Welcome to all... To the Premier Blog for the most boring of subjects: Federal Government Contracting. The good news is that you will find nuggets of information that you can trade in for payments from the government. Hey, send me a question or two and I'll have more fun blogging! GB. Summer, 2011
Recently the government has been trying to crack down on the fraud of larger businesses representing themselves as a small business - usually by getting a woman or disabled veteran to act as a front in a sham relationship. Because of this, "self certification" has become a process you need to follow with the SBA and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
As a veteran (not a woman, thank you), I am sorry that some of my brothers and sisters will agree to be part of this. You know who you are - and what you are.
The certifications do not cost anything, but require that you complete the process on the government web sites.
Service Disabled Veteran - http://www.vetbiz.gov/
Woman owned - http://www.sba.gov/content/contracting-opportunities-women-owned-small-businesses
Might as well get this done now, as many federal solicitations now require that you be certified. So take a few minutes and get registered so you will be ready when the right contract comes along.
Best to all, and check back often for more fascinating and exciting news about GSA and government contracting! Can it get more exciting? Probably not, but tune in anyway.
GB
Friday, August 19, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
A 6-Part Guide to GSA Contracting
Welcome to all... To the Premier Blog for the most boring of subjects: Federal Government Contracting. The good news is that you will find nuggets of information that you can trade in for payments from the government. Hey, send me a question or two and I'll have more fun blogging! GB. Summer, 2011
Looking for some light bedtime reading? Try my detailed examination of GSA and getting on contract. It is way too long to provide it here, so send me a note and I will send you the PDF file. No obligation!
Here is an exerpt from the survival guide:
Foreword
Over the last few years I have worked with well over 200 wonderful companies as a business development counselor and consultant. It is always energizing to meet people who want to get ahead by starting or growing a business. By writing this guide to GSA, I hope to help you decide if GSA is right for you, and if so, how to go about making an offer they just can’t refuse.
The original version of this guide was sponsored in 2006 by the Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN) and the Defense Economic Transition Assistance (DETA) program at Brevard Community College, Melbourne, Florida. It has been my great pleasure to work with them for the last ten years.
This guide is composed of six parts, described below:
Who needs this guide?
You are the right person to read this guide if you have an existing business, a good track record, and decent financials. Oh yes, you must have patience. We’ll touch more on that important note a little later.
I have helped many businesses, large and small, win GSA contracts. But GSA is not magic, and it is not too complex for most of us. It takes time, close attention to detail, a grasp of government contracting, and an awareness of the health of your business.
Here’s the good news, I have found that when any given company wins a GSA contract they will have:
• A solid price list
• A great list of customer references
• An awareness of their financial status
• A killer Capabilities Statement
• Up-to-date federal registrations
• An opportunity to market to the world’s largest buyer
Not everyone is granted a GSA contract. After all, the “value” that GSA adds to federal buyers is that GSA has checked you out. If you are not a healthy established business, willing to market actively, you are not likely to get an award. Let’s take a moment to learn the ways to use this delightful guide to GSA.
How to use this guide
Obviously, you can read through the hard copy, but this guide will be more interactive if you are using it on a computer, and especially if you have an active Internet connection.
Many links to Internet web sites and resources are provided here. When you click-out on a link, just use your browser’s Back Button to return to the guide.
There are also links to other parts within the guide so you can take whatever path suits you. Use the Table of Contents to go to any section instantly.
I suggest you use the latest version of Adobe Reader to view this guide interactively. To download the latest version, click here: www.adobe.com.
The game plan
I hope that you will allow me to escort you through the process, and I will do my best. I’ll start by introducing important general concepts in government contracting and then I’ll help you decide if GSA is right for you - or for that matter, if you are right for GSA.
From there you will learn how to analyze the information to help determine which of the 50 or so schedules is right for you. Once we have picked the right schedule, I’ll list and explain ten steps that will move you toward your goal: Sending a quality offer to GSA.
