What Do You Need To Succeed in 2010?

(Remember Field of Dreams? "Ease His Pain...")

What do you need most, what pain must stop, for you to win more government contracts?

Answer my question, and I will post or reply privately (as you prefer) with the answers to yours. I will not try to sell you anything.

I'm asking because I'm trying to create a special -- and very affordable -- package of professional services that can jump start more companies' success in government business...and want to focus on what you care about most.

What's on your list?

 Possibilities might include:
"I want to find buyers."
"I want to focus on the best opportunities."
"I need a GSA Schedule / 8(a) certification"
"I want a teaming partner/ mentor"
"How does government buy what I have?"
"How can I find opportunities before it's too late?"
"I need someone who has the right connections to win the business."

Never Cry "Wired!" Again

Get Competitive, With FAR Part 6 

When I teach an intro procurement class, someone complains that government business always seems wired for somebody else.


"Wanna know how to get sole-sourced?" I ask them. Everyone's ears perk up. "It's in the FARS."



FAR Part 6 gives you these secrets that help experienced contractors win:

• When things must be competed, and what "Full and Open Competition" means (FAR Part 6.1) 
• The small businesses set aside you might not know about (Can you name all five? See FAR Part 6.203) 
  
• When federal buyers can sole-source (FAR Part 6.302)
  
• How to justify being sole-sourced (FAR Part Part 6.303)
• When competitions must be based primarily on price ("Sealed Bidding" -- FAR Part 6.4)

FAR Part 5: It's *Not* All On FedBizOpps

Clues To Opportunities You May Be Missing

The FARS say all opportunities worth more than $25,000 have to be published in FedBizOpps, right?

• Nope!  Clue words include "urgent", 8(a), "perishable", "national security",  "commercial items" and "under Simplified Acquisition Threshold"... but don't guess! Learn about them all in FAR 5.202. 
  
  
• Looking for a small job to launch your track record? Here's how buyers publicize opportunities worth more than $10,000 but less than $25,000 (FAR Part 5.101)
   
  
• FAR 5.4 says government can also use other methods do publicize opportunities, including traditional advertising. That could be an opportunity for marketing communication firms to offer services to procurement shops, if there is an extraordinary requirement that the buyers expect will be hard to meet.
  
  
• FAR 5.404 encourages Federal agencies to publish procurement forecast information. Find those forecasts online 24/7 at Acquisition Central.
  
  
• Looking for Stimulus-funded work? FAR Part 5.7 says how those have to be publicized -- both pre- and post-award.
  

FAR Part 4: Alchemy -- How To Turn Paper Into Gold

Didn't File Your Paperwork? You Lose.

As I write this, Hallowee'n is upon us...and who among government contractors dares to say that magic is dead? Anyone who wins has mastered the fine art of turning paperwork into gold.

Not sure how that happens? Learn FAR Part 4, Administrative Matters, and you don't need a magic wand. Seriously, you've got to complete certain applications and registrations in order be eligible for a government contract. These don't guarantee you'll win anything...but you can't win without them. Roz, here (or YOUR friendly neighborhood contracting officer) wants your paperwork -- like:

• A properly signed contract (FAR Part 4.1)
• Registration in the Central Contractor Registry (FAR Part 4.11) and
• Online Representations and Certifications (ORCA, FAR Part 4.12)

Roz has to do HER share, too. This part of the FARS includes government's obligations to:

• Safeguard classified information within the industry (FAR Part 4.4)
  
• Report contract actions to the Federal Procurement Data System (FAR Part 4.6) and track achievement on mandatory small business subcontracting plans (FAR Part 4.14) and any Stimulus-funded spending (FAR Part 4.15)
  
• And KEEP your paperwork (FAR Part 4.7, Records Retention)
  

Summit Insight Into "Speaking Stimulus" Brings Success

Construction / Engineering Staffing Win

Division 10 Personnel , Wendy Koppel, President

Objective: Win staffing subcontracts from companies performing Stimulus projects.

Summit Insight Plan & Execution: One hour teleconference consultation to provide technical training, and assistance with phone, email and voicemail scripts for Wendy and her team. Increased marketing team's ability to discuss stimulus contracts with prospective clients, increased effectiveness of marketing campaign to reach recipients of government stimulus grants for construction and assess their needs for additional construction project staff.

Results: Five new clients...tens of thousands of dollars in revenue...just ten days later.

Wendy says, "It became quickly apparent that Judy has a vast knowledge of vendor opportunities related to government funded programs (public and private sector). Judy’s astute perspective was incredibly valuable to me and everyone of our sales team. Through Judy’s teleconference training, along with her excellent assistance with phone, email and voicemail scripts, we all felt very prepared to ‘pitch’ the prospective clients.

"I highly recommend Judy to any company interested increasing their business opportunities. I plan to maintain this immensely fruitful relationship with Judy and look forward to our next project together”.

A quick fine tune can create the path to success. Find out how YOU can get started on 2010 now.

FAR Part 3: Ethics & The No Free Lunch Rule

Avoid Toxic Coffee Syndrome

Part 3  of the FARS is about procurement integrity. Its full name is Improper Business Practices And Personal Conflicts Of Interest.

Here are three reasons why you care, and where it says so:

1.   How not to lose your contract
In general, government officials can't seek or receive coffee, lunch, gifts or entertainment from a contractor. (FAR Part 3.101-2) So don't offer. Individual agencies are allowed to have their own rules about this, so if you're uncertain, look up their rules online and/or ask the contracting officer to confirm your understanding.

Pay Attention: if you do so with intent to get favorable treatment on a contract worth more than $100,000, your contract can be cancelled (FAR Part 52.203-3).

2.  How to protect your business secrets

Find out how to mark your documents to prevent the government giving competitors sensitive business information from your proposal (FAR 3.104.4). This really can happen if you don't watch out.

3. How to avoid shady practices
Whether you're a prime or a subcontractor, ethics rules apply to you. Those rules prohibit things like kickbacks, contingent fees, and under-bidding today in order to raise prices after award. If you're even remotely concerned about whether a business practice is legitimate and permitted, run, do not walk, to FAR Part 3. It's not long, but it's very clear.

Balancing Women's Natural Advantages

Creativity, But Not At The Expense of The Rules

Barbara Annis of Barbara Annis & Associates is dedicated to bringing the latest research and thinking on Gender Diversity and Inclusiveness into the workplace. As a recognized leader in Inclusive Leadership, her firm helps organizations achieve a true competitive advantage with their most valuable asset, their people.

She and I recently got to talking about gender differences in how men and women do business, and she told this story:

“Two or three years ago, I competed recently for a $50 million government project for 'inclusive leadership'. My competitors answered every question, and no more. I went more in the relationship way. I thought, 'They’re defining their requirement wrong, because I’ve been delivering inclusive leadership for years! You need diversity but you also need culture intelligence and gender intelligence.' So I added to it, with the best of intentions.

“We lost. In the debriefing, the contracting officers went through our offer line by line and said, ‘That didn’t fit the RFP, this didn’t fit the RFP. We got as far as page 12 of your 200-page proposal, and abandoned it.’ We didn’t answer the specific questions or use their words.”

“The ones who won the contract and went off on a big party trip to celebrate their win lost it three months later because they couldn’t deliver. The government agency is now asking us how they could get the service they need. 2 to 3 years later, we have even better tools and are very much involved in shaping a statement of work that we think is realistic and will achieve their goals.”

Is strong focus on creativity in pursuit of business an inherent female trait? That trait can be a strength for women as well as men in government contracting, but not at the expense of playing the game by the rules.

What would be the warning signs that you need a better balance between creativity and other elements of marketing effort?

I'll be talking about these and tactics to make the most of other gender differences to women Presidents, Owners and Chief Executives of the American Small Business Coalition on Thursday October 8th.

Happy New (Fed Fiscal) Year!

Are You Ready to Party?

The federal fiscal year started on October 1st. The traditional fourth quarter spending spree has left government buyers and contractors with record hangovers, but everybody's invited to the new party getting underway. Are you ready?

The Year In Review, and The Way Forward

Federal fiscal 2009...is over. How did you do? And...what do you want to win by this time next year?

When the final stats are in on the 2009 federal fiscal year, spending will top $550 billion -- another all-time record. Expect 2010 to look much the same. While the White House asked agencies to trim their budgets 7% over the next two years, that could simply leave room for spending on new initiatives.

The federal government will keep buying. On top of that, the Obama Administration set a goal of spending 70 percent of the stimulus money by this time next year. So far, almost 47 percent has been allocated for specific purposes; as of mid-September, only 16 percent had been spent. That means there's a very stimulating year ahead...if you're developing opportunities long before the competition begins.

There's seven steps to doing that. I'll present those at the PTAC at George Mason University on October 7th. Can't make it? Let me know how I can bring those steps to you.

NOW IS THE TIME ... to get your plans set for 2010. Want help? Just ask.

The Joy Of Lex: FARS Part 2

When Lexicon Means Profit

Why would FARS Part 2 be interesting? It's about the language, or lexicon, of contracting and its definitions. 

Because the Joy of "Lex" can be tangible. "Oh, Yawn," you say.  Not so fast. What if tiny little FARS Part 2 were a key to profit and competitive advantage? Read on.

In government contracting, everyday words and phrases have very specific meanings. How is a "commercial item" different from a "commercially available off-the-shelf item"? What does "cost or pricing data" include? Is your product or service "environmentally preferable"?

You want to know the answers for two reasons.

First: Competitive Advantage. Understand and comply with the terms and ensure your proposal qualifies for every advantages.

Three examples:

• if the solicitation says that environmentally preferable products shall receive preference in evaluation, you want to be sure your products qualify, find out how that sets you apart from your competition, and, if so, be sure your proposal shows how you qualify. 
• If the solicitation says that only environmentally preferable products shall be purchased, you want to be sure to include information about how your products meet that definition, so you don't get disqualified on a technicality. 
• Armed with Good Lex, you can also point out competitors who aren't compliant -- and disqualify them from a competition. 

Second: Compliance with Incorporated Terms
The standard contract includes definitions simply by referring to FAR Part 2. That's called "incorporation by reference." Government contracts incorporate hundreds of provisions by reference. In other words, the government buyer expects you to know what all these terms mean when you sign that contract, even though the contract doesn't spell them all out. And if you don't know what they mean, the FAR reference points you to where you can look it up.

Neeld Wilson, President of GEAR Engineering, found himself scrambling on his first federal contract proposal to remove an underground storage tank. He was looking for the statement of work in order to cost the job, because that information seemed to be missing from the Request for Proposal. 

His proposal consultant showed him the small clause that referred to published project standards that his proposal needed to meet. 

If his proposal hadn't complied with those standards, his offer would have been rejected. Instead, he went on to win a project worth several hundred thousand dollars.

The Joy Of Good Lex: Helps You Win.

Got a story about a definition that made a difference for you? Email me, or leave a comment!

FARS Part 1...Just What You Need To Know!

Rules of the Road

In writing my book, "Seven Steps to Success in Government Contracting," I knew I had to cover acquisition regulations. How could I make it something you'd want to read?

Today I planned to launch my "FAR - a - Week" blog series -- working through the Federal Acquisition Regulations.  Life got in the way...but brought the perfect lesson to start me off!


I was delayed by what I thought would be a routine annual vehicle inspection. An hour later, I found out that it's gonna cost me $2600 in mandatory repairs -- including replacing the pump that feeds the power steering -- just to keep my beloved six-year-old Mini Cooper on the road.

What's this got to to with the FARS? 

Easy: If I want to drive, my vehicle's gotta meet the rules of the road. When you get on the acquisition superhighway of selling to the federal government, you agree to comply with those rules.

Even if it costs us. So, let's know before we go.

Federal Acquisition Regulations Part 1: The  Opening Act
Explains the purpose of the federal procurement rules, how they are managed and by whom, and who has authority to bind the government to a contract. (You really care about that last part, because you need to know whether or not the person you're talking to has the authority to buy from you.)

Highlights:

• 1.102: The acquisition regulations are intended to achieve: 
• on-time delivery 
• of products or services that give best value to the government customer 
• while maintaining the public’s trust 
• and fulfilling public policy objectives

• 1.601 Agency heads delegate contracting authority to Contracting Officers.

• 1.602-1: Contracting officers have authority to enter into, administer, or terminate contracts and make related determinations and findings, including ensuring that all 2requirements of law, executive orders, regulations, procedures, clearances and approvals have been met.
  

GSA's Inside Scoop on New Mentor-Protege Program!

Did you know? In GSA's Mentor-Protege Program:

• Companies of any size, small or large may be mentors
• Mentors may hold ANY GSA contract -- not just a GSA Schedule Contract
• Mentors may hold SINGLE award contracts, not just multiple award contracts.
• GSA's Small Business Utilization Office is glad to meet with you
  
• For more, Web: http://gsa.gov/sbu and follow twitter.com/GSAOSBU
  

Thanks to A/Associate Administrator Mary Parks, Director of the Small Business Utilization Office for her interview on this with me, recorded September 18th with me for YOU to hear, at
http://bit.ly/ixvhe.

With pressure from the Obama Administration to improve federal awards to small business, and recession putting the pressure on small companies, this program comes at a very good time.

Now, let's see SBA and Commerce promote it during their outreach, too!

Will YOU pursue a mentor on this program? Become a Protege? Why or why not?

EMAIL ME YOUR ANSWER!

Attracting Your GSA Mentor

What's In It For Them? And You? 

1.  Learn about the program.
If GSA offers a briefing on its Mentor-Protege program, attend. Otherwise, read all you can. If your prospective mentor is new to Mentor-Protege (because this is new for GSA), you may need to be able to explain how it works, and provide links.

2.   Think about what you can offer your mentor.
These programs take time -- theirs and yours -- for application as well as participation. What's in it for them?
- More margin on sales subcontract to you?

- Access to a new client base?
- Opportunity for an equity position in your company?

- Something else?

3.   Decide what you want from your mentor. Need ideas? The 2007 GAO report said:

• 87 percent of responding protégés said their mentors helped their business development and corporate infrastructure. 
• 84 percent credited mentors with "enhanced their engineering or technical expertise"; a
• 25% said their participation helped them meet ISO quality Standardization, CMMI, or other certifications. 

4.   Prepare To Meet
Update your Capability Statement and list your objectives before you approach your prospective mentors! Remember, a good initial point of contact is the person listed on their GSA Schedule online. Pay attention to your gut. Are you comfortable with what you're hearing and who you're meeting?

Got your mentors narrowed down? Link to the application here and find out more.

Top Vehicles for YOUR GSA Mentor-Protege

GSA Runs 6 of Buyers' Top 10 Contract Faves

If technology is your business, and you're thinking of GSA's Mentor-Protege program, prime contractors of any size participating in any of GSA's programs could be a mentor. 

Look beyond the schedules program! There are more choices than you might have thought. Nick Wakeman of Federal Computer Week told us the results of a 100,000 readers surveyed about the federal IT contracts they planned to use:

1. GSA SmartBuy, with 34 percent saying they plan to use it.
2. GSA Schedule 70 – 31 percent
3. GSA 8(a) STARS – 16 percent
4. Army ITES-2S — 15 percent
5. GSA Networx – 13 percent
6. DISA I-Assure – 13 percent
7. DOD Enterprise Software Initiatives – 13 percent
8. GSA Alliant Small Business – 12 percent
9. GSA Millenia/Millenia Lite/Alliant – 12 percent
10. Army ADMC-2 – 12 percent

So You Want A GSA Schedule Mentor?

Tips For Prospective Proteges On The Hunt

1. Get the latest update from GSA's Office of Small Business Utilization about the program.
   
   
2. Learn more about GSA's programs, including the Schedule Contract, that best fits the kind of business you want to win more of.
   
   
3. Then check out GSAAdvantage to see who is offering goods or services that complement yours. Make a list of those companies. The point of contact listed is a good starting point if you want to get in touch.
   
