Sniff Out More Government Contracts With These 4 Tips

Joining the government contracting scene is one of the best ways for small businesses to tap a lucrative source of revenue. But many business owners are often discouraged by just how difficult it is to find a contracting opportunity, much less bid for one.

In this guide, we walk you through 4 basic tricks to help your business find government contracting opportunities.

Understand the Contracting Rules Inside and Out

Start by familiarizing yourself with each step of the bidding process as well as the procurement officer’s specific requirements. You’ll find that lead times are not only longer than what typically happens in the private sector, the bidding and product/service requirements are also stricter.

Fortunately, the government has provided several resources for small businesses, including blog posts on how the government procures products/services from small businesses as well as short courses on government contracting. Despite the amount of free information that is widely available, seasoned professionals such as those at BizDev Experts can help you navigate the federal contracting labyrinth much more successfully.

Anticipate What Government Agencies are Buying

Every government agency and department has specific budget goals, which, in turn, offer clues on how to position your business’s products and services to target contracting opportunities.

The good news is that the federal government has placed a wealth of information in the public domain, including budget priorities and how much each agency/department can spend in a given time period. These budget outlines, which are really more like strategy papers, provide valuable context on opportunities where you can focus your contracting marketing and sales strategies.

For the complete list of government agency and department budgets, head to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) website. Alternatively, you can tap into the capture management expertise of BizDev Experts. Contact us to get more information.

Get Out and Network

When it comes right down to it, a lot of government contracts are awarded to businesses who have established a good relationship with the Federal Government in general (as determined by their past performance ratings) and agency’s contracting office in particular. If anything, this means that networking should be one of your company’s primary activities when scouting for contracting opportunities.

Start by joining government events held for specific agencies or industries. Each year, the private sector hosts several expos around the country in industries like defense, agriculture, education, and healthcare. These events present an opportunity not just to meet agency officials, but to network with other businesses that you could potentially partner with to bid for large contracts.

Online platforms like BizDevExperts.com have discussion forums that encourage frequent interaction among its members. You don't have to wait for annual conferences to engage with potential teaming partners. Do so immediately by commenting on blog articles or contributing to a discussion topic.

Look for Agencies Still Trying to Achieve Their Small Business Goals

Federal law requires that 23 percent of federal contracts be awarded to small businesses. Each year, the Small Business Authority (SBA) works with government agencies to help comply with this requirement. The problem is that many agencies fail to meet their small business targets, as shown in scorecards in the Federal Procurement Data System. This means there are opportunities for your business to bid for contracts—it’s just a matter of knowing where to look.

However, your business might have to meet additional requirements to bid for small business contracts. For example, the HUBZone program, a government initiative that helps small businesses in Historically Underutilized Business HUBZones, requires certified businesses to:

• Be located in a recognized HUBZone

• Hire 35% of employees who reside in HUBZones

BizDev Experts can help you remain in compliance with the HUBZone's 35% rule. Contact us to get more details.

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