My company is a small women owned 8a certified company. How do I go about going after government contracts?

Question

We have been 8a certified for a couple of years and the owner of my company has gone after just a couple. I know that there is a lot of business that we are missing. We do IT staff augmentation. Any advise on what steps I should take will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much for you time.

Answer 1

Check your area for a "Procurement" event.  Often it is called a "Procurement Fair."  At those events, government agencies essentially teach businesses how to work with public agencies.  If you can't find an event, then try contacting the purchasing office or procurement office for the agencies you would lilke to work with.  

You may also try your local small business center.  Check with the Small Business Administration or local economic development agency to see if they can assist you in learning how to work with your local public agencies.

Most likely, you need to get on a list to receive RFPs (Requests for Proposals) for your industry or check their website for RFPs.  All of the public agencies I have worked with need at least 3 qualified bids to proceed with purchasing of any kind (including services).  

Qualified means you must meet all their criteria which usually includes complying with all federal, state, and local codes; having sufficient liability insurance (usually the minimum is $1M); and having enough capital to complete the entire job.  So if you're bidding a $50k job, you should have at least $50k to cover the job until you get paid by the agency.

(I am not familiar with 8a certification, but my guess is, in your state, it is a compliance certification.)  

Hopefully, this will at least get you started on where to find the opportunities and how get the chance to bid.