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To compete and win some of the $6 trillion that the
government spends Startups should follow these guidelines:
1. You have to figure it out yourself.
You have to learn how the customer acquisition
process works.
Start by reviewing the
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). The FAR is the
bible for government contracting.
2.
Attend training sessions (online and offline).
3. Attend acquisition expo events held around the country
every year.
Visit the
Government Contracting Calendar.
4. Attend outreach events held by different Departments and
speak to Procurement Officials/Contracting Officers and
establish contacts.
Visit the
Government Contracting Calendar.
5. Speak with acquisition specialists or contracting
officers who understand the regulations specific to your
product/industry.
6. Take advantage of special status that may apply to your
business to give it a competitive edge.
If your Startup qualify as a Small Business or
Minority Business Enterprise (MBE),
Veteran Owned, Disabled Veteran Owned Business
(DVOB), Woman owned business, Asian-American owned business,
SBA 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business, HubZone or Business
Enterprise it could be eligible for set-aside contacting
awards. Learn
more about
minority certifications.
7. Understand government contracting language such as
Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Information (RFI),
Prime Contractor, Sub-Contractor,
etc.
Discover
more terms.
8. Try to team up with another company to bid on government
contracts. On
your first attempt to get a government contract go in as the
sub-contractor.
This will allow you to learn the ropes from the Prime
Contractor. As
part of a contract requirement the Prime Contractor may be
required to find smaller companies to sub-contract with in
order to get the contract.
You can find
sub-contracting opportunities.
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