MARKETING

Did you know:

• 97% of all U.S. business firms are small (there are over 13 million small enterprises)
• Small business accounts for 48% of the non-farm gross national product (GNP)
• 55% of the U.S. labor force is employed by firms under 100 employees
• Small subiness accounts for two thirds of all new jobs created in the past ten years
• Small business leads in innovative research development (R&D), producing 24 times as many major innovations as large business.   (Information provided by The Air Force Office of Small and
• Disadvantaged Business Utilization, SBA and the Veteran's Administration)

TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS
Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization

Finding Potential Customers

The OSDBU staff can provide you with a directory of agency buying locations and advise you on the types of goods and services that the agency regularly purchases. Many agencies promote outreach programs and offer "how to" publications that provide assistance in understanding their procurement programs.   

Operate from position of strength.  Do your homework.  Target federal agencies and primes specific to your services and products. 

Make sure you know which federal agencies are right for your services & products.  Stay focused.

Research the federal agencies’ websites you want to do business with.  Know their website and what they are looking for and how you can solve their problem.  What do they buy?  Where is money being spent?  Search their forecast sites: http://www.sba.gov/GC/forecast.html..

Review Fed Biz Opps for contracts over $25,000, www.eps.gov.

Keep a list of contracting officers, federal agencies, items sent, and date sent.  This helps you be more prepared if a Contracting Officer contacts you about an item you sent to them.  You won’t appear disorganized or unaware of that you sent information to them.

If calling them, respect their time.  Introduce yourself.  Ask if you can see them within the next 4 – 6 weeks.  Schedule an appointment.  Don’t try to sell yourself over the phone.  Follow-up on the scheduled appointment with a one page introduction.

Send a one page introduction of your services, NAICS code and years of experience.  Include list of commercial clients and federal agencies you’ve done work for in the past.

If you say you are going to follow-up, then follow-up.  Be consistent.  Remind them of meeting, or if you are introducing yourself via the one page introduction specify a time you will get in touch with them, then do it.

 If the Contracting Officer is interested, he/she will ask for more.  That’s when you should send or deliver your Statement of Qualification.

Be business savvy with the federal agency, understand their needs and concerns.  Be professional in your attitude and presentation.  Unfortunately, the reality is, some contracting officers look for reasons not to do business with small businesses and 8(a) firms.

 If you do not have past performance with federal government, you can use your past commercial, state or municipality experiences.  Ask these customers to rate you. 

Be persistent in your initial contact.  One to two times a month.  Don’t be annoying.  Be patient.  Pursue commercial contracts while marketing to the federal agencies.  Don’t rely totally on your 8(a) certification to bring in your revenues.

Be prepared to accept Government Bank Card.

Once you have the contract, be innovative and honest.  If there’s a better way to do the work and save the government money, discuss it with the Contracting Officer.  The Scope of Work can only be changed and approved by the Contracting Officer.  Once he’s approved your suggestions, complete the work and save the government money.  They’ll remember you.

If you are working with a Prime, make sure you’ve had a relationship with that Prime or you know the Prime has excellent references.  If the Prime does poor work, that reflects on you and your past performance.

 After you have completed project, ask for letter of reference then.  Don’t wait. 

There is turnover within the federal government.  When you need that contracting officer later to write you a letter of reference, he/she may not be there.  Then, match your letters of reference to relevant projects you are bidding on.

After the project is complete, stay in touch.  Make sure they remember you.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STATEMENT OF QUAILIFICATIONS

1.   Name of firm with addresses of all locations, phone numbers and email addresses.

2.   Brief Summary/Introduction of the type of services/work your firm performs. What is your firm's primary expertise?        

3.   Resumes of key personnel to include CEO, President, General Manager, etc.  (Or, a short paragraph describing each person's experience and education).

4.   Experience (what you performed), project history to include the following:

• Title and date of the project
• Who was the Client/Agency the project was performed for
• Location
• Magnitude/size
• Short synopsis of the project
• Was your firm the prime or a subcontractor for the project?
• Photo of the project
• Reference POC with phone numbers for each specific project

5.    Past Performance (how well you performed) References, letters, etc...

6.    Teaming Partners or firms you normally team with, mentors, etc...

7.    Bonding Capacity, letters from your bonding company.

8.    Equipment list owned by the firm.

9.    Logistics, how mobile is your firm?

10.  Innovative technology your firm may offer federal agency.