Why you need to reach out to government contracting officers.
There are a ton of reasons why small businesses should build good working relationships with government contracting officers.
For one thing, procurement officers can be a valuable source of advice and information, especially for companies that are trying to win their first government job.
And frankly, if those officers don’t know who you are, what you can do and what kinds of opportunities you’re pursuing, you might be missing out on jobs that you’ll never learn about otherwise.
The Opportunities You’ll Never See
You might already be familiar with Federal Business Opportunities, the website where the federal government announces its need for various goods and services. If not, you can find the site—nicknamed FedBizOpps or FBO—at www.fedbizopps.gov.
Depending on the size of the contract, though, the solicitation may never make it to FBO. That’s because contracting actions below $25,000 are exempt from the FBO posting requirement.
Solicitations that fall between $10,000 and $25,000 in value must be publicly advertised, but that notice could be made through a local newspaper or on the cork board at the local courthouse.
The next lowest level, contracting actions estimated to be between $3,000 and $10,000 in value, don’t need to be posted publicly. At this threshold, contracting officers are still required to get three bids or seek competition to the greatest extent possible.
Lastly, micro-purchases less than $3,000 do not need to be advertised, and contracting officers do not need to seek out multiple bids. They can simply pick up the phone and call one business to do the work.
Most contractors may never hear about these opportunities unless they happen to be operating in the same town as the contracting office—or if they’ve made contact with contracting personnel and expressed interest in bidding on a specific type of opportunity.
Your Best Foot Forward
As consumers, we feel more comfortable doing business with folks and companies we know. It’s often the same with government contracting officers.
As you begin to make contact with government agencies, it is important to remember that contracting officers are contacted by hundreds, if not thousands, of businesses each year. Each contracting officer has his or her own idea as to how they want to hear about your business. Some may just write your name down and file it away. Some may request you send a capabilities statement so they can see who you are and what you do. Some may even be open to a face-to-face meeting.
However you tell your story, be clear and concise. Remember to ask questions about how the procurement process works with that agency or office in particular. Don’t try to sell them.
Give contracting personnel the information they need to know about you and your business, and spend time listening so you understand what to do next. A strategic focus and targeted marketing will go a long way to helping you be successful in the government marketplace.