Where’s the money? I’ll help you understand how to find GSA buying agencies so that you can market to the right people in a competitive market. Getting awarded a GSA contract is just the start; to actually get revenue, you must market actively.
Finally, what fun is government contracting without the red tape and paperwork? In the last section of this guide I’ll introduce you to those dreaded reporting requirements. But, as I often tell my clients: “It’s their baseball, bat, and ball field, so we play by their rules.” The trick is to know the rules, stay inside the boundaries, and never make the umpires confused or angry.
So please send me an email and I will reply with this wonderful PDF opusculum (in total). Gary@GMBeckert.com
Good luck to you all!
Gary Beckert, Business Analyst
Summer 2011
Looking for some light bedtime reading? Try my detailed examination of GSA and getting on contract. It is way too long to provide it here, so send me a note and I will send you the PDF file. No obligation!
Here is an exerpt from the survival guide:
Foreword
Over the last few years I have worked with well over 200 wonderful companies as a business development counselor and consultant. It is always energizing to meet people who want to get ahead by starting or growing a business. By writing this guide to GSA, I hope to help you decide if GSA is right for you, and if so, how to go about making an offer they just can’t refuse.
The original version of this guide was sponsored in 2006 by the Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN) and the Defense Economic Transition Assistance (DETA) program at Brevard Community College, Melbourne, Florida. It has been my great pleasure to work with them for the last ten years.
This guide is composed of six parts, described below:
Who needs this guide?
You are the right person to read this guide if you have an existing business, a good track record, and decent financials. Oh yes, you must have patience. We’ll touch more on that important note a little later.
I have helped many businesses, large and small, win GSA contracts. But GSA is not magic, and it is not too complex for most of us. It takes time, close attention to detail, a grasp of government contracting, and an awareness of the health of your business.
Here’s the good news, I have found that when any given company wins a GSA contract they will have:
• A solid price list
• A great list of customer references
• An awareness of their financial status
• A killer Capabilities Statement
• Up-to-date federal registrations
• An opportunity to market to the world’s largest buyer
Not everyone is granted a GSA contract. After all, the “value” that GSA adds to federal buyers is that GSA has checked you out. If you are not a healthy established business, willing to market actively, you are not likely to get an award. Let’s take a moment to learn the ways to use this delightful guide to GSA.
How to use this guide
Obviously, you can read through the hard copy, but this guide will be more interactive if you are using it on a computer, and especially if you have an active Internet connection.
Many links to Internet web sites and resources are provided here. When you click-out on a link, just use your browser’s Back Button to return to the guide.
There are also links to other parts within the guide so you can take whatever path suits you. Use the Table of Contents to go to any section instantly.
I suggest you use the latest version of Adobe Reader to view this guide interactively. To download the latest version, click here: www.adobe.com.
The game plan
I hope that you will allow me to escort you through the process, and I will do my best. I’ll start by introducing important general concepts in government contracting and then I’ll help you decide if GSA is right for you - or for that matter, if you are right for GSA.
From there you will learn how to analyze the information to help determine which of the 50 or so schedules is right for you. Once we have picked the right schedule, I’ll list and explain ten steps that will move you toward your goal: Sending a quality offer to GSA.
Where’s the money? I’ll help you understand how to find GSA buying agencies so that you can market to the right people in a competitive market. Getting awarded a GSA contract is just the start; to actually get revenue, you must market actively.
Finally, what fun is government contracting without the red tape and paperwork? In the last section of this guide I’ll introduce you to those dreaded reporting requirements. But, as I often tell my clients: “It’s their baseball, bat, and ball field, so we play by their rules.” The trick is to know the rules, stay inside the boundaries, and never make the umpires confused or angry.
So please send me an email and I will reply with this wonderful PDF opusculum (in total). Gary@GMBeckert.com
Good luck to you all!
Gary Beckert, Business Analyst
Summer 2011
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