The federal government reserves billions of dollars each year for government contracting with small businesses across the nation. So why can’t yours be one of them? While government contracting is not the right fit for every business owner, getting started can be easier than you think! Take a look below at some of the top tips from experts at Small Business Trends on how to break into the government contracting arena.
1. Take the first step: register with the System for Award Management so government agencies can find your business when searching for contractors.
2. Get certified as a Woman-Owned Small Business and find opportunities and resources through WBENC, the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned, controlled and operated by women in the United States, or NWBOC, the first organization to create a national certification program for women-owned businesses—developed in response to research conducted by the NAWBO Procurement Special Interest Group.
3. Register as a certified small business with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to qualify for any set-aside contracts reserved for women-owned small businesses.
4. Bid on contracts through the SBA that you are a good fit for. Set up your account so you receive bid notifications as soon as they’re available.
5. Since each government agency posts “procurement forecasts” on their website, you can get a head start by looking at the products and services each agency expects to utilize and contract in the future.
6. Attend government contracting networking events, like the OPEN Forum event. Or check out the Give Me 5 organization for trainings and ongoing events to stay up-to-date on the latest federal contracting rules and opportunities.
7. Check with your Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) to connect with local contracting opportunities in your area. It’s a federally funded program and completely free to your business!