   
4. Next, see how much business they've won recently,
   through Schedule Sales Query, and on other contracts, via Federal Procurement Data System.
    
5. Narrow the list by geography if you want to work with someone located near you.

Now, what would YOU do next?

Why Mentor-Protege, GSA?

Simply: A Good Idea That Delivers.

The Department of Defense pioneered Mentor-Protege in 1991. In the report commissioned by Congress in 2007, the Government Accountability Office found that participant benefits among those they surveyed included:

• 48 protégés collectively attributed 95 new contracts and about $131 million in increased revenue to their participation in the program. 
• 63 % percent reported an increase in employees. 
  

But there's no magic -- you get out of it what you put into it. 

GAO also reported that "Despite the overall value protégés attributed to the program, about one-quarter reported that the program had no impact on gaining new contracts or increasing revenue."

What could GSA's program achieve for you? Well, what do you want to get out of it? 

Julie, and Julia...and Judy: The FAR-A-Week Blog Series

52 Parts. 52 Weeks. Starts Monday September 21st!

Remember I said I found the movie "Julie and Julia" inspiring? I was wondering what I could do that my community would find appealing and would really cook...

And I was kinda mired in writing Part Three of my book, Seven Steps to Success in Government Contracts, always wondering, "What does someone REALLY need to know about procurement rules?"

Sure, the perfect answer is "everything," but what would a real-world approach be? I decide to find out, and share that with you one week at a time.

SIGN UP NOW for RSS feed, and get the whole series, starting next week!

GSA Launches Mentor-Protege Program

September 14th, 2009 Is Opening Day


All part of the White House push for more contract awards to small business...now there's another way for big companies to help the smaller ones.

Mentor-Protege programs that began with DoD and have spread to other agencies have driven growth for many small firms through the technical assistance, subcontracting, and even equity positions extended by Mentors to Proteges.


How will GSA's program work? See Federal Register notice, Aug 14th, 2009.

How about in plain language? GSA said to check this link.

More SBA Outreach...How's That Workin' For Ya?

Online, In-Person...What's Actually Helping You Win More Contracts?

ITEM 1: On September 1st, SBA announced to an online course to help small businesses win Recovery business. It's at http://www.sba.gov/fedcontractingtraining/. One review called it "Half an hour course that provides a great introduction to federal procurement." Have you tried it? What do you think of it?

BTW, like audio? Check out Women Impacting Public Policy's Give Me Five on-demand webinar series. 100-level courses are free24/7; advanced topic are members-only. Like what you hear? Become a member!

ITEM 2:  In mid-August, the White House asked SBA and Commerce to do over 200 more events in the weeks ahead, to help agencies reach their 23% goal of contract dollar awards to small business. Washington Technology reports some community leaders as skeptical over whether that outreach will achieve anything.

Honestly, I've both given AND received lot of industry outreach over the last 20 years or so, and I've often asked myself the same thing. Government tries, but how in tune are these efforts with what you need?
  
I ASK YOU:

• What's SBA/Commerce done for YOU lately that's actually helped you win a government contract? 
• If nothing, then what one thing should they be doing right now?

 EMAIL ME.

I'll post the answers here next week. SO COME ON. Give me something to write about.

A Lesson From Julia

Blogging Like Nobody's Watching

Procurement this, procurement that... I went out to see the movie Julie and Julia tonight, and I was inspired on a couple of levels.

First, that Julie started out doing a project just because...and people started to care about it along the way, whether she knew that or not. For her, it was about the journey, and putting it out there.

And for Julia, bringing "Mastering The Art Of French Cooking" was such a very long journey, fired by the passion of knowing that what she had to share with the world was worth it, that someone would care.

I really do write this blog for two reasons:

• so that if you really CAN win a government contracts, you get things that help you succeed...
• and if it's really not a great idea, you can figure that out before somebody skims thousands of dollars off you for courses and services and proposals that burn your cash and line their pockets.

And I have a book coming -- Seven Steps To Success In Government Contracts. Maybe, like Julia's book, the title will change. And, like Julia's, it's not gonna be the only contracting cookbook out there. But if you ARE hungry for government contracts, it's going to take you through the recipe, one step at a time.

Stick with me, folks. And sign up for the RSS feed if you want the updates as the writing comes along.

(Okay, and Stanley Tucci is SOOO cute as Paul Child.)

Trap 3: The Shotgun Tactics

The Danger: Wasted Scarce Resources.

See the classic shotgun pattern? Lots of effort, not much reaching your target. Sure, FedBizOpps (www.fbo.gov) is the place where the federal government must publish opportunities and includes links to stimulus opportunities. But if you pump out proposals to every Request for Proposal you find, most of your effort is off target.

Improve Your Win Rate.

FACT: The win begins long before RFP's are published. When you want to win government contracts, research and focus tightly to win. Otherwise, I guarantee you'll go broke trying.

The Fix: Focus.

Did you know? Public money drives much more public information -- on federal departments' budgets, contract spending forecasts and contract awards. Savvy companies pinpoint well-funded buyers, scope out competition and partners, refine their focus, and pick out and position themselves to win opportunities a long time before formal competition begins.

Where to start:

Free web sites offer extraordinary amounts of federal contract market intelligence -- but can take time to hit the bull's eye. Look into www.usaspending.org, www.ccr.gov, www.gsaadvantage.gov, https://fpds.gov, and www.ssq.gsa.gov. Good if you're testing the waters and not ready for a big investment yet, or prefer to spend time rather than money.

Jump Start: Get a free instant webinar in how to use all these -- at www.summitinsight.com/video.asp.

Now tell your friends.

Trap 2: The Shoestring Budget

Danger: No Traction.

If your business is struggling, pursuit of government contracts can hurt more than it helps. You can expect to spend serious money -- and easily a couple of years of effort -- to find a return on what you'll invest to develop opportunities and prepare proposals. And when you DO win, guess when you get paid? After you do the work. Winners budget to stay in business long enough not only to win, but also to perform.

Your current line of credit is often not enough to finance pursuit of several major opportunities, and win a couple, AND stay alive until after you get your first payment. Even healthy companies that are blessed with a line of credit today are shocked to find that their bankers do not simply extend that line and its terms, even to finance a signed government contract. Margins are usually not huge in government contracting. Asset-based financing is your cheapest money. While I see offerings every week for alternative financing (aka "last-minute money"), it's always more expensive, and will evaporate your profits in a hurry.

The Fix? Get Some Financing.

Have you hugged your banker lately? I'm really not joking. If you've decided to pursue government contracts, and revised your marketing budgets to support that pursuit, review your access to working capital and financing. Then visit your banker to let her know your plans -- not least because you want to check your assumptions about financing options and how your bank can support you.

Trap 1: The Saggy Pants Strategy

The Danger: One Size Fits None.

Government buyers need to be right for you, and you need to be right for them.

First, what size opportunity do you perform or deliver best now? Just because government's needs come in all sizes doesn't mean you've got something for everyone.

Second, each government office's needs and problems are unique. And the sales effort has to persuade a complex group of people -- individual buyers, contracting officers, program managers, and end users -- who each have different needs, even if you think you're just selling one thing to them all!

That suggests a very relationship-intensive (and expensive) effort. One size doesn't fit all.

The Fix: Tailor-- Two Ways.

Your government prospects have to fit your company, and your offering has to suit the client.

First, set your sights on the right size and number of opportunities. Don't chase the biggest thing you can find. For every successful opportunity, you have to invest to develop the business, build trusted relationships, and if the odds look decent, prepare the proposal, and if you win, to have enough money to perform until at least after you get your first payment!

Second, pick the style or niche that suits you and your prospects best. Focus on your core competency -- the problem you solve better than anyone. The high-potential prospect wants to meet you because she sees herself reflected in your track record of solving that problem for clients who look a lot like her. In other words, you're the specialty store that carries just her style.

What Can You Do Today?

Ask and receive a free Seven Steps to Success installment series on Strategy, excerpted from my upcoming  book. You'll get:

• a special email every week with tips and a new exercise you can do to make your government contracts strategy the perfect fit!
  
  
• And notification when the podcast  series comes out, too!

Three Top Traps -- Watch Out!

3 Common Mistakes In Government Contracting...

2009 has witnessed two giant forces that have combined to create a rogue wave of interest in government contracting -- among companies of all sizes! This time last year, the recession began to dry up many companies' traditional sources of business. Then, when February's federal stimulus package passed, thousands of company owners thought, "Hey, with all that spending, there's got to be something I can win."

Maybe. But every year, otherwise successful managers spend millions in scarce resources trying to win government contracts without results. And now the stakes are even higher: stimulus notwithstanding, President Obama has just asked government buyers to trim a total of 7 percent from their budgets by the end of 2011.

Conclusion: Don't get lured, get smart. In government contracting, success favors the savvy.

It's easy to avoid the most common traps:

1. The Saggy Pants Strategy
   
2. The Shoestring Budget
   
3. The Shotgun Tactics

Next week's three tips tell you the danger signs, and how to avoid those problems!

Small Business Shortchanged by Stimulus?

Experience, Knowledge & Relationships Are Key.

Robert Brodsky's August 3th GovExec article is yet another complaint about how little stimulus money is going to small business. Kent Hoover pointed out back in June in WBJ, following Senate Small Business hearings, that small business had received only 10.3% of stimulus contracts.

What do YOU think the biggest barriers are
for small businesses wanting to win government contracts?
Tell me, and let's go after those.

Because, look: the stimulus is not intended to shower money on small business, so can we all stop whining about that? The stimulus is not a make-work program designed to administer lots of small contracts to little businesses so everybody gets some trickle down. There simply aren't enough contracting officers to handle that, for starters. And the cost of administering lots of small contracts whittles away the amount of money that drives the engine of the economy.

1. Incumbents have an advantage over newcomers, by pure dint of knowledge and experience in how to find, develop and win opportunities -- to say nothing of past performance.

2. Existing contract vehicles are the fastest way to pump money into the economy and get people working and supplying the products and services needed.

3. Big companies subcontract, and where's all the reporting on that? Well, how much time do you want to spend bean-counting, and how much doing the work?

4. The stimulus accounts for maybe a 15% bump of the total federal contract spending. There are plenty of ongoing opportunities -- at federal, state AND local -- that serious companies can focus on.

What there isn't is a handout. There's nothing but hard work on that road -- even to compete and win, and THEN to perform.

There are plenty of places that small businesses can get help to build the contacts, expertise, and relationships it takes to win business. But it doesn't fall out of the sky, folks.

Unsolicited Proposal Tips!

Responses from this week's Summit Insight Mailbag Q's

"How can I prepare an unsolicited proposal?"

The Federal Acquisition Regulations tell you what you can and can’t do here:
http://www.acquisition.gov/far/current/html/Subpart%2015_6.html

Here’s an article from ONVIA that summarizes the process and includes other useful regulatory links: http://gov.onvia.com/unsolicited-proposals-and-bids/

But if you’re going to send an unsolicited proposal, wouldn’t you want to know how someone is going to evaluate it? In the order retrieved by Google,

• The Army tells you, here: www.aca.army.mil/docs/Community/unsolicited_proposal.pdf
• And the US Geological Survey gives you their take, at http://www.usgs.gov/contracts/grants/unsolbk.html
• NAVAIR’S view: http://www.navair.navy.mil/index.cfm?fuseaction=doing_business.guide
• The Marine Corps: www.logcom.usmc.mil/.../Unsolicited%20Proposals%20Fact%20Sheet%20012006.pdf
• Customs and Border Protection: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/contracting/con_opp.xml
• NASA Ames Research Center: http://server-mpo.arc.nasa.gov/Services/Grants/Includes/Unsolicited.tml
• Drug Enforcement Agency: www.usdoj.gov/dea/policydocs/deaunsolicitedproposals.pdf
• USAID: www.usaid.gov/business/small.../5_Subcontracting_Unsolicited.pdf
• USDOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials: http://twurl.nl/hm5yb0
• USDA Research Education & Economics: www.afm.ars.usda.gov/ppweb/PDF/212-17.pdf
• Department Of Education: www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/foia/acsocfo2104.pdf
• National Security Agency: www.nsa.gov/business/_files/unsolicited_proposals_guide.pdf
• Internal Revenue Service: www.irs.gov/pub/irs-procure/guide-unsolicited-proposals.pdf
• Veteran Affairs: www.1.va.gov/oamm/oa/ars/policyreg/vaar/vaar815.cfm
• State Department: www.state.gov/documents/organization/89056.pdf

And the hits just keep on coming. SO...if you’re thinking of sending an unsolicited proposal to a federal agency, remember :

• “unsolicited” doesn’t mean “free form”
• Read the FARS on unsolicited proposals!
• Then look up any rules your target agency may have published about unsolicited proposals. Compliance with those give you keys to successful consideration
• Remember to protect your proprietary or sensitive information, as suggested by the FARS.
• Is there anything you want to be sure DOESN’T happen to your proposal? Find out if you’re allowed to place limitations on what the recipient may do with the content of your proposal.

Seven Tips To Stimulus Business!

Looking Stimulus Business? Not Sure Where To Start?

The clue really is the same advice that Mark Felt -- "Deep Throat" -- gave Bob Woodward in the parking garage in Rosslyn, Virginia when he was investigating the Watergate scandal...

Follow the Money.

How?

My latest web site article gives you the steps and links -- read, and share with your friends!
And remember to check out GSA Schedules most likely to be used for ARRA spending, too!

Recovery HotSpots = Opportunities

Shovelwatch.Org Makes Stimulus Digging Easier

Sometimes the best opportunities are buried under problems! If you want to unearth the hidden gems within the stimulus, take a look at government agencies being criticized for NOT allocating their funds, or accounting for them poorly!

www.shovelwatch.org is a watchdog public interest site that highlights just such trouble spots. Take a look and see what new business it might highlight for you!

The stimulus is supposed to be pulling America out of the recession, but the current administration is taking the heat for not making things happen fast enough.

How about you? What stimulus business are YOU following?

30% of Posted Recovery Jobs Up For Grabs

Recovery.Org Offers Easy Ways to Find Opportunities

Advice comes in three kinds: Free, good, and enough...pick any two.

Free and good: today, from the folks at Onvia, www.recovery.org is another easy way to see where upcoming recovery projects are.

As of today, there were:

• notices for just under 30,000 recovery projects
• ADVANCE notice -- stuff coming up for competition -- for over 10,000.
  

Pulldown menus make the searches very easy, on three criteria: location, industry, and status.

Try it -- what do you think?
How useful, on a scale of 1 (not useful) to 5 (wow, great!) ?

Keys To Government Contract Staffing Success

Women Who Rock Contracting: Patty De Dominic

Patty De Dominic founded PDQ 1979 as a staffing business. In the ten years before PDQ was sold to Select Staffing in 2006, she won quality service, entrepreneurial excellence and customer service awards from local and national media, universities and the US Dept of Labor. She shares her success secrets here!

• Getting Started - survey the market. “We didn't have a sense of how big that market was.” They picked what worked instead of trying to tackle everything in government.
  
  
• Stick to it based on your intuition – don’t follow the opinion of one government officer. It’s easy to get distracted by a silo’ed opinion and think your business can’t make it.
  
  
• Be in the right place at right time – make your luck. Patty recalls, “We were asked to bid on providing staffing services, as one of 5-10 pre-qualified vendors to provide temp help. We went through the procurement process, and…that gave buyers a chance to evaluate us…to make sure we could add value to the client and guarantee our work.”
  
  
• Complete the offer – Patty’s package included: Pricing, basic company information, including business licenses and proof of insurance, description of the services provided; and documentation of quality assurance processes – “…the methods for ensuring the skills of the employees we assigned to client locations and the quality of their work.”
  
  
• Clinch It With Top Performance -- the best way to ensure your firm stands out. Patty’s company made sure they were very careful about how they staffed the project. “We overstaffed just a bit to be sure to provide top performance. We performed on our first order, and made sure the people we sent had all the skills needed. (and more frankly.....just to make sure it all worked well on those first few assignments).”
  

