Recruiting Small Business Suppliers. (Or, Now that we know the Regulations, how do we move forward towards meeting them?)

Transcription

1 Recruiting Small Business Suppliers (Or, Now that we know the Regulations, how do we move forward towards meeting them?)

2 What is really required? Good Faith Effort Company Policy CEO Letter Training Documentation Solicitation of Small Businesses 2

3 Good Faith Effort Good Faith : Honesty; a sincere intention to deal fairly with others. Good faith is an abstract and comprehensive term that encompasses a sincere belief or motive without any malice or the desire to defraud others. It derives from the translation of the Latin term bona fide, and courts use the two terms interchangeably. honest intent to act without taking an unfair advantage over another person or to fulfill a promise to act, even when some legal technicality is not fulfilled. 3

4 Company Small Business Policy Write and Publish a Company Small Business Policy Signed by Senior Management (CEO). Published Internally Annual Update and Company-wide Release 4

5 CEO Letter DCAA Audits will specifically request (require) a copy Review Samples from other firms as a guide. Publish it internally, especially to everyone touching the subcontracting process. 5

6 Training Train everyone who touches the subcontracting Process in the small business subcontracting requirements Business Development Program Management Procurement Subcontracting Capture/Proposal Team Employ both the stick and the carrot 6

7 Document Document Document Keep copies of EVERYTHING on File to prove you are making a good faith effort. Internal and external training conducted or attended Matchmaking or small business events attended by anyone in the company Teammate lists incorporating identified small businesses Small Business Self-Certifications and third-party certifications Solicitation Efforts 7

8 Solicitation Solicitation runs counter to Human Nature in American Culture. Path of least resistance Countering the culture to meet requirements more easily. Use tools to get the work done more easily Countering the culture to achieve greater success and profitability Answer the question What s in it for me? 8

9 Human Nature We are all born with natural tendencies We have the tendency to negotiate until culture changes us We all have a tendency to take the path of least resistance We all have a tendency to resist change We all have a tendency to do business with those we like and are familiar with. 9

10 Countering the Culture The tendencies that inhibit company-wide buy-in and make soliciting difficult can be countered if the proper techniques are employed. The Jerry Maguire principle or Show me the Money! We all want to be successful financially. Would making small business compliance part of Program Management s and Business Development s bonus metrics motivate those departments to put more effort behind meeting the small business requirements? 10

11 Counter the Culture II Expanding the Company s Market or the Add More Pies Principle The White House s online Small Business Dashboard dynamic database, as of May 13, indicated that total small business awards rose to $92 billion in fiscal 2014, up from 83.7 billion the year before. May 1, 2015 edition of Set-Aside Alert. Would legitimately getting a portion of that work motivate your company to put more emphasis on small business? 11

12 The Tools Your Primary tool is an open mind and an ability to abandon common knowledge and think outside of the box. Develop the habit of thinking outside of the box Ask open-ended questions and question the answers. Don t make assumptions Avoid knee-jerk responses Don t accept We ve always done it like this as a valid answer. 12

13 FED BIZ OPS Search Archives for previous awards Search by keywords to isolate projects by SOW Search by SB Subcategories Search for presolicitation, solicitations, awards Set up auto searches and reporting by 13

14 SBA-DSBS (Dynamic Small Business Search) Search by location at multiple levels Search by keywords Search by SB Subcategory Filter by business size $ or # of employees Search by registration date Define search result information 14

15 US Women s Chamber of Commerce A regular sponsor of matchmaking events. (Free to Primes) Works with DoS and American Small Business Chamber of Commerce. Very responsive and free membership for Prime Contractors. 15

16 US Department of Veterans Affairs Search Engine Veteran Verification Searchable using various filters 16

17 DoS Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Provides assistance identifying small business candidates upon request. Very helpful staff and sponsors matchmaking events and training events regularly. 17

18 SBA - SUBNet n/dsp_login.cfm Allows you to meet Small Business requirement to solicit small businesses of every subcategory simply and straightforwardly using SBA Website. 18

19 Notes: 19

20 Contact Information Rand Cordle Small Business Liaison Officer, Subcontracts Manager ACADEMI, LLC (O) (M) (M) 20