| The federal government anticipates spending | | | | offices to target.Action Items:A. Check the |
| over $150 billion dollars for the Katrina and | | | | DHS open business opportunities that are |
| Rita hurricane disaster relief and | | | | listed on the Federal Business Opportunities |
| reconstruction efforts. Contracting | | | | web site: Go to each DHS agency link and |
| opportunities abound for businesses of all | | | | click on "Offices" to identify offices |
| sizes and types and there is a great need for | | | | geographically.B. Contact the agencies to |
| varied services and products. Businesses | | | | participate in their Vendor Outreach and |
| throughout the US can explore the contracting | | | | one-on-one sessions.C. Review the DHS Prime |
| opportunities by following these four | | | | Contractors list on the DHS website for the |
| steps.The disaster-related services and | | | | top five that are your best matches. Contact |
| products needed in the Gulf states will cover | | | | the small business liaisons to schedule |
| every aspect of life, business and government | | | | capabilities briefings.D. Visit the USACE |
| in the affected areas. Savvy companies are | | | | website: and identify the General |
| working to fill the needs now. However, this | | | | Contractors (GCs) that are your best |
| is a long-term, multi-layered process. While | | | | matches.Step 3: Identify the Specific PEOPLE |
| initial contracts have already been secured, | | | | in Your Targeted OfficesYou want to find the |
| there will be many more contracts worth | | | | specific decision-makers because they are |
| billions of dollars to come over the next | | | | your best connections to getting the business |
| 6-12-18 months and longer. Those firms that | | | | you want. They are THE KEY to your success. |
| employ both short-term and long-term | | | | Finding the right people and taking the time |
| strategies will be the most successful.Step | | | | and effort to building solid relationships |
| 1: Identify the Agencies with the Budgets to | | | | will guarantee your long-term success.Finding |
| Buy What You SellThis is one of the | | | | the agencies and end-users who buy what you |
| advantages in doing business with the federal | | | | sell is one of the most difficult aspects of |
| government. Unlike the corporate environment, | | | | government sales. And yet it is one of the |
| you can find out what agencies have budgets | | | | most important because finding the people who |
| projected for your products and services and | | | | buy your product or service is the most |
| when they are planning to spend it.The | | | | critical step in a successful targeted |
| Department of Commerce Hurricane Contracting | | | | marketing and sales program.Within the |
| Information Center (HCIC) will help U.S. | | | | agency, thousands of program managers, |
| businesses, especially minority and small | | | | program professionals, operating supervisors, |
| businesses, participate in the Gulf Coast | | | | engineers, and scientists participate in |
| rebuilding efforts. The website allows | | | | deciding what to purchase and from whom. |
| companies to register with government | | | | These are the people you want to take the |
| agencies that are providing contracts to | | | | time find and to whom you want to introduce |
| rebuild the Gulf Coast. The website also | | | | yourself.The strategy is to identify both the |
| provides basic information on doing business | | | | end-users and the people involved in the |
| with the government, e-mail alerts regarding | | | | actual procurement process. Market your |
| specific contracting opportunities, links to | | | | abilities, solutions and products to the |
| other government and local agencies, and | | | | end-users so that they recommend your |
| information about minority business | | | | products and service specifications to the |
| services.The Department of Homeland Security | | | | procurement personnel, so that yours is the |
| (DHS) is constantly changing to best serve | | | | company the bid "was written for."Action |
| the nation's requirements. The 22 agencies | | | | Items:A. Use the DHS and USACE websites to |
| that initially made up the DHS originally | | | | identify the following people who are keys to |
| maintained independent purchasing power. Now, | | | | your success and put them in your contact |
| the eight offices listed here are responsible | | | | manager software:--The Points of Contact |
| for all procurement functions of the DHS.DHS | | | | (POC) for the US Army Corps of Engineers, DHS |
| Acquisition Offices: | | | | agencies, State agencies, Red Cross, |
| | | | etc.--The Small Business Specialists--Prime |
| DHS Headquarters | | | | Contractor Small Business LiaisonsB. Use the |
| | | | information you have researched from the FPDC |
| Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) | | | | web site to detail the specific people who |
| Note: FEMA is the key agency responsible for | | | | have purchased your products or services in |
| the majority of disaster-related budgets | | | | the past. Add them to your contact manager.C. |
| | | | Set up a schedule of contacts with these |
| Customs and Border Protection (CBP) | | | | people. The contacts should include personal |
| | | | phone calls, emails, direct mail, visits |
| Federal Law Enforcement Training Center | | | | during procurement conferences and all |
| (FLETC) | | | | out-reach sessions. Try for at least 12 to 18 |
