Descriptive Bidding On Government Contracts
RFP proposals can get very gray and boring without visual support. Images and graphs can help tell your story. They can better show technical details while doing it more effectively than words. Use words familiar to the agency and include their logos or property images to custom-tailor the proposal.
While details are important, you dont want to get too descriptive when discussing pricing. The agency is always going to look for ways to get the price down. Dont provide details that would make it easy to cut into your margin. Price items at a high level, just like when doing a schedule of values. Then leave some room in your prices so the agency can come up with savings as they slice and dice the numbers.
Finally, at every government level, you will have rules to follow, so use all the contracting resources supplied by the agency to understand those. If they offer training materials, use them. When you dont understand something, ask for clarification.
How To Structure Your Answer
- if the question includes bullet points, adopt these as subheadings. With equal space allocated to each
- if there are no bullets, break down the different elements of the question to determine the best answer structure
- address each point in the same order as they appear within the question
- avoid extra subheadings which distract from the core wording of the question
Identify Federal Government Contracting Opportunities
The U.S. General Services Administration runs the FedBizOpps.com site, which provides a searchable database of thousands of government contracting opportunities.
The Maryland Department of Commerce maintains a Federal Facilities Directory listing of federal agencies with a major presence in Maryland. This resource will help you identify facility locations, access procurement history and forecasts, and view contact information for these agencies.
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The Steps To Take To Bid On Government Contracts And Win
Once youve identified the types of government contracting methods and vehicles that are out there, you should follow these steps and take action.
Find Your Companys Naics Code
Most businesses also need a North American Industry Classification System code, which classifies your businessâs industry, country, and economic sector for purposes of government contracting. This code is needed in order to register your business.
Consult the Small Business Administration for guidance on identifying your industry code, keeping in mind that if your business operates across multiple industries or sectors, you might need to report multiple NAICS codes.
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How Can An Attorney Help You Obtain Federal Government Contracts
As with any contract, a federal government contract is a legally binding agreement between you and a federal agency. Before contracting with the federal government, you should have your attorney review the contract carefully to explain all the terms and conditions, including any terms that might not be fair or equitable for your company. Besides reviewing potential contracts, an attorney can also help you prepare proposals for potential contracts, assist in resolving disputes regarding contracts, advise you of the laws and procedures regarding government contracts, and handle any other legal matters or claims which might arise during the job.
Before contracting with the federal government, you should have your attorney review the contract carefully to explain all the terms and conditions, including any terms that might not be fair or equitable for your company.
Working with the federal government can be very lucrative, but it can also be complicated and overwhelming if you do not understand the process. A lawyer can also provide compliance counseling, which reduces the risk of time-consuming and expensive legal issues. Your legal counsel also helps you protect your intellectual property and trade secrets when working with a federal government agency.
How To Bid On Government Contracts And Find Federal Contract Bids
Posted byNick Schiffler on February 5, 2021
One of the most important steps on your journey to win federal government contracts is simply determining how to find opportunities and bid on them. There are many types of contracts the government may write, each of which has advantages and disadvantages for both the contractor and the government customer.
Below, weve outlined the basics of government contracting that businesses new to federal contracting need to understand to learn how to sell to the government and how to bid on government contracts, including the most common types of bids and opportunities that exist, and the next steps that your business should take.
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The Daily Journal Of The United States Government
Legal Status
This site displays a prototype of a Web 2.0 version of the daily Federal Register. It is not an official legal edition of the Federal Register, and does not replace the official print version or the official electronic version on GPOs govinfo.gov.
The documents posted on this site are XML renditions of published Federal Register documents. Each document posted on the site includes a link to the corresponding official PDF file on govinfo.gov. This prototype edition of the daily Federal Register on FederalRegister.gov will remain an unofficial informational resource until the Administrative Committee of the Federal Register issues a regulation granting it official legal status. For complete information about, and access to, our official publications and services, go to About the Federal Register on NARA’s archives.gov.
