Federal Contracting – 101 (The Art of the Process)

1. Federal Contracting – 101(The Art of the Process) Moderated by: Dan F. Sturdivant, II DHS, OSDBU

2. Policy Statement Policy Statement • It is the policy of the United States, as stated in the Small Business Act, that “all” small businesses have the maximum practicable opportunity to participate in providing goods and services to the government.

3. SBA Legislation To ensure that small businesses get their fair share, SBA: • negotiates annual procurement goals with each federal agency; • reviews each agency’s results; and • is responsible for ensuring that the statutory government-wide goals are met.

4. Government Wide Statutory Goals • Small business - 23 % of prime contracts • SDB - 5 % of prime & subcontracts • WOSB - 5 % of prime & subcontracts • HUBZone - 3 % of prime • SDVOSB - 3 % of prime & subcontracts

5. Getting Started – Basic Questions 1. Which government agencies buy my products and services? 2. How do I get in touch with them? 3. How do I market them?

6. Getting Started – Basic Answers Answer to Question #1 (who buys what I sell) • Information technology – (Basically) “every” federal agency buys some form of IT! • When talking “specifics” – (i.e.) Ship parts, plane parts or space vehicle parts - look at websites of your targeted market, such as DoD, DHS, NASA, NAVY, etc.

7. Getting Started – Basic Answers Answer to Question #1 (who buys what I sell) • Review agency publications: • Forecast of Procurement/Contracting Opportunities • Subcontracting Directory (Listing of Primes) • Listing of agency’s components & the Small Business Specialists collocated at each component or “buying activity.”

8. Getting Started – Basic Answers Answer to Question #2 – Getting in Touch • Check out these websites: • https://www.fpds.gov/- Identify who buys your product or service (hint: know your NAICS code) • http://www.fedbizopps.gov – Register - get notices of government requirements for your NAICS code

9. Getting Started – Basic Answers Answer to Question #2 – Getting in Touch More websites: • http://www.fedbid.com – Register - Compete on-line for government requirements in your NAICS code • http://www.mbda.gov – Register – Phoenix Database to get free contract referrals.

10. Getting Started – Basic Answers Answer to Question #2 – Getting in Touch More websites: • SAM (System for Award Management). As of May 2012, when users go to the CCR/FedReg, ORCA, or EPLS websites, you will be automatically redirected to the SAM website http://sam.gov. • http://web.sba.gov/subnet - SBA’s Prime Contractors post subcontracting opportunities here.

11. Getting Started – Basic Answers Answer to Question #3 – How do I market them? • Remember, the government is decentralized. Most agencies consist of numerous buying activities. (Example: Justice has 9 components; Treasury has 10; DOT has 10; DHS has 22 organizational elements but 8 have procurement authority) • Learn what each targeted agency’s components do and how they spend their money!

12. Getting Started – Basic Answers Answer to Question #3 – How do I market them? • Participate in: • Targeted Outreach Activities • Local Conferences/Trade Shows • Focus on 2-3 agencies & allow 18-24 months for “relationship building.”

13. Getting Started – Basic Answers Answer to Question #3 – How do I market them? Federal Agency “Matchmaking” Sessions • Department of Homeland Security Vendor Outreach Sessions http://www.dhs.gov/openforbusiness, then click on “Small Business Procurement Assistance” • Treasury Vendor Outreach Sessions http://www.treas.gov/sba, click on Outreach Activities • Department of Justice Monthly Counseling Sessions http://www.usdoj.gov/jmd/osdbu/

14. Getting Started – Basic Answers Answer to Question #3 – How do I market them? • U.S. Department of Agriculture Vendor Outreach Program – http://www.usda.gov/osdbu/ • U.S. Department of Labor http://www.dol.gov/osbp/regs/procurement.htm • U.S. Department of Health & Human Serviceshttp://www.hhs.gov/smallbusiness

15. Getting Started – Basic Answers Answer to Question #3 – How do I market them? • Department of Veterans Affairshttp://www.va.gov/osdbu/services/register.asp • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developmenthttp://www.hud.gov/offices/osdbu/index.cfm

16. Getting Started – Basic Answers Develop a Marketing Plan/Strategy • Subcontracts • Prime Contracts • Teaming/Joint Ventures • Mentor Protégé Agreements • Pre-existing Contract Vehicles Answer to Question #3 – How do I market them?

17. Business Performance Top Ten Federal Agencies for FY 2012 Source: Small Business Administration Prime Contract Achievements FY 2010

18. Percent of Small Business Prime Contracts FY 2012 Source: Small Business Administration Prime Contract Achievements FY 2012

19. Getting Started Key Sources of Assistance • SBA – Locate your local SBA Office http://www.sba.gov/ • PTAC – Procurement Technical Assistance Center http://www.aptac-us.org/new/ • OSDBU – Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization http://www.osdbu.gov • SCORE - Service Core of Retired Executives www.SCORE.org • SBDC – Small Business Development Center http://www.sba.gov/sbdc/

20. Basic Information There are two types of contracting opportunities: • Prime Contracting – you hold the contract • Subcontracting – a larger company holds the contract and you get to work on a piece of it

21. Basic Information (continued) After consideration of required sources (read FAR Part 8), the contracting officer has two choices: 1. Use a pre-existing contract vehicle (i.e. GWAC & Department-Wide Acquisition Contract - DWAC) 2. Use FedBizOpps for open market procedures www.fbo.gov

22. Basic Information (continued) Key Tip: If what you provide is listed on a GSA FSS, then get on the schedule! Why? because it is a faster method of buying Research, find out what pre-existing vehicles are used by the agencies you have targeted and most importantly, let agencies know what contract vehicles you have available to them.

23. Basic Information (continued) $ amounts & methods of procurement you should know about: • Up to $3,001 – Micro-purchase (credit card) • $3,001-$150,000 – Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) • Over $150,000 – Formal Contracting Procedures • Over $650,000 – Subcontracting • $1.5 Million - Subcontracting for Construction

24. Small Business Procurement Programs • 8(a) Program set-aside • HUBZone Program set-aside • SDVOSB Program set-aside • WOSB and EDWOSB Program set-aside • Traditional Small Business set-aside • Full & Open competition tools • SDB evaluation factor-prime proposes SDB targets • Subcontracting • Mentor-Protégé Program

25. Small Business Procurement Programs Currently, there is no way to limit the competition to: • SDB (Small Disadvantaged Businesses) • VOSB (Veteran Owned Small Businesses) Therefore, marketing is critical!

26. The “Model” Small Business Firm Working in the federal marketplace understands: • Core competencies • Marketing and relationship building • Schedules/Multiple award contracts • Open Market procurement (FEDBIZOPPS) • Prime contracting • Subcontracting

27. The “Model” Small Business Firm Equipped to do business with the Government: • Accepts the government purchase card (Visa or Mastercard) • Has good marketing materials • Has a niche (What’s yours?) • Has resources (people, equipment) • Is web savvy • Registered in Government pre-existing databases (FedBizOpps, SAM & Dynamic Small Business Search http://dsbs.sba.gov/dsbs/search/dsp_dsbs.cfm)

28. Relationships Networking Multiple Contracting Vehicles Continuous Marketing Being Prepared Get Involved Past Performance Share Information Patience Persistence In SummaryWhat Really Works...

29. Home work always comes before success in the dictionary & Small Business Procurement!