Making a name for yourself in performance and quality offers will practically guarantee return government business as it did for Patty.

What are YOUR success tips? Share 'em here!

What GSA Schedules Are Best Bets For Stimulus?

Hot Contract Vehicles To Drive To The Bank

Is a GSA Schedule gonna win you stimulus business? Wrong way to look at it.

Right way:
a) What's government buying with stimulus money?
b) Which of those things do buyers use GSA Schedules to purchase?

Here are some top picks, courtesy of Bill Gormley of the Washington Management Group, from a recent edition of his regular column in the Washington Business Journal:

• 03 FAC: Facilities and Maintenance Management
• 51 V: Hardware Superstores
• 56: Buildings & Building Materials
• 84: Law Enforcement & Security *
  
• 899: Environmental Services

A GSA Schedule Contract promises NOTHING -- but if you're already working to win that business, then you make it easier for your buyers if that's they way they like to do business.

Guys Who Rattle My Cage

GSA...NOT the Universal Panacea

I was just reading Washington Business Journal's regular columnist on government contracts -- often has good tips I like to pass along. I met Bill Gormley years ago when he was chief of GSA (and I have compliments for him in tomorrow's blog!). But his recent column made me growly.

I disagree with those who say "If you want to do business with the government, the best way to start is to get a GSA Schedule contract..."

(Here's why...)

• Think twice if you're getting that advice from someone who conveniently happens to offer services to help you GET a GSA Schedule contract.
  
  
• The BEST way to start is to figure out whether or not selling to the government makes sense for your company in the first place, and then how the government buys what you offer.
  
  
• GSA Consultants with integrity are genuinely cautious about promoting Schedule Contracts as the keys to the treasure chest
  
  What do YOU think?
  
  Did YOU shell out big bucks for a GSA Schedule and then win nothing? What's YOUR Story?
  

GEAR Engineering: Half-Million Dollar Smile

Neeld Wilson, Orlando Aquifer Engineer: First Federal Wins!


Meet my client, Neeld Wilson, President of GEAR Engineering. He's a service-disabled veteran who struggled through 2008 (and spent a LOT of money) with no success in winning any government contracts.

This has got to stop," he had said to himself. He hired me to help him. We worked hard together with monthly sessions, targeting, focus, new relationships (like with two local chapters of the Society of American Military Engineers) and follow up on key issues (Find out more about that...).

Just after I finished speaking at the NAWBO conference in Chicago, I got the following happy email from Neeld:

"Homerun! Two (2), that’s right two (2) Federal contracts in one day. One as a subcontractor for geotechnical services ($37K) and one for tank removal/replacement ($445K). Thank you, thank you and thank you. Still, the journey is just beginning and there are many pieces of silver to find."

How could that happen for YOU? Here's how I do it.

Has GSA Suspended Schedule Evictions?

If You Haven't Sold $25,000 On Your GSA Schedule...

...by the end of year 2 of your contract, GSA's practice has been that you need to give your Contracting Officer a mighty good reason not to terminate your contract.

A company owner I just talked to, empty-handed and coming up against the 2-year line, said when she called GSA to beg for mercy, she not only got a reprieve...

...but her Contracting Officer told her because of the recession, GSA's not kicking companies off the Schedule for failure to make the $25,000 cutoff right now.

Recession might have a silver lining, if this story is true...
Regardless,
Got GSA doldrums? Get your act in gear NOW, while somebody may be cutting you a break.

Fourth quarter use-or-lose days are here! What's YOUR top Q-4 tactic? Come on, share it here!

As Much Fun As A Damp Mattress

How Did Scott Adams Miss Us All This Time?

I mean, government contracts are so rife with possibilities for hilarity, I'm shocked that Adams doesn't have us on his drawing board more often!

How many other Dilbert strips have ever focused on government contracting?

And, yes, I'm back. More to come. And MUCH more often.

Free Teleseminar: Win Government Contracts Faster.

Just Can't Wait To Reach New Heights?

Me neither. Win Faster, Spend less...Sound good?

Link here to get Judy Bradt's free teleseminar
on Seven Steps to Success in government contracts.

This soft launch is to:

• Invite your comments, and
• Seek marketing partners in the GSA Schedules/government contracts space who would like to profit from shared promotion of the full seven-part series.

Link, share, enjoy...I just ask you to contact me if you want:

1. easy cash flow from subscribers you refer.
2. an invitation to the full series when it's ready!
   
   

Federal Top Contractors -- New Partner Prospects

It's that time of year!

Washington Technology's Top 100 Federal IT Contractors always show some interesting changes. This year, there's not as much movement among the top 20 places as there is when you get to the next ones down!

You'll see big jumps up the ladder by QinentiQ, Alion, and ASRC Federal...take a look and see what they've been doing!

When you're looking for partners, remember to look beyond the biggest guys -- some of the up-and-coming primes might be an even better fit for you.

Find out more: get inside their heads, with a May 20th webinar offered by WT Editor Nick Wakeman.

GSA Contract: Hire Guns, or Be Your Own Lookout?

Do I Need A Consultant To Get A GSA Schedule?

In a word, no. GSA’s contracting officers will tell you that, too: there is no legal requirement to hire someone to prepare and negotiate your offer to GSA. But wait, do you do your own taxes? Why else would you pay perfectly good money to have someone do something that you could do yourself? Typically because:

• You want it done right, as the finished work has long term consequences;


• You want it done promptly, a challenge if this isn’t your speciality; and


• You want the inside advantages that a seasoned expert brings to the finished document.

Those are the same reasons why it’s worth considering some kind of help when you’re preparing your proposal for your GSA Schedule Contract.

However, a consultant is not right for everyone. There is no guarantee that the more you spend, the better your proposal will be, and no correlation at all between what you spend on your proposal and how much you sell once you have a Schedule Contract. Only you can provide the critical corporate data that the consultant is going to require. So plan on spending time, regardless of which option you pick. Check the references of anyone whose services you’re thinking of engaging!

Read more here: GSA Schedules -- Seven Things You MUST Know

GSA Schedules and Your Business

Honey, Was It Good For You?

A GSA Schedule contract may or may not be the right approach for your business in winning government work. The right answer can unlock millions of dollars of long-term business with US government, both federal and state…but sometimes, it's not the smart way to go.

The US General Services Administration (GSA) Schedules Program is the lingo of federal contract availability. "Are you on GSA?" or "Do you have a GSA number?" or "Are you on Schedule?" are common ways to ask: "Have you negotiated a contract, with the US General Services Administration, to sell your products and/or services, under specified terms and conditions, for a defined period of time plus options, to whomever is authorized to use that contract, in no quantities whatsoever?"

A GSA Schedule is:

• A negotiated contract, not a registration or serial number. Some people prepare the long, detailed proposals themselves (and GSA will tell you it's simple)...but many people rely on consultants to save them time and prevent costly errors.
  


• A hunting license, not a guarantee of business. After months of contracting, and even more effort of marketing, there is no promise that anyone will buy from you. Thousands of companies who get GSA Schedules win NOTHING AT ALL.
  


• Only one of many ways to sell. (When a buyer says, "I can only buy off GSA Schedule", it might mean that you’ve arrived after the buyer has already chosen the Acquisition Strategy…this time.)

So why would anyone want a GSA schedule at all? Some good reasons:

• It’s a popular way for government to buy on short notice. Federal buying surges as US fiscal year-end (30 September) approaches, and money must be spent or it disappears. It provides a year-round opportunity for teaming.
  
  
• Some large technology contracts require prime contractors to select only team members that are already on GSA schedule.
  
  
• Some state and local governments use the GSA Schedules for information technology, disaster response requirements, and security and law enforcement items.
  
  
• It’s a sign that you’re serious. GSA warns that schedule contracts are not endorsements, but GSA schedule contracts do add credibility by showing buyers and partners your commitment to the government market.
  

So when does a GSA schedule not make good business sense? Two ways to find out:

• Get my free paper -- GSA Schedules: Seven Things You Must Know!
  
  
• Come to the NAWBO Greater DC Government Contracting Special Interest Group (GovCon SIG)'s May 12th event, "GSA Schedules and You", featuring Molly Gimmel of Design to Delivery! Register Here...

Gear Up For Government Spending Season

New Strategy Workout Gets You On Road To Profit

Calling Frustrated Small Business Owners & Federal Marketers!
Wondering how to reach more real opportunities today?
(Still muttering "OMG!"after the OSDBU conference?)

The Pain Stops Here.

Take steps to winnable business in an exclusive small-group session at my Executive Strategy Workout! You get:

Critical Next Steps To Winnable Opportunities
Your Top Questions Answered
Exclusive 4-Workbook Set ($1,200 Value!):

1. Seven Steps To Success
   
2. Capability Statements Made Easy
3. GSA Schedules -- Seven Things You Must Know
4. Making The Most Of Your OSDBU Visit
   

Wed 20 May, 1-4 pm, 1616 Anderson Road, McLean VA
Full price: $497. Bring a friend, both get 20% discount.
Register and Pay NOW

Thank you to Myra Fitzwater and Teqcorner, our series sponsor!

Preparing To Make A Prime Pitch

Ready, Aim, Team!

Now that you're back from the OSDBU conference and are sorting through those cards and contacts...how are your follow-up plans going?

Do you remember in school how your parents always harped on you to do your homework so you would get A's on your exams? That was practice for real life as a vendor.

It's time to get ready for those teaming meetings -- so start by:

• targeting best-fit projects for you in the government agency
• narrowing your focus to the most likely primes/partners
• tailoring your pitch -- that is, your capability statement -- around that.
  

That's where those Five People You Need To Meet come in.
Expect that it's going to take time -- so get started. Get to know the program managers and end users of your product or service. Research their missions, challenges, incumbent vendors, and what buyers do – or don’t – like about the products and services they’re using now. Once they trust you, you learn who the decision-makers are, who influences them (Think tanks? Consultants? Trade press?), what their budgets might be, and what the spending plans are – how much money will be spent, and when.

Your status as a woman-owned, 8(a) or other small business is a minor advantage to a Prime contractor, so you might get their attention when you make that initial appointment. Once the meeting starts, how can you make it count? Here's what the primes say:

• Focus on Reality - What do you expect from a prime contractor, and what are you bringing to the table?


• Research Your Prospective Partner - Bring in the potential business — what new leads and client relationships can you bring to the Prime? Why should you be given attention?


• Register and Followup - Online registration is necessary but not sufficient on its own to gain a partnership with a large Prime. Did you call back and continue the connection until you actually found a project you both agreed you wanted to work on?
  

Learn more from my new "Meeting And Teaming Prep Workbook"!

"RAT" Board Asks: How To Publish More Recovery Info?

Have Your Say -- Just in the Week of 27 April!

Source: Facebook Group, brought to my attention by Peggy McShane, Net New Growth...

For one week beginning April 27th, The Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board (AKA the "RAT" Board!) and the Office of Management and Budget in partnership with the National Academy of Public Administration, will host a national online dialogue to engage leading information technology vendors, thinkers, and consumers in answering a key question:

What ideas, tools, and approaches can make Recovery.gov a place where all citizens can transparently monitor the expenditure and use of recovery funds?

Participants from across the IT community will be able to recommend, discuss, and vote on the best ideas, tools, and approaches. Your ideas can directly impact how Recovery.gov operates and ensure that our economic recovery is the most transparent and accountable in history.

Link to Details Here -- info from www.recovery.gov

Easy Tips For Pre-RFP Marketing

Where Key Relationships Begin

Marketing Calls

A vendor who targets her most promising buyers and build relationships with them over time has a distinct advantage. She gets to know the program managers and end users of her product or service. By keeping your target customers informed about the leading edge developments of your products and services through personal contact, you can build their interest in working with you. That can influence the specifications for the solicitation that ends up in FedBizOpps.


Who are The Five People You Need To Meet? (Find that out HERE.)

When calling on government officials, identify yourself and your company, and the procurement or requirement that you’d like to talk about. Ask whether the person you’re speaking with can discuss the requirement, and whether there are limitations on what you can discuss. If you or your contact is uncertain about that, get answers before going further. Making those connections opens the door for your selection. People first turn to people they know when they're developing requirements -- even if the rules say they have to consider every offer. And you want to meet those people before you start responding to RFP's.

What About Requests for Information (RFI), Sources Sought, Draft RFP's?

Aha! While these are procurement activities, they don't promise any purchase or intent to purchase. They ARE some of the ways government buyers find out things like:

• Whether enough small businesses can meet the requirement to merit a set-aside!
• Where is the leading edge of available technology; and
  
• Whether industry can meet a complex requirement at all.

Rules for participation are fairly simple (check the Federal Acquisition Regulations).

BUT YOU HAVE TO PLAY IF YOU WANT TO WIN.
You can't complain there's no set aside for you if you didn't speak up to say you can do the work!

When Does The Win Really Start? (Hint)

Long Before The RFP in FedBizOpps!

The US government issues 95,000 solicitations every day. However, people tell you, "If the first time you read about it is in FedBizOpps, it’s already too late." So how does a business get the inside track?

FedBizOpps is the official source for US federal contract solicitations. But if you register there and request to receive even *selected* RFP's, three things will happen:

1. Your inbox will bust.
2. You feel like a total loser because you don't have time to pick which ones you could win.
3. You give up, deciding "There’s got to be a better way."

Cheer up: so far, you've learned a lot, but in reality had slim hopes at best.

Congratulations -- you're no longer a loser.
You're actually now on the path to WINNING.
And that involves marketing. See tomorrow's post for ideas!

Where Small Is Always Big -- OSDBU Tips (1)

19th Annual OSDBU Conference -- April 22nd

Meet small business specialists from nearly every federal agency and lots of state and local ones
all under one roof. REGISTER HERE.

This week's tips can ensure the best use of your time. Today's tip:

* Sign up for matchmaking appointments -- free with online registration -- to meet partners.
* Get small business specialists' attention by doing pre-conference research
* Ask Small Business Specialists about specific contracts you've found in the forecasts.
* Plan your day! Call first on agencies that represent your highest potential.
* Follow up! You worked hard to get that contact, call them back afterwards!

Find out how to get the most of your visits to small business specialists -- at this conference and all year long -- at this link, including what to do and how to maximize your day’s productivity at conference time.

In short, the OSDBU Conference and related tabletop in-agency events presented by Federal Business Council Inc are great ways to drum up new government business if you make the most of the opportunity. Want to know more? Download "Making the most of your OSDBU visit" from my website.

Stimulus: The Feed You Need...

April 9th -- Latest White House Briefing Info

(REMEMBER: All this money is being competed or disbursed through the regular federal, state and local procurement and grants systems. If this is the first time you've thought about government contracts, I'm so glad the stimulus money caught your attention; welcome to the trillion dollar deal that's been going on for years....)

The following info comes courtesy of Ann Sullivan, Director of Government Relations for Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and is one more reason why this group ROCKS!

Federal agencies provided their latest briefing to the White House on how they're managing and distributing Stimulus funds -- and provided detailed documents you can access HERE, thanks to WIPP:

• Office of Management and Budget
• Department of Labor
• Department of Energy
• Small Business Administration
• Department of Transportation
• Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Department of Treasury
• Department of Justice
• Department of Homeland Security
• Department of Commerce, Department of the Interior
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Department of Agriculture, and the
  
• Department of Health and Human Services.

Stay current -- check in often! These reports and more are updated at least monthly online. For:

• general information and links to state-specific reporting, go to: www.recovery.gov,
  
• competitive grant information go to: www.grants.gov, and for
  
• contracting opportunities, go to: www.fedbizopps.gov.

Help, Don't Yelp!

1105 Media, Foster Some Collaboration

In response to John Klossner's complaints about inadequate published data on Recovery.Gov:

John, respectfully, cool your jets if you want to get the new Administration to do more faster with info on recovery.gov.

