If you’re not getting the government business you want and believe you could earn, the answer could be simple. Make a call instead of waiting for your phone to ring.
Did you know that last year was a record year for government contracting? And this year, there are a million more solicitations than last. But what’s surprising is that the number of contractors competing for that business is the same as, or fewer than, last year. So who’s getting those new contracts? The same 600,000 vendors. Shrinking competitive vendor lists mean agencies are going to the same well over and over again.
If you’ve got your GSA Schedule Contract and you’re sitting back waiting for the bid to come to you rather than being aggressive and proactive in soliciting agencies’ business, you’ll be waiting a long time. I see so many companies that spend tons of money on getting a GSA Schedule and they are disappointed when agencies don’t contact them for their products and services. It just doesn’t work that way.
When you’re competing for government dollars you first have to get educated and then you have to find solicitations that match your business. Start by doing your research. You can find out all of the agencies that are purchasing, or have purchased, products and services similar to yours. These are some things you’ll want to know:
- Contract number
- Amount of contract
- Contracting Official
- Competitor - current contractor
- Competitive Contact
- Expiration date of contract
Before you even respond with a bid - really before the solicitation is ever released - do some digging and start to develop a relationship with the contracting official. Contact the current contractor and find out what they are actually supplying, how the agency is to work with, and whether the business was worth the effort. That contact could be a great source of quick business for you. Develop a relationship with other business owners, maybe even a mentor/protégé relationship, and either help deliver the current services or possibly go in on another bid with them.
Once you find out the current contractor, you should find out how many other agencies are using the same contractor, or soliciting the same products or services. Determine how frequently a current contract is up for renewal: that information is available through 2014. Use easily accessible tools to get smart about your business opportunities and then dive in.
When you’re ready to start bidding, there are numerous sites that post federal government, military and state RFPs, as well as hard copy publications. The challenge is knowing how to search out opportunities that are a good match for your business. Thousands of solicitations are issued daily but the key is having solid data and a process for identifying which proposals are the best fits for your company.
About the Author: Barry Nelson |
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