NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center Federal Contracting Basics

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 2 AGENDA Reminder to turn cell phones off Hold questions until the end please SBTDC and PTAC Services Intro to the Government Market How Federal Agencies Purchase Steps to Sell to Sell to the Federal Government Small Business Resources

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 3 Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC) Confidential one-on-one counseling General Business - planning, marketing, financing, human resources & operations Management Education Services Export Financing Assistance Technology Development and Commercialization Boating Industry Services Government Procurement Assistance – Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 4 Statewide Offices Asheville, Boone, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Cullowhee, Durham, Elizabeth City, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Greenville, Hickory, Pembroke, Raleigh, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 5 PTAC assists you with... Understanding government rules and regulations Completing mandatory registrations and certifications Researching award histories Identifying contracting opportunities Reviewing bids and proposals GSA Contracts and schedules Selling to the federal, state and local government

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 6 Is the Government Market for Me? What a Government Contract can do for your business – Diversify your customer base – Cover overhead costs – Even out cash flow What a Government Contract can not do for your business – Jump-start your business – Save your business – Be the sole source of your business

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 7 Fiscal Year Expenditures ($460+ billion market) Department of Defense – $370 billion Department of Energy – $31 billion General Services Administration – $14 billion National Aeronautics and Space Administration – $15 billion Health & Human Services – $20 billion Veterans Affairs – $14 billion

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 8 Why the Government? Product or Service they use or could use? Why should the government purchase from you? –Can you deliver on time? –Can you offer a low price? –Capacity to perform? Preference Program? Subcontractor? What percent of your revenue base?

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 9 Types of Procurement Micro-Purchases Purchases Less than $3000 (supplies), $2500 (services) and $2000 (construction) Credit Card transactions or purchase orders Open to large and small business Competition not required Approximately 700,000 cards issued $18 billion in annual sales

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 10 Simplified Acquisitions Purchases $3000 up to $100,000 Reserved for small businesses 8(a), HUBZone and SDVOSB companies Informal buys up to $10,000-$25,000 Informal advertisement required Formal advertisement required in FBO for purchases over $25,000 Sources Sought/Presolicitation/Synopsis Request for Quote (RFQ) or IFB

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 11 Large Contract Bids Purchases over $100,000 Open to large and small businesses Rigid process/well defined requirements Advertised in Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) Invitation for Bid (IFB) Request for Proposal (RFP)

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 12 Federal Contracting Goals 23 percent of prime contracts for small businesses; 5 percent of prime and subcontracts for small disadvantaged businesses; 5 percent of prime and subcontracts for women- owned small businesses; 3 percent of prime contracts for HUBZone small businesses; 3 percent of prime and subcontracts for service- disabled veteran-owned small businesses.

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 13 Federal Preference Programs 8(a) Business Development Program - Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) Program - Historically Underutilized Business (HUBZone) - Women Owned Business Program - Veterans Business Program -

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 14 Registrations -- Acronyms NAICS – North American Industry Classification System SIC – Standard Industrial Classification FSC – Federal Supply Classification PSC – Product Service Code TIN – Tax Identification Number DUNS – Data Universal Numbering System CCR – Central Contractor Registration ORCA – Online Representations & Certifications Application WAWF – Wide Area Work Flow

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 15 Registrations – Codes Identify your NAICS and SIC codes – Identify your FSC and/or PSC codes – Obtain Tax ID Number (TIN): –Even if Sole Proprietor Obtain DUNS Number : –Required for Central Contractor Registration (CCR) –Free for Government Vendors

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 16 Registrations -- CCR Central Contractor Registration [CCR] – Mandatory requirement – authorizes Electronic Funds Transfer – Assigns Commercial & Government Entity Code (CAGE Code) – User ID and Password – Don’t forget to complete the SBA Firm Profile – Required Annual Update

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 17 Registrations - ORCA Complete Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) Active CCR required – Must have MPIN (Marketing Partner ID Number) – 9 digit alphanumeric (no spaces or symbols) vendor makes up – Yearly update required

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 18 Registrations - WAWF Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF) Registration ccommerce/wideareaworkflow.html ccommerce/wideareaworkflow.html Required to get paid as per contract/order Registration is required

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 19 Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) – – Establishes uniform policies and procedures for acquisition – Used by all executive agencies – Agency specific regulations (DoD, NASA, DOE) Part 13 – Simplified Acquisitions Part 14 – Sealed Bidding Part 15 – Contracting by Negotiation Part 19 – Small Business Programs

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 20 Research Opportunities Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) – – Register as vendor after CCR active – User-friendly vendor guide – Can set up search agents – Single government-wide point-of-entry for federal govt procurement opportunities (required for over $25K) – Recovery Act opportunities and awards

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NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 22 Research Awards Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) – – Statistical information on federal contracting FedSpending – – Pulls information from FPDS American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) – – Research ARRA awards

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center FPDS - Next Generation

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center Fedspending

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 25 Agency Opportunities Check agency websites for… – Informal requirements $2500 up to $25,000 – Procurement forecast information – General information about the agency Use Federal Acquisition Jumpstation to locate agency websites

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NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center Finding Opportunities DLA: Army: Navy: Marine Corps Systems Command: asp asp National Guard Contracting: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:

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NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 29 Subcontracting Opportunities DoD Subcontracting Directory mil/sadbu/index.html - under Doing Business with DoD mil/sadbu/index.html – Lists Primes by state – Provides conference information – Small Business Specialists by state SBA Subcontracting Directory – Prime contractors by state – Prime contractor projects & requirements

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 30 Points of Contact (POC) Prime Contractors – Small Business Liaison Officer (Public Law ) – Subcontracting plans have goals Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) and Small Business Specialists (SBS) – Do not buy anything – Act as liaison between you and buyers Procurement Contract Representative (PCR) Commercial Marketing Representative (CMR)

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 31 NOT “Who do you know” BUT… Who knows you? Contracting Officers (CO) – Only person that can obligate the government Contract Specialist or Administrator – CO assistants End Users Person that knows requirement best Treasure Hunt: find the POC using on-line phone book; Logistics, Inventory, Supply

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 32 Market Your Firm Identify and target key agencies Promotional material – Capability Statement; preference programs , phone, fax, get the appt. Visit agency SB specialists/equivalents Effective communication – In writing -- Signature Block – Web Site Attend trade shows

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 33 o Things To Remember TARGET YOUR CUSTOMER: – Who buys your product or service? – How do they buy? – When do they buy? KNOW THE RULES : – Federal Acquisition Regulations – Contract requirements and specifications – How to obtain Contract history PERFORM AS PROMISED: On-time delivery, Good Quality, Fair & Reasonable $

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 34 Where to Start? Learn the process! Complete required registrations Identify your market Know what/how the agencies or prime contractors purchase what you sell Contact the OSDBU -- Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Specialist Contact the PTAC for assistance

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center Electronic Opportunities PROBID –Electronic bid matching system (Fees apply) –Searches almost 400 sites (federal, state, local, foreign) When you find opportunities –Read entire synopsis (and other documents) carefully –Combined synopsis/solicitation –Obtain complete copy of solicitation –Follow directions of documents –To bid or not to bid? –Call PTAC!

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 36 Questions / Answers ??