I believe that the White House team is MUCH more frustrated than YOU are by the gap between how much they can envision and how fast the federal IT infrastructure, standards, policies, firewalls and resources will let them create even a fraction of that vision.

The commercial world generally has far fewer constraints and can make things happen faster.

Instead of complaining, I challenge 1105 Media to:

Invite the outreach chiefs of the recovery effort to share their vision and their problems with tech & communication companies large & small. See who has cost-effective ideas to close the gap between vision and a bold, positive reality that can raise Americans' confidence in Recovery and inspire the positive spiral we all need.

Is GovBiz 4 U? Get to "Go/No-Go" In Just 3 Hours!

What nobody else will tell you, I will.

Winning government contracts will take thousands of dollars and months of time. Is it right for you?

Can you win by September? Get to a GO/NO-GO decision now. Find out YOUR next steps and what to expect.

Focus on winnable business at my Executive Strategy Workshop!

At Teqcorner, McLean VA, in three hours on Thursday April 16th, you'll get:

• Your core strategy for government sales success
• How to find your best opportunities
• Seven Steps Strategy Workbook
• Effective Meetings & Capability Statement Prep Workbook
• GSA Schedules -- Seven Things You Must Know
• Making The Most Of Your OSDBU Visit
  

* AND Six Monthly Group Strategy Development Calls (& One Month Free)

Full price: $697. DISCOUNTED PRICE FOR YOU AS MY BLOG READER: $347.

ACTION: By Friday 10 April, Email me to say "Hold my spot!"

APRIL Top Value Events (1)

Thursday April 23rd, 7:30 am - 9 pm

The American Small Business Coalition Fifth Anniversary Conference and Awards Dinner

A Must for Procurement Success This Year!
Just Look: Breakfast and Lunch Keynotes, Breakouts, Lunch Keynote, and Awards Dinner

• Hundreds of top contacts and insight for breakthrough business in 2009
• THIS JUST IN: GSA Assistant Commissioner Mary Davie, Assisted Acquisition Services will lead an afternoon breakout!
• PLUS: a Briefing by the DHS Director of Procurements, Finding FY09 GSA Opportunities, Contract Pricing Strategies, Easy Market Research Tips (my workshop).
• And meet the media moguls from Washington Technology and Federal News Radio, too.
  

The WHOLE DAY for under $400 (less for ASBC Members). Use Promo Code “2009MOY” to receive a 10% discount on non-member pricing. How can you afford NOT to go?

Total disclaimer: Angela Dingle, CEO of Ex Nihilo, and I are among ASBC's honorees that evening...and we both really hope you can come.

REGISTER TODAY. TRUST ME.

GOVBIZXX -- Viral Sneak Launch

What's GovBizXX? More Government Contracts For More Women!

My business, Summit Insight has a vision: women business owners winning more government contracts. I belong to many groups that do great stuff on government contracts that you might not hear about (ASBC, NAWBO, WIPP, GiveMeFive, AFCEA, and--soon, I hope--WBENC) ...but would value if you did!

First edition goes out Monday April 6th.

April has SO MUCH great stuff that I got inspired to start something special - GOVBIZXX. For now, an occasional newlettter. Later, who knows. I won't do this every month...and only to those who want it: I will forward my top government contracts events and stuff picks to you, my fellow women business owners, because I know that's part of your plan to grow.

• If YOU have something you want women business owners seeking government contracts to know about, let me know and I'll include it.
  
  
• To subscribe, email GOVBIZXX (at) summitinsight.com
  
  
• If you like it, tell a friend.
  
  We must become the change we want to see in the world.
  I invite you to show up, and start creating that world!
  

Judy Bradt: 2009 American Small Business Coalition Member of the Year

Quoth ASBC Chief Visionary and Co-Founder, Guy Timberlake...

"Judy is involved with The ASBC...as a member of the Ambassador Corps and participates in the newly formed Women Presidents, Owners and Chief Executives Group (Women's POCx)...assumed hostess duties for The ASBC's weekly Business Over Breakfast event at the Tower Club in March and didn't miss a beat."

"Judy has always been an active Member of The ASBC community. In the last year she made mastering her relationship with The ASBC and other Members a personal mission," explains Margaret Timberlake, President and Co-Founder of The ASBC."By incorporating 'The ASBC' into her conversation she has greatly contributed to the level of buzz about The ASBC causing others to come find out what The ASBC has to offer. We often hear or see when new Members are signing up, 'I was referred by Judy Bradt' no matter if it is someone she met online or at one of her seminars. Her energy and spirit and untiring willingness to assist both The ASBC and fellow Members are a few of the reasons she was selected as Member of the Year."

Guy, Maggie, and fellow members,
This wonderful honor all underscores something that Woody Allen and Cal Ripken both believe: that 80% of success in life is just showing up. You have made ASBC a place -- a professional, generous, connected, visionary, collaborative, community that grows with its members -- that I want to show up and be fully present and give all I can give. To be present in such a community is its own reward.

The recognition that you so kindly bestow gives me one more reason and way to tell people, "Because we must be the kind of change we want to see in the world...show up and create the world you want."

Who's On First in State and Local

Now, More Stimulating Than Ever!

The Stimulus bill (aka the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, ARRA) has brought ever more attention to state and local government contracting -- not least because $146 billion in federal grants are headed for state and local projects.

Get the latest every week on which state and local projects are proposed and funded from the state report card section of Recovery.Gov

Then get the top state and local integrators' list from Washington Technology...

Not sure if selling to government is right for your company? Good call to think twice! Find out the five clues that can give you the answer!

Then download State and Local Success Tips from my tools...

Winning Tip: Focus on Prime Priorities

How To Become The Must-Have Partner.

Why should you consider working and teaming up with Prime contractors when seeking federal clients? Companies with strong niche solutions for U.S. military and government clients often need to reach end users through teaming.

Those large Prime contractors need nimble, high-value, innovative partners who bring them opportunities to win.

That matters more than any of the small business preferences -- no matter whether you're woman-owned, 8(a), SDVOB or anything else. Those preferences are secondary.

Partnerships develop when you focus on their priorities:

• Core capabilities – what do you do well that your Prime needs?


• Differentiation – what sets you apart from others in your industry that your prime would want?


• Past performance and reputation as team player – are you reliable and proven commodity? Make it count!


• Price – can your prime afford you? Is your margin the right one?


• Personnel experience and low turnover – do you have the skill-set and knowledge to benefit your Prime?


• Financial strength – are you solvent or are you going to be a liability to your Prime?


• Location – will your distance and location be an obstacle or benefit to your Prime?

Daunting? Maybe, but don’t go it alone. Federal government resources like OSDBU's and PTAC's can help you sort it out and get ready to meet the primes...and other subcontractors serving primes.

Remember, focus first on meeting the Prime's needs. Then show -- with your Unique Value Proposition, past performance and capability statement -- how you do that better than anyone else.

Your Prime Soul Exposed

How To Be Clean and Lean

One of the things that surprises first-time subcontractors is the detailed information the government, and in turn, Prime contractors, want to know about your past projects. This is not the time to be coy: expect to bare your soul. The Primes want the same detail from you, as a subcontractor, that the government demands of them. Here's a checklist to see if you're ready:

• Do have all the information from your past client's identity (including both end customer and, if you were a subcontractor, your prime)?


• Do you have a quick summary of the name and duration of past projects?


• Do you have a short project overview (what was the project objective? What problems did it solve for the client?) and


• Can you provide the value of past projects - both top line and your share of it?

If you answer "no" to the above, you're not ready to meet a Prime. So how to get ready? The most successful companies -- large and small -- prepare Project Summaries and Capability Statements. It's not a matter of money, but a product of thoughtful preparation. In other words, you can use the heavy hitters' tools!

Get examples for how to do it yourself. Check out the Tools on my website, download the templates, and be ready to shine!

Women's Procurement Story: Hidden in Plain Sight

Not Gunning For Weigelt. Really.

I admit it: this morning I was catching up on my mound of Washington Technologies (and everything else). I'm not proud of being so far behind, nor being unable to find ANY combination of medium and time to keep up, nor having so few recent airline flights (my default reading-room).

A single fact in Matthew Weigelt's February 26th article ("Woman-owned IT firms seek inclusion..." riveted my attention. Not that woman-owned firms aren't eligible for set-asides. Not whether the recently-tanked procurement program was useless. Not that woman-owned firms deserve better. But just one figure:

69,000.

That's the number of woman-owned firms registered in CCR in February of 2009.

Why does that matter? Because that's the nugget of a REAL story.

This time last year, only 55,000 woman-owned firms were registered in CCR. That's a 25% increase in 12 months.

So what's going on? Give Me Five is what's going on. Sure, Women Impacting Public Policy is advocating a better procurement program for woman-owned businesses. But its 500,000 members are not holding their breath waiting. They are charging ahead, figuring out the market, the relationships, and how the game is played, with the support of open online teleclasses and member services.

And I also want you to know that I genuinely LIKE Matthew Weigelt's columns on procurement issues. Come on, Matthew. Get to know WIPP. Find out more about this extraordinary story.

Progress from Congress: Women's Procurement Program

Rightful Death Of A Flawed Proposal

The title of Matthew Weigelt's article in the March 16th edition of Washington Technology ("Congress Thwarts Set-Aside For Woman-Owned Business") -- implies that Congress did a BAD thing. In this case CONgress is synonymous with PROgress. By killing this proposed set aside program, which was flawed from the moment it began its seven year lurch through an unsympathetic Administration, Congress has wiped the slate clean for a fresh start.

Watch for Women Impacting Public Policy -- the voice of 500,000 women business owners -- worked hard for that achievement. Watch as this vibrant group works closely with Sen. Landrieu and the Senate Small Business Committee to propose a women's procurement program that CAN make a profound difference in the economic impact of federal procurement spending.

Let's Mark "Women's Contracting Month!"

New "Give Me Five" Site Offers Success Power Tools

When yet another woman business owner asks me, "Where can I find out how to get started in government contracts?" I have a place to recommend that I know I can trust!

Women Impacting Public Policy wants everyone to hear about its brand new web site, "Give Me Five"! Presented by WIPP and sponsored by OPEN by American Express, this initiative is dedicated to achieving the Five Percent goal for federal contract dollar awards to woman-owned businesses. Bravo to WIPP's President, Barbara Kasoff, the team led by Megan Markoff, and the Procurement Committee, co-chaired by Gloria Larkin of TargetGov and LaVerne Jackson of Joint Logistics Managers.

This rich resource offers a set of free instant teleseminars to non-members as well as members. This comprehensive curriculum is delivered by generous and talented volunteers among nation's leading procurement experts who have helped women win millions of dollars of government contracts.

Of course, there are benefits of membership!

• When you finish the "101" level, you'll want to join WIPP to take advantage of the advanced courses
• Attend the next Instant Impact session near you, discover special membership discounts that WIPP is offering, too.
  

Find Out More About WIPP Instant Impact...

Join your voice with 500,000 women business owners across America in the only organization that advocates an economic blueprint for our success.

In mid-February, 20 simultaneous meetings took place across America, bringing legislators and policymakers face to face with top women business owners in a dialogue on improving Access To Capital.

You're invited next time -- May 21st in a city near you, live or by conference call!

You'll find me there alongside: Ann Sullivan, Legislative Director for WIPP, Jennifer Bisceglie, President of InTEROS, who heads Instant Impact for Virginia as well as leading the national effort; Kara Daniels of Arnold and Porter, for DC, and Magdalah Silva of DMS International for Maryland.

About which more another time. For now, check out Give Me Five...and put your comments right here!

Gooooood Morning, Garden City!

Just for you, listeners in St Catherines, Ontario, today...

Thanks to Tim Denis, host of 610 AM CKTB's morning show, for calling!
As I was born in Stoney Creek, there's nothing so sweet as a voice from the home neighbourhood!

So here's those three things again... and a couple bonus links just for visiting:

1. The Buy American Act only applies when the U.S. federal government buys goods.
   Variations can extend when federal grants go to state and local projects...including about $30 billion of stimulus-funded construction projects.
   
   
2. The Buy American Act doesn't mean you can't sell!
   Special exceptions, including NAFTA, help Canadian companies.
   Learn the rules -- including FAR Part 25 -- so you can explain them to your buyers!
   
   • Read success stories and how I help you on my web site -- www.summitinsight.com
     
   • Get the details on the rules at www.sell2usgov.ca, (a site I built when I worked at the Canadian Embassy) or
   • Contact your Trade Commissioners for help.
   
   
3. Love will find a way....
   If a U.S. government buyer wants what you have badly enough, she will find a way to buy it. There are rules to do nearly anything...if you know what they are.
   
   
   In short: Beat Buy American -- The Law and the Attitude --
   with smart marketing and outstanding customer loyalty.
   
   BONUS: find out more from my free online tools...
   
   
   And of course I'd love to hear from you... email or call me at (703 627 1074).
   I'm in Hamilton May 21-24th for my 25th MBA reunion at Mac -- let's meet then!
   
   

Judy Bradt
Principal
Summit Insight

What The GSA Doesn't Want You To Know

2008's Frightening Facts About GSA Schedule 70*

Here we go: Write these down. You'll want to tell your friends.

First, the hot numbers:
5614: Number of companies who won GSA Schedule 70 contracts in 2008.
15.76: Billions of dollars of purchased through Schedule 70 in FY08.

5.6: Percent of those dollars won by top vendor, Dell Computers.
50: Number of vendors that together brought home just about 50% of that $15.76 billion.

Now, the chilling numbers:
2576: Number of vendors who won less than $25,000 through their GSA Schedule 70 contract.
39: Percentage of GSA Schedule 70 holders who won NOTHING AT ALL.

and finally:
800: Number of vendors a GSA employee said will not be invited to renew their contracts, due to under-performance...INCLUDING those who just got a federal schedule to access state and local buyers but aren't making the effort to sell to the feds.

Friends don't let this happen to friends. So tell yours.

Want to keep out of that bottom 39%?
Get my paper -- NOW FREE -- "GSA Schedules: Seven Things You Must Know" today.

(*U.S. General Services Administration does want you to think twice before you go to the time and trouble of pursuing these contracts...but they don't talk about these numbers much. Aftter all, more contractors look like more open competition, more sources for buyers, right?)

This week's posts are inspired by David Meerman Scott's latest book, How To Create A World Wide Rave, which I just read free on my Kindle....

Giving It All Away

David Meerman Scott: More Timely Than Even He Imagines

This week, my posts are inspired by last weekend's reading. I positively gobbled down David Meerman Scott's latest book "Creating A World Wide Rave"... not least because he gave it to me as a free download on my Kindle (the e-book reader from Amazon).

And so the least I can do is tell you all about it. Which is the point: give away stuff for free, and people tell other people.

This only only makes intrinsic sense, and you're seeing an example right here; the book it full of other powerful examples of how you achieve more -- in the world and in your business -- by letting go than by hanging on tight.

The Universe is an infinitely smart place, and it pays attention to who is generous for the right reasons.

So, go forth: get his book, get the message, and tell a friend.

Stimulus Status Reports ... Not A Bad Start...

Here's what we need next.

I'm impressed by how fast Obama team got agency reports up on stimulus spending -- see http://www.recovery.gov/?q=.../agency-weekly-reports !

Now, what about publishing -- easy to find from the home page -- weekly updated list of agencies' next (and link to future) scheduled public briefings for small business on forecast procurement, including stimulus?

What do YOU think?

On The Obama-Geithner Small Business Announcement...

Watch for Judy on MSNBC's blog shortly --

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=1837712

and also today on SBTV:

http://www.sbtv.com/DailyNews/20090316

Empty Your Pockets. Now.

Enjoy My Freebies. Then Thank David Meerman Scott.

(Okay, I'm not sure whether or not my husband knows I'm giving away freebies...)

