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