States.

StateandFederalBids.Com: Where Opportunities Abound

As a contractor, your client could be the federal government or the state/local government. The procurement process for federal agencies can be more stringent than those from state/local entities, but they both demand a particular degree of attentiveness from businesses who wish to render them service.

In a nutshell, federal agencies are government departments or branches that represent the United States as a nation in various fields and areas of science, healthcare, education, and services. Under these departments are a number of offices that could easily amount to more than a hundred, and they post bids every day! These entities are always in need of products and services that can be as complex as a space ship and as simple as a rim of paper.

State and local agencies on the other hand are offices, departments, or entities that are under the jurisdiction of the different states. A case in point would be the State of New York, under which are the New York Department of Education, Department of Health, and the rest of New York's state agencies. New York alone has over a hundred agencies! Imagine the staggering number of bids posted every day from other government agencies from other states! We're looking at a number close to a hundred thousand!

So while the federal government has the bigger share of spotlight in the business of government contracting, there are over 89,000 other entities from your state and local government who are looking for contractors like you to do work for them!

StateandFederalBids.com collects bids from both federal and government agencies, but we take pride in our state and local government database, which constitutes 85% (approximately 40,000) of our collection. It is also worthy to note that state and local bids demand more effort and care to collect, that is why in our pricing options, they are given a higher value.

In any business, it is prudent to always seek the best. Now more than ever is the time to look for government contracting opportunities where they abound and where you are confident that they will turn out perfect for your company. StateandFederalBids.com is that place.

Check us out now!

Your Responsibility As a Contractor

You've just won the contract! Congratulations!

This doesn't mean though that your work is done; in fact, it is just the beginning.  Before you even began the bidding process, you should already make sure that you are capable of performing all the terms and conditions of the contract once you chanced upon in snagging it. Once the contract is yours and you under-perform, you might as well consider the possibility that this could be your last business venture with the government.

Step one is to thoroughly and carefully read the contract before putting your name on the dotted line. Some contracts can be formidably long, especially ones that involve huge and complex projects, so you might be tempted to skip some provisions. Don't do this though as this might result into something legally troublesome in the long run. Make sure you read and understand every term, every provision, every page before sealing the deal.

General Responsibilities of a Contractor

The Federal Acquisition Regulation 9.104 and 9.105 (FAR) prescribes the standards for the responsibilities and requirements of a contractor. Here is what you need to be a responsible contractor:

• Money. As the contractor, you must make sure that you have the financial resources to carry out the terms of the contract.

• Great sense of time. Get things done at the time the contract says they should be done. Remember that the government has a schedule, so make sure you take into account the agency's commercial and governmental commitments.

• Integrity. Business without ethics is nothing short of a scam, so a reputable history would work to your advantage.

• Experience.  The government can be a meticulous client, so experience in operational processes such as organization, management, accounting, and technical aspects of the job is necessary. You should also have sufficient working knowledge on production control procedures, property control systems, quality assurance measures, and safety programs.

• Resources. To carry out the terms of the contract, you of course need to have the facility, equipment, and technological resources to do the job. If you won the contract to build a hospital for the State of Idaho, make sure you have enough sacks of cement, enough engineers to work on the building, and other important determinations to get the job done.

• Legal qualifications. Check yourself first against regulations if you're qualified to accept the contract as well as perform it.