FARS Part 7: Insider Stuff -- Authorized!

More reasons the Contracting Officer is one of the Five People You Need To Meet... (if you know enough what to ask for!)

The best part of FARS Part 7 is arguably FARS 7.105: buyers need an acquisition plan. That means, before any buying begins, the contracting officers can already tell you some VERY useful things...if you know enough to ask.  

Wouldn't you want to know your buyer's plans for:

• invitation and selection of vendors
• contract type
• funding
• environmental/energy requirements
  
• logistics
• providing you with property or data
  
• security
• timing and nature of acquisition milestones

FARS Part 7.103 lays out the things that are supposed to happen when government buys. If these things don't happen, you can certainly politely ask why not. FARS Part 103 requires the program manager to:

• Maximize Competition, particularly opportunities for small business, buy commercial items, buy Green/biobased products, minimize (or at least justify) bundling and urgent purchases that can restrict competition, and not discriminate against vendors who propose to use a telecommuting workforce to serve the government.
• Coordinate with the small business specialist on all contracts worth more than:
• $7.5 million or more for the Department of Defense; 
• $5.5 million or more for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the General Services Administration, and the Department of Energy; and
• $2 million or more for all other agencies.

Ask and ye may receive!

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....

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.

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?

Teaming Tips: Diane Marsden, BoozAllenHamilton

Here's what Booz Allen Hamilton does want to see from small businesses proposing partnership.

HINT: Being a veteran-owned small business, or a small disadvantaged business, or any kind of small business, isn't a capability. It's a differentiator...and not a particularly strong one at that.

To sum up: Come with

• Your Unique Value Proposition
• The Government Clients You Fit Best
• Your Capability
  

IBM Gives Up Its Secrets

Get your head out of your GSA Schedule and start looking at the big picture!

Lillian Magero, Small Business Liaison Officer at IBM, tells small businesses the best ways to open the door to partnerships for with her company for business with the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, Defense, Federal aviation Administration, USAID, Justice, and agencies with National Security needs. This top systems integrator often teams with small businesses who take a LEAD role and IBM subcontracts to THEM! Lillian tells what she means about "doing your homework" before a teaming meeting.

Expansion-Minded CSC Seeks Partners

Chireda Gaither of Computer Sciences Corporation, Manager, Supplier Diversity Program for North American Public Sector, at the recent OSDBU Conference, gave Judy Bradt the top three DO's -- and top three DON'Ts -- for small business partners to prepare for teaming meetings!

What are they looking for? New business, of course. How can you help? CSC's growth plan for the government sector includes in health services (especially at the state and local level), simulation and training, logistics, command and control, infrastructure services and identity management credentialling.

BAE Systems: Advises Slip-ups You Can Avoid

John Johnson, BAE Supplier Diversity Manager...
...at the OSDBU show, tells Judy Bradt the top misunderstandings he sees small businesses have about teaming. Watch, and now you can avoid these common errors!

Take 5 :Top Tips For Government Contract Wins

Woman-owned small business? Intent on GSA Schedules? Some other plan?

Here. Get off to a fast start.

What New Year's Resolutions are shaping your 2008 strategy to win more government business? A quick and dirty survey of small firms in government contracts revealed ideas like:

• "Help one colleague gain access to at least one contract or prime contractor" (Nice -- what comes around goes around!)
• "Bid on 5 bids per week" (250 bids a year -- big effort for a small firm...)
• "Find a prime contract" (How about WINNING one?)
• "Beat the rush for funds" (That's getting more strategic!)
• "Find and pursue the obscure government agencies I haven't met yet" (How about looking for the ones with money to spend on what you offer?)

Here are my top 5 suggestions.

• GSA: Make The Pain Stop.
  Need help figuring it out? Download GSA Schedules: 7 Things You Must Know.
  
• Learn from Last Year.

• Get Political...Or At Least Think About It. (It's an election year: leverage your legislators!)
  
• Start Now for Next-Year-End 2008.
  
• Check Out State and Local.
  Learn more: Download Winning State and Local Contracts.
  
  Get the Details -- Link Here to the full article

BearingPoint Tells How to Set Sail

Seeks Leverage from Small Business Connections

People were lined up to talk to Diane McLaughlin, Director of the Small Business Program Office at BearingPoint when I met her during the OSDBU conference in Maryland in April 2007.

They wanted a sense of direction on how to really connect with BearingPoint to win new business...and she was ready to share that with all of us.

