| While a business will probably not get rich with | | | | United States participate in bidding for government |
| government contracts, they do provide a very | | | | contracts. This is a stunning statistic when balanced |
| steady income with guaranteed payment and a fairly | | | | against the fact that government contracts are, |
| steady source of work. In order to succeed at | | | | literally, a trillion dollar segment of the economy. The |
| bidding and winning government contracts, one must | | | | most common reason that businesses do not |
| have at least a basic understanding of how they | | | | attempt to bid on contracts is extremely simple; |
| work. | | | | business people are terrified by the overwhelming |
| First, it is important to remember that it is probably | | | | amount of paperwork and regulations involved. |
| wise to start small, with villages, towns, municipalities, | | | | In addition, many businesses are unaware of how the |
| and so on (as opposed to larger state or federal | | | | acquisition process starts, how bids can be tracked |
| jobs). These small contracts are usually for less than | | | | and how a business can get involved. The answers |
| twenty five thousand dollars and are vital to building | | | | to all of these questions at the federal level can be |
| a reputation as a capable contractor. | | | | found on the Web site of the Government Services |
| CPO's (Contracting Procurement Officers) and PA's | | | | Administration (GSA). |
| (Purchasing Agents) take the responsibility of defining | | | | For federal bids, the Government Services |
| the parameters of the RFP (Request for Proposal) | | | | Administration office maintains a web site that offers |
| that will be put out for bids. These specialists become | | | | short courses that are designed to educate and |
| very well acquainted with the market value of the | | | | assist bidders. Continuing education credits are |
| goods and or services up for bid and are quite | | | | available to those who complete the courses, and |
| capable of insuring that the government contracts | | | | there are certificates of completion that can be |
| eventually awarded deliver quality at a fair market | | | | displayed. |
| cost. | | | | Once a company has established a reputation of |
| As a precaution to protect the financial investment at | | | | quality work and service as described above, that |
| stake, the CPO's and PA's also carefully assess the | | | | company is more likely to become a successful |
| warranty, service, reputation and terms of the | | | | government contracts bidder. It is also vital that a |
| bidders. This can save a lot of time and money down | | | | bidding company take extreme care in meeting all |
| the road. | | | | time deadlines and specifications. |
| Only about twenty percent of small businesses in the | | | | |