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Marketing Tips and Resources for GSA Schedule 520 – Financial and Business Solutions Contract Holders

Marketing Tips and Resources for GSA Schedule 520 – Financial and Business Solutions Contract Holders. National Capital Region Small Business Utilization O ffice Presenter - Deirdre White-Randall. Who uses GSA Schedules?. Executive & Other Federal Agencies

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Marketing Tips and Resources for GSA Schedule 520 – Financial and Business Solutions Contract Holders

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  1. Marketing Tips and Resources forGSA Schedule 520 – Financial and Business Solutions Contract Holders National Capital Region Small Business Utilization Office Presenter - Deirdre White-Randall

  2. Who uses GSA Schedules? • Executive & Other Federal Agencies • Mixed-Ownership Government Corporations (FDIC, Federal Home Loan Banks, etc.) • The District of Columbia • Cost Reimbursable Government Contractors authorized in writing by a Federal agency (48 CFR 51.1) • State and Local Government (Cooperative Purchasing, Disaster Relief) • Domestic and Worldwide

  3. Schedule 520 Sales/Trends • FY 2010 Total GSA Schedule Sales = 38.8 Billion • Total FY 2010 reported Sales for Schedule 520 = 1.14 Billion Schedule 520 was 6th in total schedule sales in FY 2011 1- Schedule 70 - IT 2-Schedule 874 – MOBIS 3-Schedule 871 – PES 4-Schedule 84 – Security 5-Schedule 71 – Furniture 6-Schedule 520 – FABS

  4. Schedule 520 Sales/Trends Top 5 Sales per SIN FY 2010 *FY 2011 trend compares sales first 2Qts of FY 2010 to FY2011

  5. Prerequisites for Marketing • Define your Niche • Conduct Market Research – You can not market successfully with out conducting market research • Learn the Rules – FAR • Narrow your focus • Create a Business Plan for federal contracting

  6. Market Research • Who are my customers – All government agencies and other authorized users can order from the GSA Schedulebut “All agencies” is not a focus • Focus on one or two agencies to start your market research

  7. Who buys want I/we sell? Consider the following resources to conduct market research. USASpending.gov • http://USASpending.gov Federal Business Opportunities • www.fedbizopps.gov Federal Procurement Data System • https://www.fpds.gov Acquisition Central • www.acquisition.gov/procurement

  8. Questions for your Marketing Plan • Who are we?/What are our business strengths? – Weakness • Where do we want to go? • What is attainable now? • What/Who will help me meet my goals? • What is my budget for exploring? • What is the final outcome?

  9. How agencies make purchases Solicitation Procedures • Simplified Acquisitions – FAR 13 • Small Business Set-asides – FAR 19, FAR 6 • Sealed bids – FAR 14 • Negotiated Proposals – FAR -12,13, & 15 • Full and Open Competition – FAR 6 GSA Schedule –FAR 8.404 The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) provides guidance for all these acquisition methods

  10. Howagencies make purchases GSA Schedules Often the preferred method with DOD and other Agencies FY 2010 GSA Multiple Award Schedule 520 sales reached over $1.4 Billion *Total FY 2010 Schedule Sales – $38 Billion

  11. How does Agencies can utilize Schedule 520 • Sales – Micro purchases/Simplified/BPA’s/Competition/Evaluation factors • e-Buy - Research the Advantage Spend Analysis Program e-Buy statistics/trends • GSA Advantage!®

  12. How agencies utilize Schedule 520 Vendors Log in here https://www.asap.gsa.gov

  13. How agencies utilize Schedule 520 Schedule 520 GSA 19 e-Buy RFQ’s so far in fy2011

  14. Locating Buyers • www.fbo.gov – Advanced Search • Pre-solicitation, Sources Sought, Solicitation/Synopsis • Agency Forecast, Digest bulletins, • Legislation, GAO Reports, OIG Reports • News reports- Federal Times, WSJ, local publications

  15. USASpending.gov

  16. Know your customers purchasing practice • Research/Customer Base • Current • Potential • Request • Other sources • Cost/Discounts • Benefit • Success? • Use Fedbizopps and eBuy to research what current needs request for RFI/Sources Sought, recent contracts • Use acquisition.gov/procurementforecasts/ to view potential opportunities

  17. Locating Buyers – FPDS.gov Top 10’s Agencies and Vendors sort options

  18. Market Research - Federal Business Opportunities Search for opportunities,set-asides, sole source, pre-solicitations, and Special notices Search for Recovery opportunities and awards

  19. Seek/Create Federal Opportunities • www.gsa.gov/smbusforecast - Forecast (Updated) • NAICS Code • Title • State • Cold Calling • Authority to Purchase • Contact Information • Quarterly/Biannual Updates • Emails as follow-up only *Be pleasantly persistent* • Conference Attendance • Set Goals • Anticipate potential partners – not just buyers • Determine Needs • Network, Network, Network • Acquition.gov -Portal to view all agencies Forecast Opportunities -View agencies web sites and Small Business web pages

  20. Utilizing Information Effectively • Consider different mailing list • General – Any and everybody • Potential – High Probability • Direct – responsive/sure thing • Contact Steps • Letter/Capability (Intro) • Phone Call (details) • Follow-up • Follow-up often/sincere • Email • Seasonal Greetings • Update Annually • Points of Contact (POC’s) • Numbers • Address • General or Direct List • Pricing • GSA Data Sites • e-library • GSA Advantage! • Vendor Support Center

  21. Acquisition Central All agencies

  22. Company Introduction • Letter: Who, What, Where (about the company) (avoid starting your Introductions – We are a Small Business. Talk about what your company does well) • Phone Call: Who, When, How Much (potential customer) - • Follow –Up: Card, Email, Letter (quarterly update) GOAL: Visibility, Familiarity, Integrity, Trust, Confidence

  23. Responding to an RFQ/Sources Sought Fedbizopps, eBuy, GSA Advantage or ITSS • Decide and Notify • Yes I will be participating • No, I will not • Respond in order • Not clear, then ask questions • Respond to all parts • Follow Directions • Describe your process and unique values • Spell Check and Grammar Check • Be Neat • Group Review before submission

  24. How to DEAL????? • Rejected Bids • Unable to fulfill contract • Cannot submit an offer/respond to an RFQ • Upset the Contracting Officer • Not meeting sales criteria • Nothing seems to be working

  25. More Support • 11 Regional GSA OSBU www.gsa.gov/smallbizsupport • OSDBU for all agencies www.osdbu.gov • Procurement Technical Assistance Centers www.aptac-us.org • Customer Service Directors www.gsa.gov/CSD

  26. Utilize All Marketing Tools • www.gsa.gov/logo • Use images on GSA Advantage! ® • Attend large conferences like the GSA EXPO • www.expo.gsa.gov • www.gsa.gov/events • Attend outreach sessions designed just for small business - Access to Success (East Coast Oct 6, 2011) Opening Doors (West Coast – Spring/Summer 2012) • Come prepared to ask questions and get contact information • Invest in FedBizOpps

  27. Know Your GSA Schedule Contract Terms • Warranty • Delivery • Discounts • Authorized Dealers • Quantity Discounts • Service Agreements • Expiration Date • Option Year Requirements Give copies to your employees!!!

  28. Questions & Answers

  29. Thank you for attending • National Capital Region • Small Business Utilization Center • 202-708-5804 • www.gsa.gov/ncrsmallbusiness • Judith Stackhouse-Jordan • www.judith.stackhouse@gsa.gov • Deirdre White-Randall • www.deirdre.white@gsa.gov

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