• "Understand what BearingPoint does."
  McLaughlin managed to hold back her exasperation with the unbelievable number of companies who come to her without having done even that much homework. I can't blame her for that!
  
  
• "Tell us how you complement that."
  (It's not useful if you do the same thing they do, is it now?)
  
  
• "Understand the Agency."
  (That is, the Customer. What new information can you bring BearingPoint about the clients they serve?)
  
  
• "Know what's up!"
  How good are your insider contacts? What insights do you have into business and clients that you know BearingPoint wants to win?
  

Want a starting point? A recent edition of Washington Technology featured McLaughlin (BearingPoint rolls into new territory: Small-business partners will foster growth) and provides details and links of the company's teaming strategy and highlights of some of its major projects.

Unisys: Entry Points

Ed's Five Tips Open Doors to Teaming

Ed Weil, Senior Manager for Unisys' Supplier Diversity Program, was at the 2007 OSDBU conference talking to prospective partners. Here's the advice he gave me if your company wants to do business with Unisys, especially on government contracts:

• "Know 5+4."
  Know all 5 of Unisys' core focus areas, and all 4 lines of business...before you make an initial query, and reflect that knowledge in your online profile.
  
  
• "How do you fit in?"
  Read case studies online, know who our customers are, or ask me if you'd like to know whether a specific company is among our top clients.
  
  
• "Register!"
  We have a robust questionnaire (link to http://www.blogger.com/www.unisys.com/sdp) to that asks about past performance, size, qualifications, all the classic information. Make your entries as strong and specific as you can.
  
  
• "Get to know our customers"
  ...before you call us. How can you help us to better serve the needs of specific clients?
  
  
• "Bring in the business."
  If you can, tell me about opportunities coming that we haven't heard about yet. Timing is everything -- what do you know that others haven't heard?

KBR - Getting in the Door

How to Get Started with Logistics Giant

Quintin Robinson, Manager, Small Business Program Office in Arlington VA spoke with me at the 19th Annual OSDBU conference on April 19th in Maryland. This logistics giant does business all over the world -- including but not limited to large projects like Iraq reconstruction and Gulf Coast disaster recovery.

What advice does he offer companies who want to become suppliers to KBR?

• "Make sure your capability is something we can use." Such as? "Logistics, security solutions, construction, operations and maintenance, engineering." (What do they NOT need? "IT or human resource management.")
  
  
• "Register as a supplier,"online before contacting officials. Use specific keywords to describe your unique qualifications. Even so, there is no guarantee that anyone from KBR will call you; you simply must be in the database in order to be considered.
  
  
• "Look up our projects." Search online and through your contacts for projects -- especially ones that might be coming open for competition -- where KBR could use you.

• "Tell us where you fit." Armed with a completed profile and specific project ideas, you've got something to talk about when you arrange an introductory meeting with Quintin in Virginia, or his colleagues Jody Kernaghan and Beth Gardner at KBR's offices in Houston.
  

What Partners Seek -- Tips From Ludmilla Parnell, GDIT

BUSTED! Apologies and Overdue Credit for Her Unacknowledged Wisdom

I prepared a presentation this spring that included info on "What Partners Want". I discovered recently, to my horror, that while I had borrowed with permission from a colleague's presentation, I had failed to give her credit!

That's not right, and so I'm using this blog entry to set the record straight as well as to laud the sterling advice that Ludmilla Parnell, Marketing Director for Small Business Partnerships at General Dynamics IT (GDIT), shares with her clientele and the contracting community.

Here's what Ludmilla says GDIT examines when they consider teaming partners:

• Core capabilities & differentiation
• Past performance & reputation
• Price
• Personnel experience & low turnover
• Location
• Financial strength
• Dependable, responsive team player

I'll be reporting more tips from other primes and what they say they want you to do...AND taking the time and care I should have done here to provide full public credit to those who share their advice, too.

Thanks, Ludmilla.
PS: Watch for GDIT to launch a new partnerships registration site later this spring!

Simple Truths of Service

Support for Your Unique Value Proposition

I encourage my clients to craft a Unique Value Proposition. Ever wonder how to walk that talk, and really set yourself apart?

Make your day: take a look at this and tell me where is leads you.

My friend Joan sent me this link, following a group discussion she'd had on how to recraft your work using your signature strengths.

http://www.stservicemovie.com/