Every day, thousands of new vendors try and fail to break into the world of federal contracting. While contracting can be a very lucrative market, it is notoriously difficult to break into. One of the biggest problems facing new vendors is past performance - or a lack thereof.
Simply put, past performance is your company's contracting record - which agencies you've worked with, what contracts you've completed as the prime or subcontractor, whether the work was completed satisfactorily and what problems were encountered during the job. It's like a resume for your company, complete with references and past work experience. And just like an applicant whose resume is missing these key points of information, your chances of winning a contract with no past performance are going to be depressingly low.
Just as you might check a company's references and past work experience before hiring them for a job at your home or business, so too does the federal government. Contracting officers are not just looking at whether a vendor is good at their trade however; they are also concerned whether the vendor is familiar with federal contracting regulations and paperwork and whether they can be trusted to work on potentially sensitive projects and properties.
So if purchasing officers don't want to award contracts to new vendors, how do new vendors get contracts? Besides bidding for prime contracts and crossing their fingers, there are a number of ways to build past performance. Subcontracting and teaming are viable options to help build past performance and can help businesses adjust to the rules and procedures in federal contracting. Another easy way to start doing business with the federal government is through Simplified Acquisition Program and micro purchases. These kinds of acquisitions are low enough in value that purchasing officers do not need to follow formal bidding procedures. In some cases, the agency will make two or three phone calls for quotes from small businesses and make the purchase on the spot with a credit card. Don't be fooled though - any purchase under the simplified acquisition threshold of $150,000 qualifies for this program - and depending upon the industry, the threshold may even be higher!
In order to help both new and established vendors take advantage of these opportunities, US Federal Contractor Registration has created the Simplified Acquisition Program. This package includes everything necessary to start working with the federal government as soon as possible. The Simplified Acquisition Program provides System for Award Management registration, a seven page website in the standard Federal Government format, branded domain name and hosting, search engine optimization, customized official government profile, monthly email bid notification and contract support. This program has already generated millions of dollars in additional revenue for thousands of small businesses.
US Federal Contractor Registration is the world's largest third party registration firm that con-ducts everything from System for Award Management (SAM) to GSA Schedules. US Federal Contractor Registration testimonials and reviews are second to none with having registered over 65,000 businesses in System for Award Management. US Federal Contractor Registration has also registered and provided federal marketing solutions for businesses like McGraw Hill, HP, Wells Fargo, Xerox, GoodWill, Dixie, UPS, Heinz, Sheraton Hotels, Marriott, Westin, Interstate Oil, CITI, and Coldwell Banker; as well as academic institutions and colleges like NYC, North-western, Oxford, Southwestern, and Mercer. Numerous federal agencies like US Army, US Na-vy, Veteran Affairs and United States Department of Agriculture have also had their government paperwork facilitated by US Federal Contractor Registration Case Managers.
Simply put, past performance is your company's contracting record - which agencies you've worked with, what contracts you've completed as the prime or subcontractor, whether the work was completed satisfactorily and what problems were encountered during the job. It's like a resume for your company, complete with references and past work experience. And just like an applicant whose resume is missing these key points of information, your chances of winning a contract with no past performance are going to be depressingly low.
Just as you might check a company's references and past work experience before hiring them for a job at your home or business, so too does the federal government. Contracting officers are not just looking at whether a vendor is good at their trade however; they are also concerned whether the vendor is familiar with federal contracting regulations and paperwork and whether they can be trusted to work on potentially sensitive projects and properties.
So if purchasing officers don't want to award contracts to new vendors, how do new vendors get contracts? Besides bidding for prime contracts and crossing their fingers, there are a number of ways to build past performance. Subcontracting and teaming are viable options to help build past performance and can help businesses adjust to the rules and procedures in federal contracting. Another easy way to start doing business with the federal government is through Simplified Acquisition Program and micro purchases. These kinds of acquisitions are low enough in value that purchasing officers do not need to follow formal bidding procedures. In some cases, the agency will make two or three phone calls for quotes from small businesses and make the purchase on the spot with a credit card. Don't be fooled though - any purchase under the simplified acquisition threshold of $150,000 qualifies for this program - and depending upon the industry, the threshold may even be higher!
In order to help both new and established vendors take advantage of these opportunities, US Federal Contractor Registration has created the Simplified Acquisition Program. This package includes everything necessary to start working with the federal government as soon as possible. The Simplified Acquisition Program provides System for Award Management registration, a seven page website in the standard Federal Government format, branded domain name and hosting, search engine optimization, customized official government profile, monthly email bid notification and contract support. This program has already generated millions of dollars in additional revenue for thousands of small businesses.
US Federal Contractor Registration is the world's largest third party registration firm that con-ducts everything from System for Award Management (SAM) to GSA Schedules. US Federal Contractor Registration testimonials and reviews are second to none with having registered over 65,000 businesses in System for Award Management. US Federal Contractor Registration has also registered and provided federal marketing solutions for businesses like McGraw Hill, HP, Wells Fargo, Xerox, GoodWill, Dixie, UPS, Heinz, Sheraton Hotels, Marriott, Westin, Interstate Oil, CITI, and Coldwell Banker; as well as academic institutions and colleges like NYC, North-western, Oxford, Southwestern, and Mercer. Numerous federal agencies like US Army, US Na-vy, Veteran Affairs and United States Department of Agriculture have also had their government paperwork facilitated by US Federal Contractor Registration Case Managers.
About the Author:
US Federal Contractor Registration provides System for Award Management registration assistance, federal contractor support and professional marketing services to small businesses nationwide. Contact the Contractor Helpline today for more information about how the Simplified Acquisition Program can help your business succeed in the federal marketplace!
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