Have you ever considered selling your goods or services to the government? If you’re a small business owner, it’s definitely something worth considering.
After all, the government is always in need of products and services, and there’s a lot of money to be made in government contracting.
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’re here to help. In this blog post, we’ll give you a crash course in government contracting.
By the end, you’ll know the ins and outs of selling to the government and you’ll be well on your way to landing your first government contract.
Pre-Bidding Process
- Know your industry and problems you solve in the marketplace. This is key in knowing which agencies to start with and improves your odds of success. They want to solve problems in the form of buying services and products.
- Make sure you have your proper North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Codes. These six digit codes directly correlate to your product or service lines that you desire to sell to the Government.
- Create a Custom Capabilities Statement. Selling to the Federal Government is a mix of old and new school marketing. The good news is that you’re not dancing on tik-tok or doing reels! However, you do have to interface with the buyers, at some point. Whether it’s through attending industry days, matchmaking events, or even just having a conversation with the Small Business Offices for each agency. The goal is to be ready with your custom capability statement, to meet and articulate how your business partnership will accelerate the agency's success in meeting goals and objectives.
- Finally it’s actually locating and applying for solicitations primarily found in the System for Award Management (SAM). Check out more information below on what goes into the bidding process.
GSA Schedules: An Intro
The first thing you need to know about selling to the government is that there are certain processes and procedures you need to follow. One of the most important is getting registered on GSA Schedules. GSA Schedules are lists of contractors that the government has pre-approved to provide certain goods and services. There are over 1000 different types of GSA Schedules, so it’s important that you find the one that best fits your business. To get started, check out this list of GSA Schedule contacts.
The Bids Process
Once you’ve registered, it’s time to start bidding on. The bids process can be daunting, but don’t worry, we’re here to help. The first thing you need to do is find relevant opportunities. The best place to start is SAM (System for Award Management). SAM is a database of all federal contracts. You can use SAM’s search function to find opportunities that fit your business’ strengths.
Before submitting a bid, it’s important that you do your research. Make sure you understand all of the requirements of the contract and that you have a realistic view of what it will take to fulfill those requirements. Once you’ve put together a strong bid, it’s time to submit it through eSUB – an online platform for submitting bids.
Government contracting can be a great way for small businesses to increase revenue and expand their operations.
By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you’ll be well on your way to landing your first government contract. Just remember to do your research, submit strong bids, and utilize quality resources so you can streamline the process and increase your chances of success.
Looking for support through the complicated application and registration process?
We’re here to help walk you through every step of the process from start to finish.