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