Government Contracting Business Development Best Practices

Transcription

1 Government Contracting Business Development Best Practices Ryan Reid Founder Bidspeed Session 2, 1:00pm-2:00pm Eastern Time Small Business Contracting Virtual Conference Thursday, December 6, :00pm-3:00pm Eastern Time 1

2 About Bidspeed Launched October, 2009 Cloud-based, Government Opportunity Management System Operational Business Development Our customers - Federal contractors Economic Development Organizations (SBA Teaming Pilot Program) Federal Government Agencies 2

3 The Basics Finding information FBO (> $25k) GSA, DLA (Buying Organizations) FPDS-NG (award data) Getting started Start early Understand How Procurement Strategy is determined Your responsibilities Other Data Sources 3 3

4 The Government is looking for you Requirements drive procurement strategy The Federal Government likes needs Small Business Required by law to set aside all solicitations under $150,000 Required by law to seek capable (responsible) sources for all solicitations (over $150,000) Some (many) exceptions 4

5 Market Research Opportunities New solicitations are published as Sources Sought notifications 1,000 (average) new Sources Sought solicitations every month General Rule: If 2 or more capable small businesses are found the solicitation must be set aside 5

6 Why it Matters Chances of winning are dramatically better Both business development and marketing Buyers are captive and interested Establishes active communication early Get your company in front of the buyer when they are getting ready to buy 6

7 What s the Catch? #1: Time We know, you re too busy working on real bids #2: You have to qualify Different NAICS have different size standards #3: You have to be responsive Read the solicitation answer every question 7

8 Response Workflow 1. Find Sources Sought within your capabilities. 2. Keep track of the time 3. Write your response 4. Respond (most are electronic) 5. Follow up 6. Keep in touch 8

9 Sources Sought Response Demo 9

10 Good to Know Things A Sources Sought notification doesn t guarantee an RFP The RFP may not have the same Solicitation Number If the RFP isn t set aside you may ask why Follow up remember, it s marketing 10

11 A Few Best Practices Respond early, respond often Remember, it s Business Development Write a good, short Capabilities Statement Remember, it s marketing Use good document footers Get properly registered (now) Look like a real company 11

12 Other Data Sources Got DIBBS? 12

13 The Defense Logistics Agency Largest U.S. Department of Defense buying agency Manages 4.8 Million Items in Eight Supply Chains ~85% of all Military Services repair parts ~8,000 contract actions per day Fiscal Year 2010 revenues: > $40 billion ~3,000 RFQs posted per day 13

14 What the DLA Buys Class I: Subsistence (food, rations) Class II: Clothing & Textile (recruit clothing) Class III: Fuel/Energy (bulk petroleum, electricity, coal, gas, aerospace) Class IV/VII: Construction & Equipment (wood, safety & rescue equipment) Class VIII: Medical (pharmaceutical, equipment) Class IX: Aviation (parts, engines, maps) Class IX: Maritime (parts for ships and subs) Class IX: Land (parts for vehicles) 14

15 Buy American Buy American Act FAR Subpart Restricts the purchase of supplies that are not domestic end products. Two-part test to define a domestic end product: (1) The article must be manufactured in the United States; and (2) The cost of domestic components must exceed 50 percent of the cost of all the components 15

16 Manufacturing Acquisition Method Suffix Codes (AMSC) Generally looking for AMSC G coded items Bid sets, Drawings cfolders ( Contact DLA support for authentication information ( ) Solicitations with Tech Docs have drawings 16

17 Bidspeed DIBBS Support RFQs only (RFPs > $25,000 on FBO) Award Data is occasionally misleading, use common sense Search Agents, Filters, Opportunities, Links, Reminders Direct link to DIBBS for quoting mark the solicitation as responded 17

18 FPDS-NG Primary source for federal procurement data What s Reported? Actions on contracts valued over $3,000 Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQs) Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) Basic Ordering Agreements (BOAs) GSA Supply Schedules 18

19 Using FPDS in Bidspeed Agency Spending Expiring Contracts NAICS Matching My NAICS Competitors Enter Competitors by CAGE 19

20 CONTACT INFORMATION Web: Phone: Ryan Reid (Founder) - ryan.reid@fedbidspeed.com 20 20

21 QUESTIONS? Press the Raise Hand icon to ask a phone question To sync your phone line and Internet connection, go to the tabs above the PowerPoint slide and click on info to access your site session and attendee id numbers. or type your question into the Q&A panel 21 21