Friday, March 31, 2017

Experienced Businesses Explain How To Be A Government Grantee Or Contractor

By Jason Gray


In order to stay in business, owners are always on the lookout for new clients and new opportunities to expand their companies. A lot of them dismiss the idea of bidding on federal agency jobs because they think the process is too complicated, takes too much time, and is not lucrative enough to be worth it. Others don't think they have a chance of winning the bid because they aren't big enough. Many small businesses have done the research however and have learned how to be a government grantee or contractor.

There are some requirements you will need to fulfill before you begin the process of bidding. There are company identification numbers you will have to get. At some point, you may have to get additional insurance in order to finalize a contract. This is something you should find out about in advance, so you can factor these additional costs into your bids.

There is a governmental database you will have to register for, and then fill out the company profile. Some owners, mistakenly, don't take the time necessary to fill out the form thoroughly because they consider it a formality. Procurement agents search the database all the time to find potential businesses for jobs. Filling out the keyword field will bring up your company name more often than those who left the field blank. Be sure the references field is also completed. Good references and past performance may be more important than the lowest bid.

Hopefully you have developed some networking skills because you will need them if you want to become a successful contract bidder. It is possible to get in touch with the procurement office and, if you have patience and are persistent, you will eventually talk personally to a procurement official. You should also plan to start attending the conferences procurement officials conduct.

Filling out a bid solicitation can be extremely frustrating and time consuming. Depending on the contract, bids can run dozens of pages, but that is fine as long as you give them all the information they require exactly in the manner they ask for it. Your bid can be thrown out because one item was left out. If your bid is rejected, you may request a meeting with agency representatives to find out why.

Federal agencies are required to award some contracts to small businesses, so you might want to start by bidding on one of those contracts. They even give major jobs to little companies, if they prove they can handle it.

If you are a disabled veteran or have a business that serves an under advantaged population, you can get extra consideration when you bid. Minority owned businesses also get special consideration.

Growing a business can be challenging, but there is a world of opportunity with governmental contracts. You just have to be determined and diligent and understand how the process works.




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