I liked Meerman Scott's last book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR. I liked it a lot. When I saw his new book, World Wide Rave, I read just the single paragraph explaining what it was about, I didn't even stop to get his free download. There was something even more urgent I needed to do.

I went to my own web site, and changed all my content to "no-charge." $0. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

That's right. Everything I've published from 2004 through March 09. All those papers now free. As many as you like. All my bestsellers, including:

• GSA Schedules: Seven Things You Must Know.
• State & Local Tips.
• Winning Homeland Security Business.
• Teaming With Alaskan Native Corporations.
  
• Four Easy Lessons in Free Market Research.
• Five People You Need To Meet
• Making The Most of Your OSDBU Visit.

...and, truly, much more.

I hope that if you download, you'll tell your friends.
And I hope that, whether or not you liked the papers, you'll let me know.
(Be patient while I disconnect the code that asks you for your contact info, too.)

Here's the thing: in tough times, people instinctively hoard. Be generous. Stand out.

What thing of value will YOU give away this week?
Now, tell me what happens when you do.

Does The White House Understand Contractors?

Maybe We Need To Be Better Advocates!

The White House's March 9th memo on procurement makes good points and bad. It basically tells contractors to expect less sole-sourcing, more fixed-price contracting, and close scrutiny of what's contracted out and what's not. That's all fine.

I don't see it as big news of substance, frankly. In a volatile media market full of people hypersensitive to anything that could look like a threat, there's no reason to look at this memo that way.

But here's the important lesson:

Contractors -- including millions of small businesses -- need America to better understand what we do, and see us as positive force making a vital contribution to energizing recovery. Tough times inspire a search for scapegoats. The President clearly wants to reassure Americans that big-bucks stimulus money (and the rest of the federal budget) will be spent responsibly. That should never be news -- and it isn't! Well-managed procurements are the rule, not the exception. That story doesn't get told.

How can we, as the contracting community,
get seen as positive part of America's recovery story?

The 5 People You Need to Meet, *Finale*

Final in a know-who series on people who can help you win government contracts.

The Program Manager (PM)

They have a lot of power, and can be hard to reach. The PM defines and controls spending priorities among activities. PMs care about how best to deliver the Agency mission, including how to define requirements to select the best vendors.

If you’ve established your credibility as a reputable problem-solver with the Small Business Specialist and the Contracting Officer, the Program Manager may be eager to hear about the details of your solution and your approach.

This meeting is your opportunity to learn, not pitch. You want to find out as much as you can about what his or her priorities are, and how you can contribute to solving the most important problems on the top of his or her list.

The Influencer

The Influencer could be a colleague, friend, writer, reporter, or blogger that the decision makers and players trust. They may be Program Managers or well-known innovators in the end-user community. They might be top professionals in the major prime contractors.

Why would they care about you? They need content! What can you bring them? They want to share hot stories – good and bad – about vendors, problems and solutions. Be sure they have yours!

Where do you meet them? In person, at events and conferences. And online – set up some Google Alerts; check out the groups on forums like LinkedIn and industry association web portals.

The End User

…is the front line employee or person in the battle space. She or he cares about getting the job done with the resources available. How will you make his job easier? How well do you understand his problems or constraints? Once you show you’re helpful, End Users can ask senior managers for support to try your solution.

See part 2 and part 3 of this series!

Or download Making the Most Of Your OSDBU Visit from my online tools.

The 5 People You Need to Meet, Part 3

Third in a know-who series on people who can help you win government contracts.

The Contracting Officer (CO)

The Contracting Officer (CO) manages the competition and contracting process, including publication of the solicitation, and has legal authority to sign your contract with the United States federal government. The CO’s job is on the line to ensure a legal, fair & proper process selects the right vendors for the job.

Again, if your questions show you know how this Agency usually buys, and the programs they manage that might need the kinds of things you offer, they’re much more likely to open the door to someone you really need to meet, especially the Program Manager.

Meeting the Contracting Officer (CO)

Come prepared to discuss (and bring a capabilities statement including):

• Your core capability: Once again, what’s your Unique Value Proposition -- your sweet spot, the thing you do that sets you apart in the marketplace? That helps focus your meeting.
  

• Your credentials and relevant past performance: Edit to focus on past work similar to what the agency needs. Bring that same capabilities statement that you prepared for the Small Business Specialist. Include the contract number, value of the whole project, and, if you were a subcontractor, your contribution. List the prime contractor point of contact. During the meeting, highlight your past experience in providing relevant services.
  

• Boost confidence: Include details of your project management skills, lines of credit, bonding, performance guarantees and working capital. This information raises the CO’s confidence that you can perform the work if you win the competition.
  

• Include basic information: List your GSA Schedules and other contract vehicles, certifications and recertification dates.
  

• Ask about specific projects: By now, you should be focused on specific forecast opportunities that this contracting officer handles. Ask about upcoming opportunities that might be candidates to become set aside, and fit your capabilities, experience, performance and financing.
  

• Ask for what you want: That can include help getting an appointment with the relevant Program Manager.
  

• Stay in touch: After this first meeting, build the relationship and follow-up!
  

See Part 4 of this series!

The 5 People You Need to Meet, Part 2

Second in a know-who series on people who can help you win government contracts.

The Small Business Specialist

Every federal government department has an Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) staffed by Small Business Specialists to ensure that small companies get fair access to that agency’s government contract opportunities. (Find them at www.osdbu.gov).

They can help you find details on Agency buying plans, and introduce you to the contract officers, directors, and program managers within Agency who may need what you offer. But -- they are more likely to offer introductions if you show how well you’ve already researched the Agency and its needs.

Meeting the Small Business Specialist

• Make an appointment! In-person meetings are better than phone calls at first. Make an appointment, don’t just drop by! After the initial meetings, phone or email is often very effective. Ask your Small Business Specialist what she prefers.

• Understand the procurement process. Certification does NOT guarantee you ANY business. Show how well you understand the buyer’s world; refresh your registration in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) by including using the strongest key words possible.
  

• Know the Buyer. Research the mission and programs of the buying agency you’re visiting. Absolutely review the online forecast projects before the meeting!
  

• Present Your Past Performance. Mention and list past projects most relevant to the work you want to win with this agency. Include other government agencies, whether as subcontractor or prime; the project name, Contracting Officer’s name, and contract Number.
  

• Ask about specific projects. Ask about upcoming opportunities that might be candidates to become set aside, and fit your capabilities, experience, performance and financing. Identify projects by name and program office, not solicitation number.
  

• Ask for what you want. That can include help getting an appointment with the relevant Program Manager.
  

• Follow up and stay in touch. Once you’ve made this initial contact in person, build the relationship! Keep in touch with regular updates on your corporate info, experience, contract wins, registrations and certifications.

Click here for part 1 of this series. Or move forward to part 3.

The 5 People You Need to Meet, Part 1

Helping Hands That Open Federal Contracting Doors

Once you've figured out which departments and agencies might be your buyers (oh, not sure about that? Start by cruising www.usa.gov), you need to get ready to meet the people who can help you.

The Five People You Need To Know

• The Small Business Specialist (at the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization -- OSDBU)
• The Contracting Officer
• The Program Manager
• The Influencer
• The End User

The better you prepare -- know what they care about, and what they can do for you -- the more they're likely to help you. Will planned procurements happen? Will they be set-aside for small business? What are new requirements likely to be? When are pre-proposal conferences? Who are these people? What doors do they guard? What do they care about, and what is the key that will open their doors to you?

Download an article on do’s and dont’s when you meet them!

Read on for more detail in Part 2 of this series.

How Are YOU Standing Out In The Recession Crowd?

Hot Towels, Anyone?

My husband tells me I work too hard, think about the business too much, and never shut down (no, that's different from "... up"; after twenty one years and and thirteen days of being married to me, there's some things he's resigned to). I am so busted...

Tuesday morning I was reminded of how these times are an opportunity for all of us to get creative and stand out. You know full well that:

• it costs much less to retain a loyal client than to win a new one,
• happy clients tell three friends about you, and
• it take so little to make a difference!
  

Witness:

I belong to the Washington Sports Club in Alexandria. When I checked in this morning, the trainer at the desk handed me a neatly-rolled, freshly-laundered, hot-out-of-the dryer gym towel. They'd started doing that recently, and it seemed so thoughtful. I was finally awake enough to notice how it made me feel, and something pinged with me to actually say something about it.

"Thank you so much," I said. He looked surprised. "I just wanted you to know that this may seem like a small thing to you, or possibly even an obnoxious make-work project dreamed up by the management...but to ME, as a client, it just makes me feel cared-for and welcome, and puts a shine on my whole experience of arriving here."

"Why, thank YOU!" he said. "We have to launder the towels anyway, and someone has to be at the desk, so I guess somebody just thought of doing it this way."

Imagine: a small idea, costing nothing except thoughtfulness, a minor change in standard procedure...and a commitment by the team.

What could you do, what small caring thing something hidden in plain sight, that could make a difference every client experiences every time?

Come on. Share your ideas right here -- post a comment!

Small Business Specialists Share Insider Tips

Get The Inside Scoop

Here's what I heard these top small business specialists say on how they can best help you.

• JP: Jodie Paustian, Small Business Specialist, Internal Revenue Service, Office of Procurement Policy
• KR: Katherine Rachubinski, Navy Inventory Control Point (NAVICP), Philadelphia
• TB: Terry Budge, Industrial Specialist, Small Business Administration, Philadelphia
• MM: Michael Miller, Chief Logistics officer, Department Of Veterans Affairs
• ME: Marcia Easton, Small Business Chief, Army CECOM, Ft Monmouth
• DD: Dave Dickson, District Director, SBA, Philadelphia
  Thanks to AFCEA Small Business and the October 2009 conference team led by Tammy Goehrig.
  

• KR: Know what part of the agency you want to do business with. Even if it's another part of the agency than the one you're in, the small business specialist can usually refer you to the right person.
  
  
• KB: Be thorough, and stick with it. A Company had been brought into SBA for a certificate of competency. Issues came up between the agency and the company, which had to revise their proposal. Then, SBA reviewed the proposed joint venture and its flaws. Over three months, the contract was eventually awarded for $140M over ten years.
  
  
• DD: Explore the opportunities! Of over 300,000 businesses, only 1.2% of small businesses are registered in CCR. Even excepting home based businesses, still only 2.5 % are registered. Not enough small businesses know how to do business with the U.S. government
  
  
• DD: Help government meets its small business award goals. Government just barely made its 23% goal last year. Talk to the agencies you're targeting, get on CCR, complete your certifications on ORCA and represent all the preferences for which you're eligible. If you have several boxes checked, "...you're gold. If you're a HUBZone, Woman Veteran Business owner, the agency can count you in all those."
  
  
• MM: Focus. Nobody specializes in everything. Public Law 109-461 set up VETBIZ.GOV to provide preferences for Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses. But even with that preference, you can't register as "specializing" in too many things, or your company looks like it has no actual strength.
  
  
• JP: Make a strong first impression! Here's an example: the IRS had a requirement for a Client Relationship Management System, a $600,000 project which we designated for 8(a) companies. Everyone got invited to make presentations. Four made technical presentations. The first one had done its homework, asked additional questions, and knew we didn't want an IT approach. Another company said they'd develop a web site, so they hadn't researched us at all! And another one showed up a half hour late. Work with the small business specialists, and find out where to focus.
  
  
• KR: Meet us in person, at the small business office. Present a concise capability briefing. "A company cannot do everything!" We talk during the meeting about areas your expertise might relate to in our command. We follow up after the meeting with suggested points of contact, and a blurb about programs you might fit. Then the onus is on you to contact those people, and say you've been in to see us. That usually means they'll call you back...but we want to know if they don't, too.
  
  
• Work your way in: based on those introductions, you should be able to set up another meeting with technical specialist who will be really interested in your expertise. At that point, you want them to understand what your company can do and the special preferences you're eligible for.
  
  
• Be ready to team: If we have a lot of IDIQ's, we may ask you to work through a major prime that holds this contract vehicle.
  
  
• Strong online presence counts! Small business officials check your web site. Procuring agencies and primes use the Central Contractor Registry.
  
  
• Make the most of your past experience. Performance history need not be limited to government contracts. The more you keep that up to date, the more valuable it is. The systems no longer limit the NAICS codes you can use... but don't be distracted, be very specific.
  
  
• ME: Respond to RFI's, even if you can't meet every requirement. CECOM is definitely open to that, and may pass that information on to primes doing source selection, too. IRS also uses RFI's actively.
  
  
• TB: Attend OSDBU events for fact-finding. See who the big guys are who are winning work in your domain. Then be able to explain how you fit into what they do. Just because you're one of those small businesses, that's the icing on the cake. Government wants to know how you can effectively do the job. Start out small, get your feet wet, get a track record.
  
  
• TB: Let SBA help you. SBA has 68 district offices that will teach you how to use these free tools, how to use the system, and coach you through it. Contact the SBA district office that supports you.
  
  
• ME: Stay in touch with the small business office. You don't just come in one time. Things change with your company, and with the command. Come back. I met with 175 companies last year. Your visits keep you fresh in our minds when the primes come in.
  
  
• JP: Keep us up to date! Tell us when you've won a new contract, got a GSA Schedule, completed CMMI. and make your messages complete! If you email me to say "I want help doing business with the IRS", then attach a capability statement.
  
  
• KR: Personalize your message -- beyond mailmerge! Don't send mass email. Your email and its content should be very specific to the addressee and her responsibilities.
  
  
• DD: Be patient and prepared. Many companies ask for introductions to technical officials. Many commands will shield these people from contractors because they just don't have the time to deal with them if they haven't done their homework and are only going to waste valuable time!
  

The Fanatical Client Loyalty Contest

Increase Your Profit and Win More: Be Nicer!

What ideas are working for you? I will award one of my famous Summit Insight mugs full of Hershey Kisses for the best suggestion I get in March! So comment early and often, and tell your friends.

Ideas from retail & consumer sectors can still inspire innovation among uber-serious government contractors without breaking any ethics laws!

Look how businesses are responding to buyers right now --

• coupons
  
• recession specials
• membership fee reductions
  
• higher value package offerings
  
• easier payment terms
  
• small complimentary courtesies
  
• invite-a-friend referral discounts

It costs much less (and feels much better) to keep your clients than to have to win a new client to replace an unhappy one.

An unhappy client tells ten people her story.
The happy client tells three.

ASBC: Bringing Simple Powerful Basics Within Reach

Where Relationship Heaven Trumps Recession H***

I've been writing this week about things that create success in government contracting.

• Some of them are basic to ANY business.
  
• Others are government-arena specific.
  
• And a few special ones are both.

This is to both encourage you to join the American Small Business Coalition, but also to consider pitching in as a volunteer when you attend the April 23rd ASBC 5th Anniversary Conference.

Here is why: lots of people are being attracted to the government market in this economy, but success takes a solid strategy AND relationships.

Relationships get built in the crucible of human endeavor -- people get to know your essential qualities and decide whether they like and trust you when you work alongside them.

Guy and Maggie Timberlake, the organization's founders, combine Guy's phenomenally successful career in federal sales for small companies with Maggie's extraordinary human resources background, and have created something far greater than either expertise could have launched alone. They epitomize the members and growing community that they have created: a caring, connected group of wise, experienced people who look out for each other, share tips and introductions, and go on to win millions in government contracts together.

I will be volunteering -- a great way to get involved and meet a lot of people and get to know them. This is the perfect time to get involved -- intense relationships will be forged and strengthened in this very special project.

Find out more -- sign up for their Online Navigator sessions (this one links to the March 16th session, but there are held regularly) and see and hear for yourself.

See you on April 23rd!

Why The Military's All A-Twitter

USJFCOM will generate opportunities to propose, and contracts to develop, innovative ideas. JFCOM technical conferences are where people come and talk about these ideas. These events are not place to sell, but to decide what kind of business you might be in, and meet an entirely new set of people from the major primes you can expect to work with if you jump in.

