1. Doing Business with HDR
Amber Williams Small Business Liaison Officer

2. About HDR
8,000 employees
Employee-owned architectural, engineering and consulting firm
More than 185 locations worldwide
Ranked No. 13 among Engineering News-Record's "Top 500 Design Firms"
Ranked as the No. 1 healthcare design firm by Modern Healthcare's 2009 "Annual Construction & Design Survey of Healthcare Architects"
Work obtained from repeat clients: 80 percent
Projects in all 50 states and in 60 countries

3. Federal Procurement
Over 80 federal contracts with small business subcontracting goals
Typical federal procurement includes things like
Chemicals
Facility design
Fire protection
Surveying
Right of Way planning
Cultural resources consulting
Program management
Engineering

4. Would you like to be passive or proactive?
Signing up for our database
Checking back periodically
Waiting for your phone to ring
Proactive
Same steps as above, plus:
Learning about HDR’s projects and clients
Bringing an opportunity that fits our business model AND has subcontracting/teaming opportunities for your business to our attention – once the team is set, it is often too late to participate, so get on the team!
It’s your choice!

5. How to stand out Bring something to the table
Leverage the client relationships you have to set yourself apart – maybe you can offer HDR an opportunity
Know the advantages of your SB certifications
Know your industry
Inquiring about a project early on tells us you are knowledgeable and proactive
Be able to identify the types of large contracts we are interested in that also offer opportunities for you

6. Do your research
Know us! (particularly the Projects page)
Know our contracts
Find the opportunities

7. What do we buy? Services: Landscape Architecture Land Planning
Project Management
Engineering Consulting
Architecture
Fire Protection
Surveying
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Drilling

8. Top Tips for Vendors:
HDR (and many other large corporations) is comprised of many, decentralized decision-making entities.
Time is valuable – never ‘drop in’ on anyone, walk the fine line between persistent and a nuisance.
Project managers are busy doing their jobs and don’t always have time to meet with companies they don’t know – use the SBLO.
Good communication is critical – be complete when giving information about you. Advertising opportunities are everywhere!

9. Quick Dos and Don’ts Don’t: Lead with your diversity certifications.
Do: Be clear about what you actually do. Mentioning small and diversity qualifications is fine – but it should be the icing on the cake.
Don’t: Call any company to ask what they do
Do: Take the time to review the corporation’s website before you call. What are the corporation’s challenges and how can your product or service help them solve those issues? Be prepared to explain what is unique about you and how you can help.   
Don’t: Send a generic (or worse) presentation.  I received a presentation that had a competitor’s name on every page and how that supplier would help my competitor grow. That presentation quickly went into the recycle bin.  
Do: Alter and personalize it based on the research you have done about the firm you are contacting.    

10. Register with Central Contractor Registration Check out www.sba.gov
Supplier Checklist
Register for the HDR SB Database business-profile-form
Register with Central Contractor Registration
Check out
Watch for projects that may be of interest to both companies – teaming opportunities!

11. Thank you!
Amber Williams Small Business Liaison Officer