Win Federal Contracts for Your Small Business
by Robert Moment
Published on this site: July 14th, 2005 - See
more articles from this month...
The United States Federal Government spends more than $600
billion dollars each year on buying goods and services from
the private sector. The federal government is the world biggest
consumer of goods and services, and advanced technology systems.
The government purchases an array of products and services
in nearly every category. The federal government spends billions
of dollars yearly on training and development, information
technology, telecommunication products, law enforcement, fire
safety, management consulting, medical services, environmental
services, just to name a few.
Are there real federal opportunities for your small business?
I can’t tell you with certainty that it does but I can
tell you that federal policy actively encourages agencies
to give procurement preferences to small, small disadvantaged
and women owned firms by establishing annual procurement goals.
The enormous federal marketplace offers potentially lucrative
business opportunities. The Small Business Administration
negotiates annual procurement goals with each agency to ensure
that small, minority and women owned firms get their fair
share of federal procurement contracts.
Example of Federal Procurement Contract Award Goals for
Fiscal Year 2005
- 23 percent of prime contracts for small businesses
- 5 percent of prime and subcontracts for
small disadvantaged businesses
- 5 percent of prime and subcontracts for
women-owned businesses
- 3 percent of prime and subcontracts for
HubZone small businesses
- 3 percent of prime and subcontracts for
service disabled veteran owned businesses
Under the Small Business Act all federal government contracts
under $100,000 must be targeted to small, small disadvantaged,
small women-owed and small service disabled owned companies.
This federal law creates very distinct marketing advantages
and business opportunities for small, minority, and women
owned businesses seeking to to business with the federal government.
The Federal Government provides small businesses with procurement
resources within Federal Agency Offices and Specialize Programs.
Here are some of the Small Business Procurement resources:
- Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business
Utilization (OSDU) within federal agencies is responsible
for promoting the use of small, small disadvantage and special
status businesses.
- Small Business Administration’s Office
of Government Contracts administers programs and services
designed to help small businesses meet the requirement necessary
to compete for and receive contracts.
- Mentor-Protégé Program is
designed to encourage federal prime contractors to form
a partnership and provide technical assistance to Small
Business Administration certified women-owned, small disadvantaged
and small businesses owned and controlled by service disabled
veterans.
- WomenBiz.gov is an online gateway for women
owned business seeking to do business with the federal government.
- Minority Business Development Agency which
is part of the United States Department of Commerce offers
assistance to minority owned businesses.
The Federal Government is a major and growing marketplace.
With over 2500 buying offices nationwide and expanding budgets
buyers are waiting to hear from your small business. The financial
rewards are well worth the time and efforts. Don’t sit
on the sidelines recession proof your small business and start
marketing your products and services to the federal government.
Get your slice of the $600 billion dollar federal contracting
pie.
Robert Moment is an author and business strategist.
Author of "Six Figure Federal Contracts for Small Businesses".
Sign up for his FREE e-course on how to successful register
your small business in federal procurement system. Visit www.federalcontractsforsmallbusinesses.com
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