How To Win Government Contracts

Small Businesses Can Contact Local Ptacs

Never forget: the government wants people to win contracts. It looks forbidding from the outside, but like any other organization, the government is concerned with getting quality work. Theyve even set up Procurement Technical Assistance Centers to help the process along.

These are local and regional offices set up to help businesses become certified government contractors and get them through the process of winning contracts. You can find your local PTAC on the agency website.

Theyll offer help with SAM registration, workshops, and free one-on-one counseling. With over 300 locations across the US, theres bound to be one near you.

Hire A Professional Agency

Theprocurement process has many pitfalls, sometimes very tricky ones. Nothing thatyou could not handle, of course, but losing a bid for any reasons means yousimply wasted a lot of time and now need to start from the beginning. And thenmay be again. And again.

Hiring a professional means you are protected from numerous novice mistakes right from the onset, save time and effort, and greatly improve your odds on winning. Experts in GSA consulting know very well how to bid on government contracts to make the bid look sound and hale. An expert can also provide a number of tips and advices that can be extremely helpful in composing your proposal.

Know What It Should Cost

Youre not the only one playing the price-guessing game. As part of releasing an RFP, the government agency has also gone through a pricing exercise to decide how much the work should cost.

NOTE: The RFP cost target doesnt necessarily align with the value of the resulting contract award. The agency uses the RFP number to get funding for the project. This is part of the annual budgeting process discussed earlier. Agencies often incorporate risk management and cost estimating techniques to improve the accuracy of their budget plans as well as to evaluate whether the contractors proposal cost estimate is realistic.

To help you evaluate what the agency is thinking, consider:

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Small Business Preference In Federal Contracting

Under the Small Businesses Administration , the federal government has enacted several programs to help small businesses break into the federal contracting market. The SBA has created several programs that create a preference for businesses meeting specific eligibility criteria either based on ownership of disadvantaged people or geography. These programs are designed for set-aside contracts that do not go through the competitive contracting process. Rather, these contracts are sole-source contracts designed to fill specific federal government needs. Specifically, small contracts ranging between $3,500 and $150,000 are set aside for certain small businesses.

The SBAs 8 preference category seeks to assist small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals successfully bid for federal contracts. To be eligible for 8 preference, the small business must be owned by a socially and economically disadvantaged individual. Proof of disadvantage is required for eligibility and the business owners must demonstrate good character and potential for success.

The HUBZone preference category helps small businesses located in economically disadvantaged regions mapped by the SBA. The HUBZone Maps can be found on the SBAs website. While many of the HUBZone regions are economically depressed rural areas, some economically depressed urban areas are also included.

Ask For Help At Your Local Ptac

Procurement Technical Assistance Centers or PTACs provide varied assistance in government contracting, all for free. There you can find out if your business meets the criteria to work with the government. You can get help certifying your business as 8, WOSB or HUBZone. And sure enough a PTAC can help you identifying bid opportunities that your company is eligible to bid.

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How Does The Contract System Work

GeneralServices Administration is responsible for supplying federal agencieswith goods and services they need. The range of such goods and service is notall-encompassing, but still is wide enough to cover the majority of spheres andindustries. Basically, the government needs almost everything.

The vehicleto purchase goods and services for the federal agencies needs is calledSchedules. A schedule award opens up contracting opportunities for a business.Bidding for such opportunities and winning the bid effectively signs thecontract between that business and the government.

And learning how to bid is a significant part of your success in doing business with the largest customer in the world.

The Price Is Right: 5 Pricing Strategies That Win Government Contracts

If you think about it, the steps of pricing to win a government contract is a lot like being a contestant on the game show The Price is Right, considering that you:

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We Are Here To Help You Win Government Contracts

Learn Little Known Insider Secrets in the Procurement Process

Every city, county, and state lists economic development and job creation among its guiding principles, we are a value added resource to take the guess work out of the contracting and bidding process. Wouldnât you like a portion of that $6.2 Trillion dollar budget? If you havenât considered the government as marketing strategy, you need to consider opportunities as a subcontractor where you can partner with companies already winning contracts.

Tip #: Consider The Price

One of the most common mistakes made in the tendering process is when suppliers assume that the cheapest bid always wins. Not only is this wrong, but under-pricing your solution could actually harm your chances.

One of the major changes to come about as a result of the new UK Public Procurement Regulations 2015 is that, when scoring a tender, the buyers should give focus not just to price, but to the best price for the best quality, or even the life-cycle costs.