Legal Status
Establish A Contractor And Government Entity Code
A CAGE code is another unique identifier for your business that is designed to be publicly available and has been required to do business with the federal government since 2014. These codes allow the government visibility into company ownership and contracting activity through various payment systems. If you are not yet a government contractor and need to apply for a CAGE code, you may do so through the Defense Logistics Agencys website.
After you have completed the steps above, you are ready to complete your SAM registration. It is recommended to consult an expert before attesting to FAR and DFAR requirements. Inaccuracies or inconsistencies can be construed as making false claims to the government which is a felony.
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Heres How To Find Government Contracts For Your Business
Before you start bidding for work, you need to know how to actually find government contracts.
The US government spends billions of dollars annually on the procurement of goods and services. Therefore, if youre searching for government contracts for your business, there are plenty out there to choose from.
In this blog, well outline the different ways that you can find government contracts. Well also offer suggestions for finding suitable opportunities for your business.
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How The Bid Is Evaluated: Evaluation Gates
Gate 1: administrative compliance
- does the bidder meet eligibility criteria to bid?
- is response completed in full?
- does bidder satisfy any grounds for exclusion?
- are required declarations signed?
Gate 2: economic and financial standing
Does the supplier have sufficient financial capacity, for example cash flow and working capital, in relation to the contract value and payment mode?
Gate 3: technical and price evaluation
How has the suppliers response scored, both in terms of quality score and pricing score?
Dynamic Small Business Search
Another way for businesses to find government contracts is through the Dynamic Small Business Search . Government agencies use this database to final small businesses.
When your small business registers with SAM, your information is automatically uploaded to the DSBS. Once your information has been uploaded, government agencies may contact you if they think youre suitable for their project.
The DSBS can also be used by small businesses to find other small businesses to work with.
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How Do I Prepare My Bid
The solicitation document will explain to you exactly how to lay out your bid and how it will be evaluated. Make sure you follow the instructions provided and address each and every point completely. You may be asked to provide your bid in various separately bound sections such as: a technical section, management section, financial section and certifications, if required.
Carefully review and make sure you understand the clauses, general conditions and standard instructions. These are normally included in each solicitation document in full text
Before you start writing, figure out which criteria are mandatory, that is the must haves
. Mandatory criteria are usually evaluated on a simple pass/fail basis. If your bid fails to meet any of the mandatory criteria, such as a surety bond, it will be considered non-responsive.
NOTE: A surety bond is issued by an insurance company who assures that the enterprise performing the work can do it. When a surety bond is required, you must include in your solicitation document a list of acceptable bonding companies together with the applicable surety bond form.
- Acceptable bonding companies, Treasury Board Contracting Policy, Appendix L
- Surety bond forms, Chapter 4, Section 4.50.1 of the Supply Manual
Ensure that you submit the certifications by the time and date specified in the solicitation document .
How To Find Out About Bid Opportunities
Many departments and agencies have the delegated authority to purchase their own goods valued at $25,000 or less and services or construction contracts valued at $40,000 or less without Public Works and Government Services Canada . Therefore, it is important to promote your goods and/or services to them.
You should also consult the Tenders minisite to keep track of requirements that departments and agencies publicly advertise.
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Finding And Tracking Nys Opportunities Is Now Easier Than Ever
Besides the new look, the Contract Reporter has been redesigned to make finding contracting opportunities easy. Some of the new features include:
- A customizable homepage displays your ads of interest
- Bookmark ads for easy retrieval
- Redesigned ad display puts all solicitation information at your fingertips
- Filter ads by contracting category, geographic location and ad type
- Sort ads by issue date, due date and issuing entity
How The Tender Process Works
There are 3 common contracting procedures which are explained in this section.
Open procedure
- anyone can submit a tender
- you are not permitted to negotiate with bidders
There are no restrictions on when this procedure can be used, but there is a requirement to evaluate all tenders received. It is often used for straightforward procurements.
Restricted procedure
This procedure means that:
- interested parties can submit an expression of interest.