What are those requirements, and when are those events? Believe it or not, you can find out using the ultimate example of moment-by-moment fluidity, Twitter.

Maybe you've dismissed Twitter as an electronic nuisance. Think again. Many of the Web 2.0 tools that start out looking like toys are becoming serious tools. Unsurprisingly, JFCOM is experimenting with the best ways to get the word out to people – so they’re Twittering their needs and upcoming solicitations well in advance of the formal procurement processes.

Most of us aren't among President Obama's Blackberry buddies. But you can get instant notice from JFCOM when they say, "We have an idea, and we're going to run a program to see if it works." Or "We're helping improve Army training when it comes to joint fires." Nearly a thousand people are signed up for JFCOM's as-it-happens notices -- everyone from Defense News and Governor Schwarzenegger to the Michigan Civil Air Patrol and “geekygirl”.

It's just one more way to get out ahead of the competition. When will you get on board?

New Places To Find Military Business

In a world where the customer’s targets keep moving, flexibility matters. If you're manufacturing subcomponents, how well are you able to respond when someone says, "we're not building any more of the platform for what you make" or "we're going to make something new. What can you do to help us?" Adaptability is the new key. Excellence is important but only works for today. Will you excel at what you're asked to do tomorrow?

This industry has to be agile and diverse to survive. Thousands of small companies were created to serve a very specific niche need...and are at risk, when they depend on a few contracts for a requirement that might be about to go away.

There are ways to anticipate movement. If you're following the money, watch R&D budgets closely. First, because this Pentagon has a greater commitment to real R&D, prototyping, and innovation. Second, some early stage "procurement" is being taken out of R&D budgets. The first two Littoral Combat Systems were funded out of R&D; over $10 billion a year's worth of Missile Defense is still coming out of R&D. That may change.

New research money may come from places you're not used to looking. Partly because DoD liked what happened when the services put their heads together to develop the Joint Strike Fighter, expect to see more agency-wide R&D offices, with an increasing number of research projects -- for example, rotorcraft research -- consolidated into a single DoD-wide effort.

Also watch US Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) in Norfolk, Virginia. Traditionally, this experimental lab for joint forces concepts has been a think shop without much money to buy anything. But as the new incubator for DoD-wide strategic and combat ideas, expect to see their funding change and their role expand under the Obama Administration.

Getting Out Ahead of The Defense Budget

Why You Don't Have To Hold Your Breath

Predicting the U.S. defense budget is never easy. And it’s harder than usual this year. A new administration and a change of party means new directions and people. A fluid economic situation compounds the uncertainty.

Even if the players and economy were known, the strategic situation is still unfolding. This Administration is developing its policies on how fast they're going to get out of Iraq, how fast they'll get into Afghanistan, and what the balance of spending will be on people, things, and operations. All of that simultaneous motion muddies the budget picture.

To be sure, the Office of Management and Budget has given DoD a top line number for FY 2010, but DoD still has to build that budget and present it to the Congress. In 2001, the last time there was both a change of Administration and a change in party, the new Administration's budget did not arrive on Capitol Hill until late June...and didn't get passed until well after the new fiscal year had begun.

That doesn't mean you can stop marketing, or watching the buying forecasts. Keep your eye on the ball. Because when the spending starts, it will flow faster than ever.

OSDBU Conference: Find Hidden Gold

Will You Strike It Rich? Or Come Up Empty?

The Offices of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBUs) have a simple message for you: "Government is open for business and wants more qualified suppliers -- including woman-owned and veteran-owned small business!"

If you're thinking about winning government contracts, it makes sense to talk to the buyers. Each agency's OSDBU has small business specialists who can open the doors for you to the five people you need to succeed (<<--link to my blog post on that!)

The Washington DC region is home to over 50 federal agencies, 3 state governments, and dozens of local government agencies. In Virginia, nearby Fairfax County alone does more buying than some small countries! Normally, it would take you months of time to meet them all. EXCEPT for one day a year.

At the 19th Annual OSDBU Conference -- April 22nd --
you can meet small business specialists
from nearly every federal agency and lots of state and local ones
all under one roof.

Register soon! It does sell out!

Watch out, though! Like panning for gold, this event can also be a lot of work for nothing. These 5 tips can ensure the best use of your time:

• Sign up for matchmaking appointments -- free with online registration -- to meet partners.
• Get small business specialists' attention by doing pre-conference research
  
• Ask Small Business Specialists about specific contracts you've found in the forecasts.
• Plan your day! Call first on agencies that represent your highest potential.
  
• Follow up! You worked hard to get that contact, call them back afterwards!

Find out how to get the most of your visits to small business specialists -- at this conference and all year long -- at this link, including what to do and how to maximize your day’s productivity at conference time.

In short, the OSDBU Conference and related tabletop in-agency events presented by Federal Business Council Inc are great ways to drum up new government business if you make the most of the opportunity. Want to know more? Download "Making the most of your OSDBU visit" from my website.

Economic Recovery Act: Tip Of The Iceberg!

More Opportunities Are Hidden In Plain Sight

I spent over eight hours going through a thousand pages of the Economic Recovery Act...and I'm ready to dish. For you!

Did you know? The U.S. economic stimulus package can mean business, through

• $53 billion in new federal contracts; and
• Over $146 billion for state and local governments projects;

But that's just the tip of the iceberg.

• Beyond the stimulus package, the federal government plans to spend another $500 billion on goods and services before September 2009.

Here are the top five questions business owners are asking:

• Where is the Stimulus business I can win?
• How can I find out where the money is going?
• Which agencies are my best prospects?
• Where can I see other opportunities I've missed?
• What should I know to get started?

After over 20 years serving over 6,000 clients who've won over $300 million in government contracts, I know the answers.

Tuesday, February 24th, I'm hosting a complimentary teleseminar to answer those questions.

Email me for an invitation to dial in!

The Obama Impact: Who Wins Now?

With the arrival of President Obama’s Administration what should small business expect in future government contracting?

Watch for programs that affect and improve the condition of the American people. This will include better service to citizens, increased focus on job creation, and the long promised "down payment" on universal health care, in addition to the stimulus package's incentives to health care provider improvements in efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Beyond the American Reinvestment & Recovery Act, you're

• Investment in Women-Owned Small Businesses: increased support to women business owners, especially access to capital and federal procurement -- as advocated by Women Impacting Public Policy's Economic Blueprint!
  
  
• Promotion of Small Business Ownership in the Communications Industry: calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to immediately address the issues of minority, women and small business media ownership.\seeing it today with the President's health care proposal!
  
  
• Support for Innovation and High-Tech Job Creation: doubling federal funding for basic research, diversifying energy sources, and broadband technology.
  
  
• A National Network of Public-Private Business Incubators: making good on a promise for $250 million per year to increase the number and size of incubators in disadvantaged communities.

PS -- Are you in the military or security sector? I've got special insight for you: Find out more in another article on my website!

Stimulus: How Much Real New Business?

The Half-Time Show

While the SuperBowl of sports was on, the SuperBowl of economics (the stimulus package) was playing out for audiences across America and beyond. At half-time -- when the House proposal passed and the Senate took over -- a nearly trillion-dollar package was in play.

But how much of that could result in government contracts?

• Of the $819 billion proposed, when you take out tax cuts and payments to individuals, you're only left with $378 billion for public projects, grants and contracts (came out to $274 billion by the time of enactment).
  
  
• Only $184 billion is slated for initiatives that might involve purchases of products, construction contracts, or a mix of both.
  
  
• Of that, about $84 billion suggests construction -- but don't look for that in regular federal budget forecasts!
  
  
• Hunt for many of those "shovel-ready" projects -- for roads, transportation, airports, and construction -- as grants flowing through existing federal grant programs .
  
  
• For the remaining $100 billion, keep an eye on both current and new federal grants programs sending money to state and local governments that will purchase a mix of for schools, energy, environment and broadband projects -- again, perfectly permitted under trade agreements.

Moral of the story:

See the whole field -- watch the federal forecasts but also do your research on state and local grants.

Take Five: Winning Women's Top Tips

Leading Women Contractors Share Their Wisdom

Mentors of the National Association of Women Business Owners GovCon SIG offer these tips:

1) Get Financing: It takes money to pursue, and then perform, and
then stay alive til the government pays you.

2) Past Performance Helps You Focus: Look for opportunities most
similar to the very best projects you've already done.

3) FedBizOpps Isn't Prospecting: Dramatically increase success and
cut costs through research, referrals and personal introductions.

4) Use the OSDBU's: Small business specialists open doors for you
if you've done your homework and prepared a kickass capability
statement.

5) Relationships Are The Whole Game: People do business with people
they like and trust -- and help their friends.

Buy American -- Not As Scary As You Think

Now, exhale.

About the stimulus package:

• Of the $819 billion proposed, when you take out tax cuts and payments to individuals, you're only left with $274 billion for public projects, grants and contracts in the final, enacted package.
  
  
• Worst case, 0nly $184 billion is slated for initiatives that might involve purchases of products, construction contracts, or a mix of both.
  
  
• Only about $84 billion would appear to be strongly likely to be for construction. Some of that -- for roads, transportation, airports, and construction -- would likely flow through existing grant programs that ALREADY apply the Buy American provisions. The stimulus package might not even change those provisions, just send more money through channels it already uses.
  
  
• Of the remaining $100 billion, some of that will be new federal grants that would require domestic purchase preferences by state and local recipients when they spend money on schools, energy, environment and broadband projects -- again, perfectly permitted under trade agreements.
  

So what's left?

At its core, the issue is really NEW funding -- and only for things that the federal government is buying directly. Why? Because NAFTA's procurement chapter and the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement don't apply to GRANT funds that the federal government sends to state and local government, either. The U.S can, in theory, create dozens of new stimulus grant programs to send billions more to state and local governments and still be in perfect compliance with its trade obligations.

What foreign countries might LIKE to see may be different from what existing trade agreements require. Living up to current obligations is the basic request, and a reasonable one.

To see what effect that would have, you'd need to pick out those items that represent new direct federal purchases -- not grant programs -- of products and construction, and by agencies and over the thresholds, that are not already covered by NAFTA.

There wouldn't be very much, relatively speaking.

So whether you own an American company and source globally, or you're based outside the United States and are concerned about your market access:

Breathe.
Watch the news and see what provisions actually pass.
Learn how they apply to your company and your situation.
And get out there and keep marketing. About which more soon.

Buy American & Canada -- The Best and Worst

First, take a deep breath...

• The Buy American Act is not going to be stopping trucks at the border or applying new tariffs.
  
  
• The Buy American Act of 1933 is a piece of depression-era legislation designed to protect American manufacturing jobs generated by the U.S. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S purchases of products. The Buy American provisions proposed by the House in the stimulus package are intended to do much the same thing.
  
  
• No one is proposing to change Canadian companies' access under NAFTA to the existing nearly $500 billion market of federal spending. The concern is only about access to business opportunities opened up by the new funding in the stimulus package ...and when you look closely, there's not nearly as much as you might think
  

First: Why it ain't over til it's over:

• The Senate doesn't begin discussions about this til Monday February 2nd.
  
  
• The President has not yet spoken up about what he thinks should happen, and he is intensely aware of the chilling effect that such protectionist provisions would have in a highly interdependent global economy.
  
  
• The President has the ability to attach a signing statement to the stimulus package saying how the Administration intends to interpret the law that will eventually be passed. He can say, "This law will be implemented in a manner consistent with the United States' international trade treaties."
  
  
• The Canadian government was no more -- or less -- effective in preventing discriminatory provisions from getting in the bill than American free-trade proponents were. On January 22nd, a coalition including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (representing over 3 million companies), several construction industry associations, the aerospace industry and the National Defence Industrial Association ALL wrote the Congress to ask them not to include Buy American provisions. Congress did it anyway.
  
  
• Congress has NO motivation to start out doing anything other than coming out swinging the biggest Buy American bat that it can. And the House is traditionally much more protectionist than the Senate.
  
  
• The Buy American Act of 1933, as it stands now, applies to certain U.S. Federal purchases of manufactured goods. It also flows down to state and local government in grants that fund highway, airport, and transportation projects. And those provisions have broad effects: if ONE DOLLAR of federal funding with Buy American provisions is used for a state or local project, ALL THE DOLLARS spent on that project must comply with the Buy American provisions.
  
  
• All of those provisions aren't covered by trade agreements, and Canadian companies still have to work around those.
  
  
• The same is true of federal contracts set aside for small business -- again, American federal buyers can reserve any contracts they like for American small business, and the trade agreements permit that, too. Again, Canadian companies have been coping with those for years. Not great, but there are usually ways to deal with them.
  
  

Buy American & Canada

What I Didn't Say on the CTVNEWSNET Interview

I just finished doing a TV interview with Jacqueline Milczarek of CTVNEWSNET.COM

She asked me three things about the Buy American provisions in the economic stimulus package and how it affects Canada:

• The Buy American Act provisions in the stimulus: trade war or no big deal?
• Did Canada do a poor job by not preventing these proposals?
• Will this be fixed by the time the President visits Canada?

If you're a Canadian business owner, here are three things you need to know:

• The stimulus package proposals don't change any of the access you already have (nor the barriers that still exist) under NAFTA to about $500 billion of U.S. federal procurement.
  
  
• There are already plenty of Buy American provisions that you still have to look out for,
  despite NAFTA, and regardless of the stimulus package, !
  
  
• Every company's situation is different -- the only generalization you can make is that you can't generalize -- so you MUST know how the rules apply to your goods, your services, your distribution chain and the kind of business you want to win.

THAT is what I can help you figure out. Don't wait -- call me NOW, so you know what to watch for in the stimulus package as it develops! (703 627 1074)

(Oh, and if you liked the suit I'm wearing, I buy great Canadian fashion! Go see Freda Iordanous, award winning designer in Toronto at King and Bathurst...or visit http://www.fredas.com/)

Go Hug Your Banker.

Seriously.

How often should you visit your banker? A quick Google search found almost nothing on "visit" and "banker," though I did get a DIGG hit on a shark attacking a banker in Australia...

Financing is vital to staying alive today -- especially in government contracts. Get your ducks in a row, now. And make your next visit before you need to.

I just went in to wish my banker a happy new year and bring her up to date on my business as I made my first deposit of 2009 (thank you, GEAR Engineering!). Good news -- I had the best year ever in 2008...but I also really needed my line of credit as 2009 gets started, and needed her support to refresh that.

Boy, was I glad I had just stopped in to say hello last fall to introduce myself. She knew who I was and remembered my business, and was happy to help. I also found out she's going to have her first baby this spring -- which means I also want to be sure I find out who's backing her up while she's away.

Just like with government business development (or even advocacy on Capitol Hill) -- the time to make your first call is when things are going well. Then people know who they're dealing with when you come in and ask for help.

Take Five: PR Tips You Can Use Right Now

More 2009 Jumpstart Tools for Government Contracts

Which of these tips are you going to use first? Leave comment, or Let me know!

Why PR Activity is Critical:
Visibility can open the door to relationships you need.
And in tough times, when many people market less, those who market more STAND OUT!

1. Create A PR Plan For Your Government Market Niche!
   Short on resources? Try Guerilla PR by Jill Lublin...
   - Barter your services with a PR firm, if you're short of cash
   - Hire interns for press release writing and tracking
   
   
2. Write Op-Ed's & Letters To The Editor -- Especially If You're A Woman Business Owner
   - Focus on issues you care about
   - Watch the publication's style, and keep it short
   - Use Google Alerts to identify reporters who are writing about your issues
   - Contact them and establish yourself as an expert source
   
   
3. Plan To Use Online News Releases
   - Learn how to write news releases reporters will love
   
   
4. Review Your Web Site, Including Your Online Newsroom
   - Learn how to make it reporter-friendly
   
   
5. Make Google Work For You
   - Explore whether Google Adwords work for you
   - Consider using second- or third- tier ranked keywords
   - Set Google Alerts for your name, your company's name, your competitors
   
   
6. Apply For Awards
   - Gain Credibility & Visibility
   - Boost Employee Morale
   - Create publicity / news release opportunity
   
   
7. Supercharge Your Email Signature Line
   - Add photo & tagline
   - Link to your social media profiles, like LinkedIn, Facebook, Plaxo, ZoomInfo
   - Link to your blog...and change the message every week
   (e.g. "What's 2009's Must-Have Service? Find out this week on MY BLOG....)
   
