Today’s Agenda

1. Marketing to the Federal GovernmentA Business Primer For GSA IndustryPartnersCustomer Accounts & Research DivisionMarketing & Business Support BranchGSA Federal Acquisition Service

2. Today’s Agenda • Overview • Federal Government Customers • Conducting Market Research • Developing an Effective Marketing • Strategy • Other Useful Tools and Resources • Wrap-Up • Q&A

3. GSA Acquisition Centers National Administrative Services & Office Supplies Acquisition Center Management Services Center Integrated Workplace, Information Technology, Center for Innovative Acquisition Development & Automotive Center Center for Facilities Maintenance & Hardware Greater Southwest Acquisition Center

4. National Administrative Services and Office Supplies Acquisition CenterBusiness DevelopmentMarketingCustomer Service*****

5. National Administrative Services & Office Supplies Acquisition Center • 67 Cameras, Photographic Printers & Related Supplies & Services • 738 X HR/EEO and Social/Counseling Services • 75 Office Products/ Supplies and Services and New Products/Technology

6. National Administrative Services & Office Supplies Acquisition Center 76 Publication Media 81 IB Shipping, Packaging and Packing Supplies 874 Mission Oriented Business Integrated Services MOBIS (Training Services) 00JWOD now Ability One - NIB/NISH Products (Skilcraft brand) GSA Global Supply

7. Federal Government CustomersWho Buys? Decision Makers and Influencers in federal agencies: • ContractingOfficer/Specialist • Program Managers • End Users

8. Contracting Officers/Specialists Warranted by Congress to negotiate and enter into binding contracts with commercial firms • Gate Keepers of Programs and Initiatives • Generally Work for Project and Program Managers • Post Requests online for: Quotes, Proposals, and for Requests For Information

9. Program Managers • Establish “big-picture” requirements based on Agency Missions, Goals, Initiatives and Plans • Identify and Allocate Resources • Authors of Statements of Work (SOW) • Key reviewers of vendor capabilities

10. End-Users • Your largest target market for products - Credit Card holders • Federal civilians and DoD employees • Often have major input in selecting the product/service offering the best value and ease of use

11. GSA SchedulesWhy Buyers Use ThemWhat GSA Tells Prospective Customers: • Ease of ordering • Discounted prices, volume discounts • Wide selection of contractors • Direct relationships with contractors • Orders count towards agency’s socio-economic goals • Reduction of procurement lead time and administrative costs

12. Conducting Market ResearchSources of Information and Customer Data Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) FedBizOpps (FBO) DoD Business Opportunities Schedule Sales Query Federal Government Agency Websites

13. Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS)https://www.fpds.gov Central Repository of contract actions over $25,000 Summary info on actions less than $25,000 Identifies which federal civilian agencies are buying and what they are buying Users can run a variety of Reports

14. FedBizOppswww.fbo.gov FedBizOpps is the Government-wide Point of Entry for Procurement Opportunities over $25,000 Good POC information Government buyers post their RFQs, RFPs, BPAs and Task Orders online Vendors can sign up for e-mail notifications based on NAIC Codes and Keywords Advanced Search capability

15. Schedule Sales Queryssq.gsa.gov • Schedule Sales Data as reported by schedule contractors • Variety of reports available • Goes back five years

16. Federal Government Agency Websites • What You Should Be Mining Websites for: • Contracting Opportunities and Forecasts • Contracting Office POC Info • Agency Small Business Info • New Procurement Initiatives • Agency Procurement Plans • Business Opportunity Forecasts • Industry Day Briefings

17. GSA Advantage!www.gsaAdvantage.gov • GSAs powerful search-engine and online ordering system • Benefits for vendors: • Graphics included along with your product listing • Easy to Navigate • Increases potential for strong sales • Provides instant visibility and ability to broadcast price changes easily • Provides a direct link to your company’s homepage • Reduces catalog printing and mailing costs

18. GSA’s e-Buywww.gsa.gov/ebuy Electronic Request for Quote and RFP/RFI system Provides vendors with a greater opportunity to respond to RFQs and RFPs • Check e-Buy routinely for opportunities • Receive e-mail notices of RFQ opportunities • Access to all RFQs under SINS in which you hold contracts • – Key Value: Schedule Holders only • Point of Contact info, Contracting Officer Names, e-mail, phone number for mods and changes

19. Schedules e-Librarywww.gsa.gov/elibrary • The online source for GSA Schedule contract awards: • Perform searches by SIN (category), contract number, contractor name, Schedule number or keyword • Research other Schedule-holders in your industry • Find Partners/Sub-contractor and Contractor Teaming Arrangements

20. Vendor Support Center The VSC is the Starting Gate Sign up for e-Buy – Schedule Holders Only View RFQs on e-Buy/Steps to Success New Contractor Orientation Webcast (take it!) Tips on how to succeed as a contractor GSA Steps Newsletter Access at: vsc.gsa.gov Toll Free: 877-495-4849 e-mail: vendor.support@gsa.gov

21. Develop a Market StrategyStrategies for targeting government buyers: Create a Capabilities Statement Target Buyers at peak government buying times Maximize web presence Send traffic to GSA Advantage! from your company website Actively participate in a variety of federal and state government; conferences, seminars & trade shows to generate leads and opportunities Know your NAICS codes Lease or Purchase Direct Mail Lists

22. Contractor Teaming ArrangementsExpanding Your Business Opportunities Teaming Arrangements are created when two or more Multiple Award Schedule contractors join together to provide a solution to meet a federal customer need They independently abide by the terms of their individual contracts, but one contractor is designated, by the team, as Team Leader Contractors form these arrangements, at their discretion, when the result of their efforts produce the best solution for an agency’s requirement Non Schedule Holders can be a Subcontractor to Primes

23. Local GSA Customer Service Directors CSDs meet with federal civilian and DoD customers • Hold Regional Events with customer attendance - Regional focus with the benefit of local knowledge • Go to www.gsa.gov/csd for POC information or call • 800-488-3111

24. Web Resources • GSAs Section 833 – gsa.gov/stateandlocal • Schedules Training - gsa.gov/cae. Go to ‘create new account’ • Schedules Info: gsa.gov/schedules and gsa.gov/masguide • Listing of Large Primes – gsa.gov/subdirectory • Publications: gsa.gov/cmls • DoD RFQ Notices – http://progate.daps.dla.mil • Lists: INPUT, e-Pipeline, Leadership Directories (input.com, epipeline.com, leadershipdirectories.com)

25. Finding Business Opportunities • Events: • GSA Expo – expo.gsa.gov • Regional/National Events – many types • www.gsa.gov/events Acquisition Center Resources: Business Development Unit Marketing Unit Pamphlets and Brochures

26. Advertising - print MarkeTips R2 Liaison is Peter Davis; pete.davis@gsa.gov • Phone (212) 264-4781 Federal Times (federaltimes.com) Government Executive (govexec.com) Military Times (militarycity.com) Armed Forces Journal (armedforcesjournal.com) Federal Computer Week (fcw.com) Government Computer News (gcn.com) Government Security News (gsnmagazine.com)

27. National Administrative Services and Office Supplies Acquisition Center - POCs • Marketing • James Nicols 212-264-4828 • Alan Rosner 212-264-0868 • General Information • smartshop@gsa.gov • 212-264-0868 • Customer Service Directors • Christine Lincoln 917-282-4933

28. QUESTIONS?