| | | | touches per year. Since active procurement |
| Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) | | | | projects are progress, step this up to every |
| | | | few weeks.D. Long Term Action Item: As you |
| Transportation Security Administration (TSA) | | | | build relationships with the Contracting |
| | | | Officers and Specialists, ask them for the |
| U.S. Secret Service (USSS) | | | | names of the end users who are involved in |
| | | | the projects related to your products and |
| U.S. Coast Guard Office of Procurement | | | | services. Ideally, as you work with them you |
| Management (USCG)Check the DHS website for | | | | can begin to really understand the problems |
| specific information regarding the | | | | they experience and educate them how you can |
| disaster-related contracting opportunities: | | | | solve those problems. And perhaps become a |
| is a federal government website that provides | | | | preferred vendor.E. Join the International |
| a central listing of most current federal | | | | Association of Emergency Managers: 4: |
| contracts. Register at to receive the | | | | Identify Business Development Processes |
| notices of bids and contracts that go through | | | | Appropriate for Your Services and ProductsIf |
| the normal contract advertising process. | | | | you want to develop both short and long term |
| However, it has been noted on the FedBizOpps | | | | business opportunities involved in the |
| web site that many emergency contracts may | | | | disaster reconstruction process you must |
| not make it to this public forum. You may | | | | develop a strategy that utilizes a variety of |
| need to contact each agency to determine the | | | | tactics. These are the most effective:Web |
| specific opportunities available.For past | | | | site: Make sure it is specifically addresses |
| expenditures, check with the Federal | | | | the government's purchasing best practices on |
| Procurement Data Center (FPDC), part of the | | | | your home page. Does your home page also note |
| U.S. General Services Administration. The | | | | your GSA schedule and certifications?Email: |
| FPDC manages the Federal Procurement Data | | | | Is it professional? Do you use your business |
| System (FPDS), which is the current central | | | | domain name? Or are you still using yahoo, |
| repository of historical information on | | | | hotmail or some non-business related address? |
| Federal contracting. The system contains | | | | It is very important to appear as |
| detailed information on contract actions over | | | | professional as possible. Your business |
| $2,500. The Executive departments and | | | | should be stable, reliable, established. |
| agencies award over $200 billion annually for | | | | Free or personal email accounts make you |
| goods and services. The system can identify | | | | appear fly-by-night or non-professional.Do |
| who bought what, from whom, for how much, | | | | you accept government purchase cards? This is |
| when and where.Prime or General Contractors | | | | mandatory in the government contracting |
| (GC) will be a source of sub-contracts for | | | | environment. And it also works to your |
| companies of all sizes. This disaster is of a | | | | advantage by speeding up payments.Action |
| magnitude that the US has never seen before | | | | Items:A. Take a critical look at your |
| and many contracting operations will be | | | | business development tools to determine if |
| handled directly by Primes or GCs.Action | | | | they meet the specific needs of your |
| Items:A. Check the agencies that have a | | | | government prospects and clients. Give your |
| history of purchasing your products and | | | | website TOP PRIORITY.B. Identify the |
| services. Go to Use some sort of contact | | | | companies that could be good teaming |
| manager software like ACT! or Goldmine to | | | | partners. Add them to your contact manager |
| build your own government procurement | | | | and start the relationship building |
| database and schedule regular follow-up.C. | | | | process.C. Schedule a pro-active contact |
| New vendors: Get registered in the Central | | | | process with all targeted contacts and assign |
| Contractor Registry: 2: Find the Specific | | | | specific tasks to specific people in your |
| Offices in Your Targeted Agencies That are | | | | firm.If you use these specific tactics and |
| Most Likely to Purchase Your Products and | | | | strategies you will find that you will have |
| ServicesThe DHS and US Army Corps of | | | | better opportunities for government contracts |
| Engineers (USACE) have nationwide agencies | | | | in both the short and long term.Gloria |
| and offices, as do Primes and GCs. Do you | | | | Berthold is President of TargetGov at |
| want to target areas that are geographically | | | | Marketing Outsource Associates, Inc. She is |
| convenient to you? Do you have service, | | | | one of Maryland's Top 100 Women, a Winner of |
| shipping or delivery issues that demand a | | | | the Innovator of the Year Award, |
| local presence to your customers? How will | | | | Past-Chairwoman of the Baltimore/Washington |
| this affect your bottom line? Can you | | | | Corridor Chamber of Commerce, a national |
| effectively offer regional, national or | | | | speaker, educator and expert in government |
| international support? You will be most | | | | contracting and effective |
| effective if you geographically prioritize | | | | business-to-business marketing strategies. |
| the specific agencies, primes, GCs and | | | | |