Value for money and not price alone decides most bids. By deliberately under-pricing, suppliers run the risk of being seen to lack credibility in their proposals, they could put themselves in danger of not being able to run the contract to the budgets set, and could give the impression that the low price reflects the low quality of the solution.

There are two distinct stages to properly costing your bid.

Value for money and not price alone decides most bids. By deliberately under-pricing, suppliers run the risk of being seen to lack credibility in their proposals, they could put themselves in danger of not being able to run the contract to the budgets set, and could give the impression that the low price reflects the low quality of the solution.

There are two distinct stages to properly costing your bid.

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Bidding And Being Considered For Federal Projects

If your company has received a request for proposals or has seen an advertised request for proposals, it is time to begin the bidding process. First, you will want to review and analyze the solicitation. Determine what would be involved in the contract and determine whether it is feasible for your company to take on the project at this time. No contractor is required to bid on any project even one sent privately to a company however, bidding on as many contracts as possible is a good way to establish rapport with the federal contracting authorities.

If you decide that bidding on a particular contract would be a good move for your company, you will want to begin the bid process by getting organized. Bidding for a federal contract can be quite complicated, and having an organized team can help ensure you can complete a good bid proposal on time. You should start by selecting a team leader to oversee a bid preparation and then assign other employees to prepare portions of the bid based on their expertise. Try to determine what the most critical requirements of the contract will be and allocate your best staff to complete those sections of the proposal.

Understand The Bidding Process

Before you land into a contract, you will most likely need to undergo a bidding process so it is key to understand how the bidding process works and what the types of government solicitations are there.

To give you an idea, the four types of government solicitations include the request for a quote, request for proposal, an invitation for bid, and request for information.

Regardless of the type of solicitation the government agency asks, you need to provide a responsive bid or proposal that complies to the procurement requirements and procedures.

Most importantly, you need to make sure that whatever the requirements are, you have looked upon it and resolved any issues that might compromise the project before agreeing on doing the contract.

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Easiest Government Contracts To Win

Current or recent past performance makes future contract wins easier. Unfortunately, penetrating the Federal Government contracting market as a 1-person company with no past performance is nearly impossibleunless you leverage industry insider knowledge! Therefore, gain market penetration by alternative ways, finding those easiest government contracts to win.

Talk To A Pcr And Get Listed

Youll need to speak with a procurement center representative for the government agency you wish to work with. This person serves as a liaison between you and the federal government, making sure you have all the info you need to bid.

Each agency will also have their own specific bid boards on their procurement websites.

After youve learned all the bidding requirements to win government contracts, get yourself listed in the System for Award Management . This database functions like LinkedIn for government contracts.

Update your business info quarterly to keep the government aware of what youre doing and offering. The more accurate this listing is, the better a chance you have to win a lucrative contract from the government.

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Get The Price Right With Boemax Proposal Software

All the above sounds like a lot of work especially if you start from scratch every time you want to respond to a new RFP. We feel your pain.

Thats why we created a basis of estimate software like BOEMax to streamline everything that goes into creating a data driven cost estimate, so your proposal stands out from your competitors.

You can produce high-quality cost estimates in less time because you have reliable source data to start with. Among the key features in our BOEMax proposal writing software are:

Then, give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.

Dive Into Your Indirect Cost Details

Were not telling you to adjust your direct labor rates, fees, or fringe rates. What were suggesting is taking a hard look at your indirect rates and look for ways to trim costs. Pay close attention to your overhead as well as general and administrative costs. You can often find opportunities to reduce costs. Here are some common expenses worth reviewing:

• Computer hardware and software services moving selected computing services to the cloud can reduce in-house costs and improve security, while using a basis of estimate software can increase your employees’ efficiency.
• Office supplies and related office equipment that is no longer necessary.
• Facility maintenance and rent.

5. Reverse-engineer the competition.

Study similar awarded contracts with public financial information to gauge direct labor rates, average rate per hour, burdened labor rates, and total contract value. Do your homework on the U.S. General Services Administration and other respected sources for rate schedules, labor categories, and burdened labor rates in your area. Compare your findings to salary surveys and calculate the burdens for different labor categories to help you figure out competitor wrap rates and bidding strategies.

