HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT An Introduction to Business Matchmaking Saturday, January 10, 2004 Cal State University - Fullerton

Why The Federal Government? World’s Largest Customer Buys Almost Everything Spends Billions

Goal of the Federal Government A quality product or service Delivered on time At a fair & competitive price

Okay – So How Do I Get Started? Get Registered Do Research Find Opportunities Find The Right People Get Certified Market, Market, Market…

Get Registered Dun & Bradstreet ( or for DUNS Number –For CCR Registration, Necessary CCR (Central Contractor Registration) (

PRO-Net Procurement Marketing & Access Network Effective January 1, 2004, PRO-Net Integrated into CCR Create one portal for entering & searching small business sources Simplify government-wide vendor registration No longer register in both: ONLY CCR

How Do I Register in CCR? Download CCR Handbook – Manually collect CCR registration information Go online and complete registration Get assistance, if needed –CCR Hotline: –SBDC or PTAC

What’s Required? Mandatory Fields –DUNS Number - NAICS Codes –CAGE Code - SIC Codes –EIN/TIN - EFT Info Business Type(s) –Check ALL that Apply

Research, Research, Research Identify your product/service Identify your NAICS code –North American Industry Classification System Identify your size (Are you small?) Identify who buys your product/service Identify how they buy

How do Federal Agencies Buy? Dollar Thresholds –Micro Purchases: Under $2,500 –Simplified Acquisitions: $2,500 - $100,000 –Above $100,000 Methods of Contracting –Government Credit Card –Purchase Orders or Basic Ordering Agreements –Invitation for Bid/Request for Proposal (IFB/RFP) –GSA’s Federal Supply Schedule (FSS)

Finding Opportunities FedBizOpps – Agency Websites Procurement Forecasts

Find The Right People Start with the Agency Small Business Specialist –Acts as liaison between supplier & buyer –Does not buy anything –Can put you in contact with technical person or buyer

Marketing 1.Market selectively 2.Market knowledgeably 3.Market constructively 4.Market early 5.Market timely 6.Market continually 7.Repeat and improve on steps 1 - 6

Know the Rules !! FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulations) – –Each agency may have their own supplement, e.g., DFARS Army - AFARS –Corps of Engineers – EFARS FAR Part 14 – Sealed Bidding FAR Part 15 – Contracting by Negotiation FAR Part 19 – Small Business Programs

I Found A Job – Now What? 1.Read the bid package 2.Read the bid package 3.Read the bid package 4.Make a copy of the bid package 5.Do not mark up the original bid package 6.Never submit a bid based on the fact that you might be able to do the job 7.Never, never, never, never make a unilateral change to any aspect of a solicitation; an awarded contract or a contract modification

3 Things to Remember –KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER –KNOW & FOLLOW THE RULES –PERFORM AS PROMISED

Can I Just Be A Subcontractor? Yes, contact large prime contractors via directory – sbsd.htmlhttp:// sbsd.html –Contact Small Business Liaison Officers –Subcontracting Plans

What is SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee Program? SBA guarantees bid, performance, payment, or ancillary bonds issued by surety companies Two Programs –Prior Approval Program –Preferred Surety Bond (PSB) Program How do I find out more? –

What is the Mentor-Protégé Program? Which Program? –SBA’s 8(a) BD –Department of Defense (DOD) –NASA Why participate? –Get necessary assistance; Including financial –Special contracting programs or considerations

What are SBA Joint-Venture (JV) Initiatives? 8(a) JV between Mentor-Protégé 8(a) “Pooling” Exclusions from Affiliation Contract Bundling

I Am With The Government And I Am Here To Help ! Nicholas Manalisay, Program Manager U.S. Small Business Administration 330 N. Brand Blvd., Suite 1200 Glendale, CA (818)