August 31, 2011

Recently, I had a conversation with one of our Cardmembers, Wayne Gatewood, founder of Quality Support, about the National Veterans Small Business Conference in New Orleans. His company is a program and project management consulting firm that works almost exclusively with the U.S. government. Our conversation was about service-disabled, veteran-owned businesses like his, but the ideas he shared serve as a good reminder about what small businesses need to learn about pursuing contracts with the government.

Take advantage of applicable certifications

Service-disabled, veteran-owned status is a certification that can provide added options for certain government contracts and federal programs. A number of certifications exist for qualifying small businesses—such as women-owned, small businesses—and can help give an added edge when competing with other businesses. (You can find more information about small business certification here.)

Commenting on his own experience as a certified service-disabled veteran business owner, Wayne pointed out that “there are a lot of people who really want to give service-disabled veterans an opportunity, and the program is a solid one that has put a lot of veterans to work.” Likewise, he acknowledged that other programs offer similar opportunities to various types of qualified small business, such as women business owners, minorities and others. In particular, there is a push to certify women-owned businesses. (For more information, you can download the OPEN Insight Guide Government Contracting: Women in Procurement.)

But as positive as Wayne is about the benefits of certifications, he strongly recommends that small business owners—whether veterans or otherwise—see certifications for what they are: a slight edge. He cautions business owners against building unrealistic expectations about what certifications can do for a business, and reminds that they are not a golden key that will open every door.

Know the regulations

One thing that can help open doors, Wayne advises, is learning about and staying well-informed of government contracting procedures and practices. It’s up to every business to understand the regulations that apply to them—a task that can be daunting for first-timers. Wayne likens pursuing government contracting to active duty: “If you’re out in operations, you never pass the demarcation line unless your pack is full. You have to have a compass, you have to know the terrain. It’s the same thing when you work to support the government. You better have the right tools in your pack—and those tools are knowledge.”

Keep learning

To help make it easier to start out with “a full pack,” our newly launched special feature on OPEN Forum—Victory in Procurement for Government Contracting—aims to help small businesses do more business with the government, whether they are first-time contract seekers or more advanced contractors. The special feature consists of three tracks that guide users through the process based on their level of expertise: beginner (just starting out), ready to register (need helpful hints), and advanced (seeking new opportunities).

The site also offers a resource library with specialized information for various types of small business owners, including veterans, as well as information about upcoming government contracting events, success stories and more.

I hope you’ll check out the site and be inspired to get started, or to strive to improve your chances of winning these valuable contracts to grow your business. Please e-mail me at KarenMichelle@openforum.com to let me know what you think of this special feature on OPEN Forum. We’re always happy to hear about your experiences with government contracting.