As a small business owner, have you ever wondered how you could market your product to the likes of the Department of Defense and the other 23 Federal Procuring Agencies, get a federal contract and be a part of the more than $500 billion dollar federal marketplace?
While it’s not necessarily easy, and success is not guaranteed, thousands of small businesses have been successful. As the world’s largest buyer of products and services, the Federal Government spends billions of dollars on military and civilian purchases every year. For example, in 2007, the federal government purchased more than $147 billion dollars worth of goods and services from small businesses through prime and subcontracting procurements.
The first step to becoming a federal contractor is to register your firm in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. CCR is an online business portal that helps small businesses market their goods and services to the federal government and prime contractors. Federal agencies and prime contractors also look in the database to find small businesses contractors. You can register your firm’s profile in the CCR database at http://www.bpn.gov/ccr/
The CCR database also houses the SBA’s Dynamic Small Business Search function, an interactive database that permits small firms registered in CCR to post their profiles and capabilities for prospective buyers such as federal procurement officers or purchasing agents of prime contractors. Registration is free and voluntary, but any small businesses interested in doing business with the government must register in the CCR database.
If you need in-depth counseling on seeking federal or state government contracts, you can turn to Procurement and Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs), located throughout the country. They help small, minority and woman-owned businesses market to the government. These organizations help small businesses register with CCR, obtain a Commercial and Government Entity Code and a Duns Number, which is necessary to do business with the government. They also can match a firm’s capability with procurement opportunities not only for Federal procurements, but for both state and local opportunities as well.
Subcontracting is also a good option for small businesses. Large prime contractors have Small Business Liaison Officers listed in the Subcontracting Opportunities Directory for companies wishing to sell to them. This directory can be found at http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/gc/index.html
This Web Site also has a listing for SBA’s Commercial Market Representatives (CMRs) who assist small businesses with marketing to federal prime contractors. Small businesses also can search the SBA’s SUB-Net Program for subcontracting opportunities at http://web.sba.gov/subnet/search/index.cfm?CFID=11807249&CFTOKEN=9c1d00bc91fcc071-B2E83275-E793-EFC0-BD6641A37A8F6E69&jsessionid=dc30bf55b09ff4a00f9c115284267425d407.
The SBA also offers an on-line procurement training course on how to access government contracts and subcontracts to assist small businesses. This course can be taken via the Internet by visiting http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/gcbd/index.html.
Another option is the SBA’s Business Matchmaking Program. Business Matchmaking allows small businesses to have personal appointments with senior level government and corporate procurement officials to discuss potential contracting opportunities. Small businesses register for appointments through an online Matchmaking portal, which pairs “sellers” with government or corporate executives or “buyers.” Since the program’s inception in 2002, the SBA has held numerous Business Matchmaking events around the country and scheduled more than 25,000 appointments. Small businesses can register to attend a free Matchmaking event in a city near them at http://www.businessmatchmaking.com/.
By using these tools, small businesses can successfully navigate the federal contracting marketplace, become an active participant in the 500 billion dollar federal marketplace and sell their goods and services to Uncle Sam!
Jennifer Stahl