Slide: 1 © 2015 | All Rights Reserved | Aronson LLC | | | Reality Check # 1 What do the Iditarod race sled dogs and Government contractors have in common?
Slide: 2 © 2015 | All Rights Reserved | Aronson LLC | | | Reality Check # 2 Large contractors subcontract to small businesses because they have to not because they need to!
Slide: 3 © 2015 | All Rights Reserved | Aronson LLC | | | How to Become a “Preferred Subcontractor” Understand what motivates prime contractors The only true mission statement: Provide owner(s) with a rate of return on their investment better than they can receive by investing their resources elsewhere. We do this by – Winning business & – Performing the business we win profitably. A preferred subcontractor will support one or both of these missions
Slide: 4 © 2015 | All Rights Reserved | Aronson LLC | | | How to Become a “Preferred Subcontractor” Be a good prime contractor Corporate experience Past performance references Relationships with key agency executives
Slide: 5 © 2015 | All Rights Reserved | Aronson LLC | | | How to Become a “Preferred Subcontractor” Other attributes of preferred subcontractors Competitive prices Strategic hires Quid pro quo, you let us bid with you, we will let you bid with us. Help with the proposal Handle staffing surges Ethical Adequate business systems, especially accounting
Slide: 6 © 2015 | All Rights Reserved | Aronson LLC | | | How to Become a “Preferred Subcontractor” Things not to do Don’t depend on your small business status Be more than just staff augmentation Don’t be all things to all people, develop a niche