May 31, 2011
OPEN Forum Message
Affordably Build Your Brand
FedEx Global Brand Management Director Monica Skipper shares a cost-effective way to build a bigger brand for your small business.
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Featured Response
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Than Nguyen
How many times have you thought about propelling your business to the next level, but just didn’t know what to do? Or where to start?
Getting the federal government to buy from your company is one way to open up new markets and get reliable, repeat customers. But to break into government contracting—if you’ve never done it or have merely dipped your toe in the water—requires learning the ropes.
The federal government is the largest buyer of products and services in the world, purchasing over $425 Billion, according to the SBA. However, you will need a helping hand to navigate the sometimes “obscure” (I’m being kind) procedures our government has for purchasing products and services.
And that’s where a live event about government contracting can save you time and frustration.
Having the right people show you the shortcuts
If you’re serious about making 2011 the year to get your business to the next level through government contracting, you’ll need all the inside information you get. There’s one such event coming up that I am attending, and that I urge you to attend, also. It is called Victory in Procurement. It takes place in Miami on June 16, 2011. I attended a similar Victory in Procurement event hosted by American Express OPEN in 2010, and was surprised, and impressed, by how understandable the confusing area of government contracting can be—if the right people explain it.
One of the impressive people at last year’s event—who also will be at the upcoming event— is Lourdes Martin-Rosa. She is the president of Government Business Solutions of Miami, and an American Express OPEN adviser on government contracting. She not only has deep knowledge of government contracting, but she’s articulate. She can explain things so that even those who’ve done zero government contracting understand it.
So I asked her why someone should attend a live event, instead of just trying to learn it on your own. Says Martin-Rosa, “The good thing about Victory in Procurement events is that they feature active government contractors. These are not just people who sit behind a desk with no experience. They use layman's terms to make government contracting easy to do in real life. They cut through the regs and lingo, and tell you the shortcuts to success."
Hard to find, hard to answer
There is a lot of government contracting information that is publicly available, but hard to find. One example is the question around getting paid promptly by the government. A lot of small business owners (like me) worry that the government will pay slowly—and we all know it can be the kiss of death to get caught in a cash-flow crunch. But in another of those “obscure” pieces of information, you can actually set up a government contract so as to get paid promptly. According to Martin-Rosa, “There is a Prompt Payment Act, and you can ask to get paid every two weeks on a contract. A lot of people don’t know about that. But you have to bill the government properly and you have to ask." Another little-known fact by those who’ve never done government contracting: the government makes many purchases using credit cards. So you get paid quickly that way, too.
Even when information is widely talked about, it can be confusing and the significance hard to grasp. An example of this is certifications. “Certifications,” according to Martin-Rosa, “are crucial. They give you an edge.” The federal government has set certain government contracting goals—there is a goal to have 23 percent of government contracts awarded to small businesses. But of that 23-percent pie, some of it is intended to go to certain “certified” businesses, including women-owned businesses and service-disabled veteran’s businesses.
Five percent of that 23-percent pie is to be delivered to small disadvantaged businesses. If you are certified as a small disadvantaged business (referred to as an 8A business), you will qualify for a nine-year business development program to help you jumpstart your business. There’s also a certification for HUBZone (historically underutilized business zone) businesses, i.e., firms located in impoverished rural or urban areas with a certain number of employees located in a HUBZone. Every state has HUBZones. A three-percent slice of government contracts for small businesses is set aside for certified HUBZone businesses.
That’s why at the upcoming VIP event, there are sessions focusing on the ins and outs of certifications. Being certified can mean the difference between qualifying and not qualifying for special programs and opportunities.
The VIP event in Miami
You can learn more at the upcoming Victory in Procurement event in Miami. Luckily, American Express OPEN has made it possible with their support for me to attend so I can blog about what happens at the event. I’ll be bringing you another report after the event occurs. But remember, there’s no substitute for attending live, where you can learn first-hand, ask questions and make valuable connections. If you attend, look me up, please. Hope to see you at Victory in Procurement.
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Than Nguyen 11 months ago
The InSource Group is also a Government IT Contractor committed to providing end-to-end solutions for federal government projects. More details: http://insourcegroupfederal.com/