   

Dear Mr President...

What America's 500,000 Women Business Owners Want

New Administration, high hopes...and it's the time to ask for what you want.

Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) knows the answer, as the voice of the nation's half-million business owners. The Economic Blueprint, developed from extensive research in 2008, outlines Principles for:

• Health Care
• Procurement
• Access to Capital
• Taxation
• Energy
• Telecommunications

If you had the President's ear, which one would you ask him to work on first?

What would give you the most advantage through the economic crisis as you battle the recession?

Why Can't We Get Past The Basics?

"Successful Small Business Suppliers to DHS Do Four Things..."

I've heard the DHS briefing for small business several times. And the core message is always the same.

According to Kevin Boshears, Director of the DHS Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, in the briefing he and his team give all year long, the keys are:

• do your homework
• selectively participate in networking
• understand the procurement system
• understand the concept of teaming

Yeah, these points are important...but how could you possibly be selling to the government and not already know this?

Do we keep getting this presentation because so many people still don't get it?

Or are we just so hungry for DHS business that we're going to show up no matter WHAT the briefer has to say?

(One way to get beyond that right now: I've got a paper, Five People You Need To Meet, that is jammed with practical tips on how to meet effectively with people who can help you do all of these things. Check it out...)

2009 Outlook: States In Crisis

SPECIAL REPORT From One of My Partners, National Strategies Inc

National Strategies, LLC (NSI), a nationally recognized business-to-government consulting firm headquartered in Washington, DC today released a report based on extensive, first-hand cultivation of information from each of the 50 state’s Budget Offices, with emphasis on identifying strategies each state plans to employ to address their 2009 projected shortfalls.

Find out how state public sector budgets are being impacted by the economic downturn -- where the cuts will be, and what opportunities that means for you.

This 90-page report, The 2009 Budget Outlook: States in Crisis, is available for free download at NSI’s website: www.nationalstrategies.com.

Take Five: ConnectionTips You Can Use Right Now

Supercharge Your Networking.

I love the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). My Greater DC Chapter is profoundly focused on giving members tools for business growth. At our most recent session, "Thriving In A Difficult Economy," panelist Joyce Bosc, President of Boscobel Communications, took a page out of her own book by being generous and helpful to all of us.

Her tips inspired my next two sets of "Take Five" -- the first, for building the connections essential to new business:

• Network, Network, Network.
  Attend conferences, meetings, trade shows, events, receptions, galas; look for people you don't know, rather than hang with people you do; seek groups of prospects more than peers; be helpful and generous -- that comes back to you ten times over!
  
  
• Use Social Networks / Web 2.0
  Top picks: LinkedIn (more formal); Facebook (more personal/social); Plaxo (favorite with big corporate America); ZoomInfo (find prospects and be found)... This stuff is real. Feel confused, frustrated, and most of all want to know when you've got time for all this? People who pay attention in just one session with Jen Abernethy, America's First Sales Stylist, generate qualified leads within seven days.
  
  
• Seek Speaking Opportunities
  In Workshops, Panels, Community Chambers/Business Groups...
  Position yourself as a thought leader. Research conferences your prospects will attend; if the program is set, offer to be a backup speaker. Increase visibility, send press releases about your gig.
  
  
• Start a Corporate Social Responsibility Program
  Tough times mean more people need help. Pitch in. Increase visibility. Boost employee morale. Create press release opportunity. Show your character and values and attract like-minded allies who can help you and vice versa.
  
  
• Look for Low-Cost Sponsorships
  In recessions, many people slow or stop marketing...which means you stand out more when you do. Consider: Bronze-level sponsorships; ask about opportunities for small business; barter your services for sponsorships; increase your organic search engine ranking as a result of greater links you generate from your sponsorships.
  

U.S. Army (2): New CECOM Business at Aberdeen, Ft Belvoir

Ft. Monmouth BRAC work comes to DC area

What could be in it for you?

The Washington Post has a column that amuses me simply because it exists: "We Watch So You Don't Have To." While that one is about highlights of television shows, this post is based on the same principle.

Sure, tough times...and government keeps spending. Remember, military budgets have been passed for 2009, and those plans are public and available right now (check out my tactics specific to selling to the military).

Marcia Easton, Chief of the CECOM LCMC Small Business Programs Office, recently invited me to present at the Ft Monmouth Small Business Conference. A long haul, but a well-attended gig, with over 250 people attending. Most impressive: MGen Dennis Via, the Installation's Commander, stayed for the entire briefing -- a real testament to the leadership's commitment to small business.

And so, because I drove eight hours to give a forty-minute presentation (my Four Easy Lessons in Free Market Research was received with great enthusiasm!), here's what I have for you:

If you flip through powerpoint -- especially online -- fast, then you can see all the presentations offered at the U.S. Army Small Business Conference at https://home.kc.us.army.mil/sbc.nsf.

To really see the scope of which work is moving where,

• MGen Via's presentation includes notes on "transition" contracts that will ease the move of hundreds of people and dozens of offices from Ft Monmouth to Aberdeen Proving Ground and to Ft Belvoir.
• For some of the highlights of upcoming opportunities RDECOM will have at Aberdeen Proving Ground, see John O'Brien's presentation.
  

2009's Ins and Out For Procurement

Fond Farewells, and What's Ahead -- Part 2!

Out: Green Products
In: Sustainable Solutions

Out: Broad Competitive Sourcing
In: In-House and Limited-Source High-Value Contracting

Out: Contract Bundling & GWACS
In: Micro Contracting for Very Small Business

Out: Women's Procurement Program
In: Women's AND Minority Procurement Programs
Always In: Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business

2009: Why Friends Matter More Than Ever

Tough Times Deliver Forceful Message

When people all around you are worried about so many things, even small kindnesses stand out.

Crisis makes us think hard, and takes us back to our core values. All around you, people seem to be scrambling and scrabbling for new business. In that environment, old-fashioned care doesn't need to cost much more than the time to be thoughtful, but can make a profound difference in the level of confidence and comfort people feel with you and what you do.

Take a moment today to consider how you do business:

• With Integrity -- Am I delivering everything I promised and more?
  
• With Top Service -- How can I be more responsive?
  
• By Strengthening Relationships -- When did I last talk to my clients?
  
• With Trust -- How do I show that I'm worthy of my suppliers' trust?
  
• With Gratitude -- How many ways do you show your clients that you appreciate them?
  

What can you do to make life just that much easier -- for your friends, neighbors, and family as well as your clients and partners?

A generous mind set infuses all you do. In what can be dark times, that reflects well on you as well as lighting the world around you. Costs little, means much.

Sets you apart.

Small Steps Toward Big Goals

Beyond fast-fleeting inaugural excitement, the new Administration has captured the imagination of thousands of business owners, especially women, who have never sold to government.

Why? Because for them -- and maybe for you or someone you know -- now is the time. Their businesses are strong. They have passion to bring their talents and solutions to government leaders who want the best tools and ideas to support the changes America asked for. Selling to government is a tall order. They know it's not easy. They can't wait, and they want help now.

In my own life, whether it's in fitness, business or a new pursuit, I set the bar high (sound familiar?) So sometimes it gets hard to imagine how I'm going to get there. Coaching helps me a lot!

Here's what I mean: This morning, I tried out my new fitness routine. My trainer knows my needs and where I am on my goals. She had given me a new variety of things to work on that exactly fit my plan. I was concentrating so hard on learning the new stuff that I didn't have time to be overwhelmed -- but after an hour, I knew I was that much closer to my goals!

Is this YOUR year to win government contracts? That's the kind of experience you can have, too: pure focus on what you need now, knowing that you're on the right path. Let's get started together. Give me a call.

Judy Bradt -- America's Top Adviser for Women in Government Contracts
703 627 1074

Ins and Outs for 2009 -- Leadership

Fond Farewells, and What's Ahead -- Part 1!

OUT: Government worker retirement crisis
IN: "Boomers to Bloggers" - style workforce integration

OUT: Old-style Town Hall Meetings
IN: Change.gov and Web 2.0 4C2G2C

OUT: Vendor Outreach Days
IN: Online Social Web 2.0 4B2G2B

OUT:Constitutional Trampling
IN: Privacy / Collaboration Integration

OUT: Mission Accomplished
IN: Change We Can Believe In

U.S. Army Windows of Opportunity (1)

BRAC, Afghanistan...All Mean New Business

I was invited by the U.S. Army to speak at the recent Small Business Conference at Ft Monmouth, NJ. Highlights of upcoming opportunities and events, as presented by RDECOM's John O'Brien, include the:

• Afghan National Security Sector Development Fielding Program

The Army will be discussing the draft RFP, due out on January 12th (check www.fbo.gov for that!), for the acquisition of consulting, mentoring, and training services in support of the Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan (CSTC-A).

Service providers' personnel will be embedded with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistans Ministry of Defense/Afghan National Army and Ministry of Interior/Afghan National Police to serve as trainers, advisors, and mentors.

Interested? Industry Forum is January 28th at Ft Belvoir.

State and Local -- Forecast Even Brighter!

What looked good in June looks stronger now

Six months ago, market research firm INPUT forecasted that state and local demand for IT systems and services would rise from $48.4 billion in 2008 to $64.9 billion in 2013. In an economic crisis, though, what can keep that forecasted 6.8% growth rate pumped?

Presidential Priorities.

Specifically, four of President-elect Obama's five drivers for his $1.5 billion stimulus to create 2.5 million jobs can also drive demand for information technology systems and services:

• improvement to schools

• better technology for health care professionals
  

• better transportation infrastructure

better access to broadband

Now, key forces shaping the market include:

• State coffers, emptier than forecast due to lower housing prices and less consumer spending bringing in less property and sales tax, turn policymakers to seek operations savings from more efficient IT solutions
• The promise of federal funds to fill the gap
• Need to cut health care costs while providing esssential health IT initiatives via state-run Medicaid Management Information Systems (MMIS)
  The need to provide more public Wi-Fi, especially after vendor-sponsored initiatives collapsed
• Tussling over outsourcing: attrition of government workers and slashed budgets on one hand versus desire to protect government jobs on the other.

Where can you find out more? Ah. That's tomorrow's post.

Confessions Of A Networking Addict

Next on this Week's Theme: Quality of Human Connection

I just hit the wall ...again.

I had out-networked myself. I was exhausted. I'd signed up for one too many events. Even though it was too late to get a refund, I blew off the $45 registration fee I'd paid for that final Friday lunch.

Why?

I didn't want to be literally a card-carrying zombie, trading pieces of paper with people. I had no ability to be fully present with any other human being. I was in no shape -- mentally, energetically, spiritually, or even physically -- to be meeting anyone. And I was certainly incapable of making a friend of someone new or being a friend to anyone I knew.

I went home instead.

Back in 1974, my mom made me a beautiful campfire blanket. It's a big navy blue wool felt poncho lined with warm plaid plush, half covered with my Girl Guide badges, and half decked out with dozens of camp patches I traded from troops and groups all over North America.

I pulled it out recently and was suddenly shocked to realize how many years I had "networked" -- well over three decades -- but missed the best part. If I had been paying attention, that blanket might represent a universe of vibrant friendships. I took a long time to learn the lesson.

And I still have to practice.

Sure, I ask myself, "Where does business comes from if not from being out there marketing?"
But how can anything positive develop from wandering around like a zombie?

Turning Hard Times Into Great Times

Make Your Tactical Marketing Investments Now

A study done by Roland S. Vaile of 200 companies during 1923 (published in the April 1927 issue of Harvard Business Review) showed that the companies that advertised the most during that recession recorded the greatest sales growth.

When McGraw-Hill Research examined the advertising expenditures of business-to-business firms during the 1981-’82, those that held or upped their advertising expanded sales significantly more than those that did not – both during and for three years after the recession. In the most extreme case, by 1985, the most aggressive advertisers grew sales nearly three times faster during that period than those who cut their advertising.

Even in 2001, 85% of business leaders perceive a recession advertiser more positively, according to a study by Yankelovich/Harris. They view such a company as more committed to its products, and tend to think of that firm first when they’re ready to buy.

That doesn't change the facts if money is tight and your clients aren't filling your coffers right now. How do you decide priorities for highest ROI for limited resources? Comment or let me know!

How To Blow Off The Economic Challenge

Ways to Look Beyond Crisis

You know what? I'm upbeat. I'm excited. When I did my SWOT analysis in December for my company's 2009 strategy, my opportunities far outnumbered my threats -- precisely because more people are looking to new clients. If anyone is asking, "Could the government buy from me?" I know I can help them!

Owning a small business is never easy -- especially if you sell to government. In times like these, it's a challenge to put your game face on. We're looking hard at expenses. Old things aren't working. We have to try new things. Some will work. Some won't. How to choose?

What if you could get some sure fire answers? Some silver bullets to defeat the economic crisis, build your networks, find new business? And that wouldn't cost you a mint?

THAT is this week's theme. Because you already own some of the most powerful tools you can imagine. You've just forgotten how to use them.

Momentum Builds: All-American Ball

Leading Women & Key Businesses Pick Inaugural Fest

Finally, after twenty years in Washington, I am going to an Inaugural Ball! (My mom will be so excited when I tell her...) Every other time, I'd pouted over the prospect of spending a night with a crowd of strangers and not having a good time...

...and then Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) picked the All-American Ball as their official inaugural event! Problem solved!

Better yet: I have been hearing rumors that WIPP's powerful coalition partners -- The American Small Business Coalition, the National Association of Women Business Owners and Success in the City -- are going announce this as their choice, too!

You heard it here first: this incredible combination will make it THE event that will launch 2009's sizzling connections for dynamic business divas and small business owners of every kind.

Find out more... ticket prices are $250 now, and prices increase as each block sells out.

See you there...I'll be in the pink!

Obama Opportunity Watch

Insider Touts Clean Tech, War Spending, Transportation
(If ya can't dish about holiday receptions, what fun is that?)

Ron Hobson, banker for Provident and also an Obama campaign volunteer, knows women mean business. So he knew he had a captive audience at the recent NAWBO reception when he talked about emerging opportunities to watch for in the new Administration.

He suggested we keep a lookout for details on:

• $150 billion in funding for clean technology
• new funding for transportation infrastructure projects
• and an increase in funding for the war effort, despite what you're hearing about plans to return troops.

Ron's not the first one I've heard talking about the transportation piece. Back in October, when I was researching a presentation, I called Al Gordon, CEO of National Strategies Inc. NSI is the leading company specializing in targeting and business development for clients seeking success in state and local government markets. Al told me, "look for federal grants to state and local government as part of an economic stimulus package in the new Administration..." and he knows what he's talking about.

What are YOU hearing?

Small Business High Priority for Obama

Campaign Insider Says Help Coming for Minority & Woman-Owned Business

Boy, is this a year to get out to holiday receptions! Spirits were soaring and high-voltage connections crackling at the revitalized Greater DC Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners reception at D'Acqua Restaurant Wednesday night.

One special guest was Ron Hobson, VP at Provident Bank. While currently the Relationship Manager of the Government Contractor Banking Division, as a campaign volunteer he also wrote the Minority Business Policy for President-Elect Obama's small business platform.

"The Obama Administration has a high interest in making sure the voice of small business is heard," Hobson told me. He noted the low priority that the outgoing Administration had given to resources and opportunities for the small and minority-owned business.