- a minimum of five suppliers must be invited to tender and these are sufficient to ensure genuine competition
- no negotiation with bidders is permitted, just clarification of bids and finalisation of terms
There are no restrictions on when this procedure can be used. This procedure is often more suited to less stable markets with lots of competition.
Competitive dialogue
This procedure means that:
- the relevant department may then open negotiations with the tenderers to seek improved offers
This procedure may be used to procure contracts for works, supplies or services where one of the following may apply:
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How To Get Government Contracts: Prepare Your Proposal
Though you likely have experience creating proposals and scope of work orders for prospective clients in the private sector, little can prepare you for the unique process of preparing a government contract proposal. In fact, completing a bid or proposal for a government agency may be more akin to completing your business taxes or a stack of forms for the DMV.
Even so, there are plenty of opportunities to share your unique value add and let your business shine within the pages of your proposalâas long as you fit within the confines of agency formats and expectations.
The Government Is The Worlds Largest Buyer
With an annual contracting marketplace of between $350 billion and $500 billion, the U.S. federal government is the worldâs largest buyer of products and services. Ignoring the contracting opportunities available through the federal government means effectively writing off the single largest avenue for finding new customers.
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Three Great Websites To Find Government Contracting Opportunities
Working for the federal government can be very lucrative for your business. The United States government is the largest buyer of products and services in the world. Some contracts offered by the federal government are open to any business that qualifies for that contract while some contracts are limited to certain types of businesses, such as women-owned small businesses.
A DC government contracting attorney can help ensure that your business is ready and meets all requirements for federal government contracts. The next step involves locating federal contracts forbidding.
Work With A Dc Fractional General Counsel On Federal Government Contracts
A DC fractional general counsel helps you with every aspect of federal government contracting. From preparing your internal operations and accounting to submitting proposals and completing the work. Contact Steve Thienel today to see how you can benefit from the guidance, support, and legal advice of an experienced general counsel.
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Government Small Business Offices
Every prospect you will EVER come into contact with is represented by a Small Business Office. Small business offices for each federal agency are called OSDBUs or Office of Small Disadvantaged Business Utilization. For the Department of Defense, small business offices are called OSBPs or Office of Small Business Programs. It is very easy to find names and phone numbers for these offices. Search online by agency name and small business office or visit this website for a list of major agencies and small business liaisons.
Small business counselors should be able to tell you who buys what you sell. However, remember that small business offices are a microcosm of society. Some are really good and others provide little to no value. The fastest way to determine if they can help you is to ask them if they work closely with the contracting officers and program managers on solicitations before solicitations are released to the public.
Request For Standing Offer
This method is used to solicit standing offers to provide goods and services on an as-and-required basis, at firm prices, as per established terms and conditions. It clearly states the requirement, the evaluation method and selection criteria, the call-up procedures, the ranking methodologies, whenever applicable, to be used for making call-ups against the authorized standing offer, and all terms and conditions applicable to the contract that is brought into effect, as a result of any call-up.
For more information, please visit the Standing Offers Web page.
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Top Tips For Finding Federal Contracts
North Dakota District Office
Government contracting can be great for small business, and researching these opportunities online can be a great place to start. However, searching the internet for government opportunities can also be extremely frustrating. If you are not familiar with the process, a simple search can present a list of solicitations that can take days to review. How can you simplify the effort while still keeping it effective? We have a few tips:
Tip 1: Make sure you are registered in the System for Award Management at . You cannot bid on federal solicitations unless you are registered in this database. This mandatory registration is FREE of charge. Make sure you are on the official site as there are many commercial website designs that appear similar to the official government site but they charge fees.
Your SAM.gov registration must be updated to stay active. I recommend you do so at least every 6 months. You will receive emails from SAM.gov to remind you your password expires and automated emails at 60, 30 and 10 days before your SAM profile expires. If you dont update your profile it becomes inactive and is no longer listed.
You can also use DSBS to view information about your competitors, therefore make sure your profile corresponds with the profile of your competition.
There are many helpful web sites available when researching forecasts. Acquisition Central lets you search forecasts by agency.