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How Do You Price A Government Contract

There are various ways you can price a government contract however, your price might not be guaranteed by a contracting officer if you did not thoroughly research and prepare for it. You can dive deep into the above-mentioned websites, looking for how often quality won out over price or vice versa and paying close attention to the details.

Even though the price is slightly more than other bidders, certain federal contracting officer regularly awards prime contractors with the best solution. Other contracting officers choose to find small business contractors that offer the lowest price while still being technically appropriate. Here are more reminders on pricing a government contract.

• Bid aggressively if you want your first federal contract. But keep in mind that your first federal contract might not bring in a lot of cash. Nonetheless, you will earn valuable past performance and experience, as well as contacts with procurement officer/s who will remember you for future, more large deals.
• Consider basing your price on the prize from the previous year.
• Increase your bids as you gain more previous experience.

Remember:

• Read the full bid a second time. You cant afford to overlook anything or fail to follow instructions precisely.
• Double-check your bid with a friend or colleague. Check for spelling mistakes and double-check that youve answered all of the questions and submitted all of the needed information.
• Make use of your bid template to save time in the long term.

How To Win Government Contracts Without Having To Write Complex Proposals

You want to learn how to expand your business with government contracting?

Government Contractors Association is here to help you NAVIGATE THE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING MAZE and Learn How to âWIN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTSâ NOW WITHOUT spending 3 years spinning your wheels!

What is significant about April 19th, 1775?âThe Shot heard around the world?”Secret Meeting at Lexington, Mass?

NO Government Contracting Started! George Washington did not have the money to purchase equipment, food, clothing and finances for the Continental Army, so he was able to acquire or procure what was needed through a written contract from a new congress or at the time a simple group who backed him and his efforts to build our country. The Federal & State Governments use a Contract as the binding agreement with a vendor to provide products and services to the government in exchange for payment for those goods later.

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Knowing The Bidding Process

It is essential that you go through the bidding process before grabbing a contract to know how it works. There are tons of government solicitations that range from a request for proposal to request information and many more. No matter what solicitations are, it is important to give a responsive proposal that looks compatible with procurement needs. Stay updated about the requirements that the government demands to make bidding according to that.

Tips To Help Recruiters Win Government Contracts

Securing a government recruiting contract can provide a major boost to the finances of any recruiting firm, but landing a deal with a government agency or department is not the same as landing a deal with a corporate client. Government agencies use a formal procurement process to select suppliers and award contracts, so your recruiting firm must learn to write and submit a quality bid.

Follow these five tips to write bids that win more government contracts:

1. Use Government Language to Talk to the Government

Government departments often use terminology that differs slightly from the corporate world, and they have different pain points to boot. It is critical you demonstrate in your bid that you are familiar with government language and norms. Talking about a chief executive officer when you should be referring to a department chief is a sure way to lose the contract.

When writing a bid for a government department, start by looking at the request-for-proposal documents. The department in question will have used crucial terminology in this document, which you can identify and incorporate into your bid.

2. Its Not All About the Money Talk Process and Methodology

3. Conduct a Bid or No Bid Analysis

4. Set Your Bid Apart With a Strong Visual Component and Infographics

5. Choose Win Themes That Appeal to a Government Audience

Jason Cooney is founder of The Tender Team.

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Learn How To Find No Competition Contracts

Who wouldnât want a customer that generates millions of contracts every year in the private sector in all exceeding $6 trillion dollars, who is guaranteed to pay for products & services, prints their own money and buys everything!For me to sit here and tell you its easy would be misleading! Thatâs another reason why we bring you this complete video course. We provide you with a Government Blue Print to help you understand the government marketplace and how your company can continuously bid & win contracts.

Keys To Winning Government Contracts Using Bid Management Software

However, because of these benefits, government contracts are not the easiest to secure. There are a lot of businesses vying for the same contracts, and by necessity, there are also a lot of regulations throughout the procurement process. This results in a competitive environment for government contracts, one which requires businesses to be at the very top of the game in order to set themselves apart from the rest.

As such, government contractors face a tough job keeping things in order, both when managing current contracts and preparing bids for potential future contracts. This is why in recent years more and more businesses are looking to digital technology to help address the various pain points associated with contract procurement. The latest bid management software solutions are changing the game when it comes to bid and capture.

Cloud based bid management software can be used in a number of ways to aid government contractors in upping their capture success rate but only if you know what you are doing. Here are some best practices for securing government contracts with the help of bid management software.

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