Expect that to change, he said. Watch for an increase in funds for the SBA's 7(j) program, under which the SBA is authorized to provide management and technical assistance through grants and cooperative agreements to qualified service providers.

In a week spent watching the big auto manufacturers ask for bailout money, it's time to remember that small business drives economic growth and job creation in the American economy...and isn't coming asking for a hand out.

A hand UP isn't too much to hope for.

Hobson was the Clinton Administration's 8(a) chief as the SBA's Associate Deputy Administrator for Government Contracting and Minority Enterprise Development, and as Associate Director for DoD's OSDBU Office, including the Mentor Protege Program.

Aerospace Says "2 Million Jobs. No Handouts."

Message To Obama: "Don't Break A Good Thing"

Is the military-industrial complex self-serving, or making a legitimate argument for being Good Guys in the economic crisis?

You may have noticed the first in a $2 million series of ads that the members of the Aerospace Industries Association is running. (This being Washington, nobody is surprised to find that kind of money being spent to influence about two dozen people.) Why? It's to open doors and start conversations because right now billions of dollars of decisions are up in the air.

Two dozen or so top policymakers are talking about auto industry bailout in one breath, and then charging ahead on the President-elect's economic stimulus to create 2.5 million new jobs by getting top technology to health care professionals, fixing bridges, roads and schools, increasing federal buildings' energy efficiency, and increasing broadband access.

Anybody in the defense and aerospace industry would rightly be worried about where all the money is going to come from when an Administration set on returning troops from Iraq is coming into power.

Against that backdrop, what's the aerospace industry saying? "We provide over two million jobs that America counts on. And we're not asking for a handout to keep them."

Over the months ahead, the new Administration is going to be making some tough choices about defense strategy and defense spending. Defense Secretary Gates deliberately left out of the draft 2010 budget decisions on major aerospace programs like F-22, Combat Search and Rescue, and the successor to the beleaguered Tanker.

Normally, the Quadrennial Defense Review -- next one due at the end of 2009 -- makes recommendations for the following four years based on national security and military priorities. In the last few months, the definition of "national security" has broadened considerably to include "economic security" as well.

The aerospace industry is getting out in front to make sure its contribution to the American economy doesn't get lost in the noise about the auto industry bailout... and to open a dialogue to ensure that policymakers understand the ever more integral role that the aerospace industry plays in America's national security today.

The underlying plain talk that's coming: "Don't be in a hurry to slash defense budgets. We'll work with you, but remember: You need our jobs, and you need what we do. If you want us to be there for America, you can't flip major defense programs off and on like a light switch."

Second Chance is DC Businesswomen's First Choice

Did You Know? 1 in 3 women experiences at least one physical assault by a partner.

Since 2001 Second Chance Employment Services has been the first and only comprehensive employment placement agency in the US providing long-term meaningful careers to victims of domestic violence (including the clients of Doorways for Women and Familes, where I'm part of the Development Committee).

Dr. Ludy Green, President and Founder of Second Chance, recently featured in the Huffington Post, got a welcome holiday gift this week. The Greater DC Chapter of NAWBO and Success in the City have asked their members to give Second Chance clients first consideration when seeking new employees. Bravo!

"There is a special place in hell reserved for women who don't support other women." -
Madeleine Albright

If so, then there's a special place in heaven reserved for Ludy Green and the leaders and members of NAWBO and Success in the City tonight.

ASBC Captures True Spirit Of The Season

Another Holiday Fest Close To The Heart

This month, I'm blogging to spotlight a few of many Washington area groups that making their seasonal gatherings a time to spread more than good cheer, despite the recent official intonings that we are now in a recession (tell us something we didn't know, please).

Hats off to the American Small Business Coalition for their silent auction and charity raffle to benefit the Tiger Lily Foundation, which meets the unique needs of young women with support during treatment for breast cancer, and provides education and awareness on issues like fertility, lifestyle, long-term health, financial challenges and connecting with others with similar experiences.

The gathering itself will sell out...not least because ASBC is the premier organization dedicated to building relationships for success in government contracting, no matter what industry you're in . Register on The ASBC website. The event begins at 6:00 PM on Wednesday December 10th at the Tower Club.

What's that you say? You're thinking you know a better place to meet the people you need to know? I challenge you to show up and tell me you don't meet at least three people you really needed to know.

See you there!

Get the Details on State And Local Spending

The President-elect says $1.5 billion will flow to create 2.5 million jobs.

Where's the money going, and how will it get there? 90% of the $4 trillion government spends is at the STATE AND LOCAL level. So, lots will go to state and local government!

Priorities:

• Top technology for health care professionals
• Improving transportation infrastructure
• Fixing schools
• Making federal buildings more energy efficiency
• Increasing broadband access

Nice, but how about some details? Here's where to find out.

February 3-4, 2009: Outlook in the States and Localities (Governing Magazine), National Press Club, Washington D.C. . Get the facts, priorities and contacts you'll need to win. EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION TIL DECEMBER 12th!

Big Contracts, Small Business

Is The Game Over?

So I was talking to Olga Grkvac, Executive VP of the Public Sector Group at ITAA last week about the future of small business set-asides, especially in the wake of the Federal Court of Appeals ruling on Rothe and suggested to her that maybe it's time for a change.

• Fact: Government will be spending more than ever this year...but will have fewer and fewer employees to administer contracts.

• Fact: A large contract, well-managed, can be much more cost efficient to administer than many small ones.
  
• Fact: Small businesses drive the U.S. economy with jobs and growth -- when they have work. Very large contracts, especially those bundled for convenience, can be too large for small businesses to perform and finance.

CHALLENGE: How can government keep the cost efficiencies of administering fewer large contracts while also achieving the socio-economic goal of providing "maximum practicable opportunities in its acquisitions to small business"?

The disappointing failure of the federal government to meet its small business goals suggest that the current system has achieved as much as it's going to...right when small business most needs the boost that government contracts can provide.

What should change? Something is needed because government can't simply tell millions of small businesses, "It's not practicable for you to participate; it will cost too much."

Maybe it's the way that set-aside programs are run now that costs too much...and achieve too little. What needs to change? Assuming that a trend toward large contracts will continue:

What would improve small businesses participation in government contracts?

How to Preserve and Protect Small Business

Take Action, and Bring Your Friends

The Federal government says it aims to provide, "...maximum practicable opportunities in its acquisitions to small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business concerns."

Yup, right there at the top of Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 19.

Do you think the recent Court of Appeals Ruling (November 4th, prohibited the Department of Defense from giving minority-owned companies preferred status in government contract awards) supports that policy? If not then these programs are important to you:

• Speak up.
  They've got a fresh mandate. Tell your Representative and Senators to ensure that procurement's economic engine continues to drive small business growth by maintaining, not dismantling, procurement preferences.
  
  
• Join with other strong voices
  Participate in advocacy through associations you belong to like the American Small Business Coalition, AFCEA, WIPP, NAWBO, and their calls on Congress.

Are Set-Asides Dead?

Court Ruling Is Opportunity for New Thinking

The Federal Court of Appeals ruling on November 4th prohibits the Department of Defense from giving minority-owned companies preferred status in government contract awards. Such firms now win hundreds of millions in defense business, based in part on such preferences.

"Because Congress did not have a 'strong basis in evidence' upon which to conclude that DoD was a passive participant in pervasive, nationwide racial discrimination ... the statute fails strict scrutiny," Chief Judge Paul R. Michel wrote.

In 2009, Congress could re-enact the preference and provide stronger evidence...or even come up with a completely new justification for small business preference programs.

What if set-asides weren't based on race? Or gender for that matter? What other selection criteria would be at least as effective to choose businesses that would thrive under a contracting preference?

Or... how can it be easier to show evidence of past discrimination that is strong enough to please the Court?

Take Five -- Your 2009 Business Boost: Government Contracts?

Five Ways To Tell!

America evidently wants change -- and that could mean business for you, as post-election giddiness has faded fast to focus government leaders on the pile of urgent priorities.

Good news: you don’t have to be a corporate giant to win government contracts. If you run a healthy business and are already selling successfully, government buyers could represent an untapped market. Imagine finding new clients in places your competitors aren’t even looking! If reliable new customers are important to you, a small investment in learning how US government buys can bring you new business.

Pursuing those opportunities could bring your company long term growth...or waste valuable corporate resources. Five tips suggest whether you’re ready to take on the world’s biggest buyer.

1. Strong Performance Today & Determination For Tomorrow.
   Successful suppliers realize the investment they’ll need to make in order to pursue, win, and perform government business. You never hear them say, “Sure, we’d open an office and expand if we won a big contract. Government customers want reliable suppliers with established track records Some contracts explicitly require vendors to show a couple years’ commercial track record in order to be considered.
   
   
2. A Unique Value Proposition – for Government.
   Successful vendors have researched exactly which government buyers benefit most from what they offer, and craft their marketing campaign precisely to reach those buyers. They create online content and literature to focus on issues and challenges that government buyers face. They can articulate in the buyers’ language how their offering stands apart from the alternative options the buyers have.
   
   
3. Relationship Mastery.
   Successful vendors know that when you sell to government, you’re not selling to a process or an order machine. Government buyers do business with people they know and like and trust, people who understand their needs exquisitely well – even when they have to follow complicated rules to do that. Winners have genuine passion for helping their clients solve problems. They build their own formal networks, like creating a corporate board of advisers that includes former government employees. They are active contributors to industry networks. And they are alert to the casual perfect connection that a friend or neighbor can bring.
   
   
4. Focus on the Details.
   While relationships are essential to attract the business, governments operate under complex rules that vendors must know. Companies who hold government contracts – whether as a prime contractor or a subcontractor – must be aware of and comply with dozens of precise requirements. Non-compliance can bring instant death to a proposal you spent thousands of dollars and weeks of time to prepare. Government contracts carry legal obligations that can include workplace regulations and contract administration as well as product specifications or service performance standards.
   
   
5. Get Some Know-Who, not Just Know-How!
   Spend smart, but don't skimp. Winners seek top insider connections and know the value of specialized help. Successful contractors engage experts and invest in market research to develop cost-effective government marketing strategies. They’re visiting the perfect prospects – and shaping requirements -- long before contract notices are posted online. They know how they’re superior to their competitors in every way. They shop around and check references to hire the best insider experts they can: people who can help them target the best opportunities, connect them with the right partners and buyers, and plan for critical marketing activities and expenses.

Jump start your research with an instant webinar -- see www.summitinsight.com/video.asp.

Find out more! Contact Judy Bradt at (703) 627 1074.

Positioning for New Administration Contracts

Incoming Administration -- Time To Get Hunting

Did you know? Congress passed only four fiscal 2009 budgets : for DoD, DHS, VA, and military construction. As everyone else is funded on continuing resolutions through March, the cash flow will be slow. That makes NOW an even better time to figure out your game plan.

This week, government contractors are in post-election huddles, trying to figure out where new business is coming from and how to position themselves to connect with decision-makers. Some of that's in person, some of it is with media buys. The stakes are so high that big industry associations can and do plan full-page ad campaigns that are really designed to reach a few dozen people!

But there's more than one way to tool up.

Tell me: what do YOU need to know about your best government contract prospects?
Ask, and I'll answer you.

NASA Wants You To Smile

"Astronomy Picture Of The Day" Dares You Not To Grin!

Say what you like about how the U.S. government spends its money -- some things are well worth the 30 seconds to post the link to THIS VIDEO -- and certainly worth the five minutes of joy I guarantee you'll get from watching it.

(In fact, I wonder whether my good friend Joan Wangler, President of EDIN Associates (a successful woman-owned government contractor), who has taught leadership development at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland for nearly ten years, encouraged them to post this and see what happens!

I double dare you: write me if this DOES make you smile!

Take Five: Information Experts' Insider Tips

Five Keys to Multi-Million Dollar Success

Meet Marissa Levin,CEO of Information Experts in Virginia, award-winning provider of strategic communications services since 1995. Her company's flagship government contract, with the Office of Personnel Management, is worth over $6 million.

• Tough Times Spurred Federal Pursuit: "After 9/11 we nearly went out of business," she said. "So we turned to the business in our own backyard," and started to pursue government contracts.
  
  
• First Contract: Was surprisingly fast: "We were invited to 2 EPA task order competitions for creative work...because we had strong commercial experience." EPA was also looking for qualified 8(a) companies. But steady profit required time and money.
  
  
• Market Entry Investment: Nearly 2 years and well over $200,000. On what? "We got on several GSA Schedules; built strong partnerships with large integrators; did a lot of marketing, including to many 8(a) shows produced by FBC and ones sponsored by the agencies."
  
  
• Key To The $6 Million Contract: Relationships. "The relationships I formed, and the due diligence I did to get to know them and demonstrate our capabilities, and the research I did with the draft RFP’s, did a tremendous amount to develop the level of comfort and trust that the Office of Personnel Management had with us."
  
  
• Biggest Challenge: Financing. "From the day you win, you have to start executing! But you then have to bankroll your employees for 60 to 90 days," before you might get your first payment. Without financing, that large contract could put you out of business! "My living room had no furniture in it, but I had this contract!"
  

Presidential Elections and Forecast Defense Spending

Their Platforms Don't Give You The Clues. Here's What Does.

Presidential candidates talk in general terms about defense and foreign policy, but whether you're watching the real debates or the ones on Saturday Night Live (or can tell the difference), you neither hear many questions nor get many answers on what defense spending is going to look like in the next Administration.

So if you're thinking of selling to government, or hoping to sell more, and want to consider your prospects, where's the clue to your fortunes?

Since 1997, the answer's been "Quadrennial Defense Review." (And, coming soon to a government near you, "Quadrennial Homeland Security Review", too.)

What's that mean, and when will you know more? Ah.

Here's where to find out .

SAIC Teaming Do's and Don'ts From Michael Parker

Insider Teaming Tips From Science Applications International Corporation

Michael Parker is Senior Business Unit Strategist for SAIC, a top federal contractor that's always looking for qualified small business partners. I asked him what his top three tips were for companies seeking partnerships. He said:

• Research SAIC, and find out what part of the company you want to do business with
• Come with a specific opportunity in mind
• Present a business case on how you can contribute to winning that specific opportunity.

What do you think the absolute worst things are you could do when approaching SAIC?

He recommended starting by registering on SAIC's small business portal, and taking advantage of the access points of contact there.

But in real life, how easy is it to get in the door? Got a happy story, or a horror show? Tell all. I've been reporting what the primes say...what's the most effective thing you've done to actually become a teaming partner with these guys?

Take Five: State & Local Success for Human Resource Services

Patty's De Dominic's Top Five Government Contracting Tips

Can you supply staffing services to state and local governments?

Patty De Dominic thinks so. Serving those clients built her staffing services company to over $200 million, to become the tenth-largest employer in California. She sold her multi-million dollar business after the LA Business Journal named her, in 2006, the CEO of the Year.

I asked her, "What advice would you give someone who wants to win government contracts?" She said,

• Make sure you have a good product or service to offer.
• Look for ways to differential yourself in an arena that the buyer already knows they need then prove your worth.
• Empower the people who give your organization the strength and depth it needs to serve big and demanding clients well.
• Under promise and over deliver.
• Develop time management skills, so you can prioritize and do the most important things first.

Patty shares more of her lessons learned at SummitInsight.com.

Her next project is a book, and she invites your stories via her blog at http://www.thenewnewworldofwork.com/. Check it out and get yourself some visibility in her book.

She also coaches high achievers at DeDominic & Associates, http://www.dedominic.com/. Capitalize on her 27 years of experience; she's eager to share what she knows. The first coaching session free. Contact Patty via Patty@dedominic.com.

Gustav: When A Storm Means Business

Disaster Response Contracting Tips

Hurricane Gustav is poised to create a serious natural disaster that will generate huge urgent needs for supplies and services, both immediately and in the weeks and months that follow.

Who is going to win that business to help, where, and how?

I'm in business to to help qualified vendors, even those without experience, connect faster with suppli