subject: Understanding Federal Government Procurement Contracts [print this page] Some companies get very frustrated when they attempt to work for the government, but it doesn't have to be that difficult. If your business is interested in the federal government procurement process it can start by registering with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). This database collects the information on vendors that are interested in doing business with the government.
Next, you should try to discover exactly who is in charge of purchasing and awarding the contracts to business that are seeking government procurement. After all, the person who buys the paperclips for the office is probably different from the person that decides who will build the rocket engines. Always find out who is who in the agency.
After discovering the necessary contact people for a specific good or service, it is incumbent on the business person to familiarize those people with their individual business. Federal government procurement is a very specific area of purchasing, and the potential buyer must understand exactly what a specific vendor offers.
Promotion is an obvious necessity for vendors who hope to do business with the government. It is important to consider the vast amount of promotional material that those who handle federal government procurement see each day. It is wise to establish personal contact with the buyer and receive permission to email, fax, or mail promotional material.
There are several important websites that small businesses should use to stay abreast of the latest vendor opportunities. Federal government procurement information is featured on the Small Business Administration site (sba.gov), as well as on a site called fedbizopps.gov.
It's always a good idea to stay in contact with potential buyers. Federal government procurement officials will receive a lot of bids every day. If you've done your job right, though, your company is the one that they will think of when it is time to choose a contractor.
One of the important rules to remember is that government officials aren't allowed to accept gifts and gratuities. The government procurement ethics code is very clear on that. You are, however, allowed to deliver small samples of your work of minor value, as long as it is also available to the public sector.
Many vendors become discouraged when first dealing with the government. It is necessary to remember that under the maze of regulations and the paper work trail, there are simply federal government procurement professionals - regular hard working people - who want to obtain the best goods and services at the best price. If you can understand that, you will have taken the first step to securing your bid.
by: Jordan McPelt
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