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Installment
[ 01 ]
Getting Started in Government Contracting
By
Richard White
Sometimes people will ask me, "Where do I start?" which is often another way of asking, "Where do I go to begin filling out all the forms?" To be honest, if you're a good salesperson and you offer a fantastic product at a competitive price, you might be able to sell it to an agency BEFORE you go through the red tape.
For most companies, though, my advice is to have your ducks in line first. For one thing, you'll generally look more credible to the buyer if you're already an approved vendor when they hear from you. For another, you'll likely have to go through the red tape at some point anyway.
This means, at minimum, you need to be registered with the governmental entity you're trying to sell to. (There are exceptions to this. If you're selling to a state, or especially local government, there may be no registration requirement, particularly for lower-priced products. To access state and local procurement rules and regulations, a good place to start is our own State and Local Jumpstation at Fedmarket.com.)
Registering with CCR
If you're selling to the Defense Department, you must register with Central Contractor Registration (CCR). There are a few exceptions, such as purchases paid with a government-wide commercial purchase card. For other exceptions, go to http://www.ccr.gov/ccrpol.asp.
Government agencies and private industry are only required to register in the database once with subsequent requirements for annual updates. Registering with CCR automatically registers you with every Defense agency. CCR is the single source from which the DOD receives business information on all vendors.
We recommend that you first download the instructions and forms for registration and go over them before you begin to enter the data online. This will ensure that you have all the required business information at hand so you can submit a complete application online.
Before registering with the CCR, you will need:
* Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number
* Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code
* Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)
* Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes
* Finance and banking information The Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number is a unique nine-digit company identification number. To obtain a DUNS number, call Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) at 1-800-333-0505. The process takes about ten minutes and is free of charge. If your company already has a DUNS number, the D&B representative will advise you over the telephone. Parent companies can add four additional characters (alphanumeric or number) of their choice to their DUNS number to identify and enable each subsidiary to establish a separate trading partner profile in CCR. These four alphanumeric or number identifiers are assigned and maintained by the parent company NOT D&B. For additional information on DUNS Numbers, visit D&B's web site, http://www.dnb.com.
The Tax Identification Number (TIN) is either the Employee Identification Number (EIN) issued by the Internal Revenue Service or the company Social Security Number (SSN). Check for the TIN with the accounting, payroll, and/or personnel department. The IRS can also be contacted, at 1-800-829-1040, to verify the TIN. If operating as an individual/sole proprietorship, you must use the number under which you file taxes. If your taxes are paid by a parent company, indicate the parent company's TIN.
The Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes are part of a numbering system that identifies the type of products and/or services the company provides. The following web site offers search capabilities for matching codes based on keyword descriptions: http://www.osha.gov/oshstats/sicser.html. Applicable SIC Codes can also be obtained from a Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) located in your state. A minimum of one primary code and as many secondary codes as necessary should be listed.
For more detail on CCR registration, go to http://www.ccr2000.com/handbook.cfm.
Registering with PRO-Net
If your business is small, woman-, or minority-owned, you should register with SBA's PRO-Net. It's not mandatory, but it's a good place to showcase your company's capabilities. The site can be found at the following URL: http://pro-net.sba.gov.
PRO-Net is an Internet database of information on more than 195,000 small, disadvantaged, 8(a), HUBZone, and women-owned businesses. It's free to federal and state government agencies as well as prime and other contractors seeking small business contractors, subcontractors and/or partnership opportunities. The site is open to all small firms seeking federal, state and private contracts.
Businesses profiled can be searched by SIC codes, key words, location, quality certifications, business type, ownership race and gender, EDI capability, etc.
Registration starts here: http://pro-net.sba.gov/pro-net/register.html.
Registering with State and Local Governments
Unfortunately, there is no one place to register with state and local governments. You have to contact them individually, either on the web or by phone. One good place to find state and local government web sites is, again, our Jumpstation at Fedmarket.com. Or better yet, check out our procurement search engine, Bidengine.com. There you can find procurement information on over 2,000 federal, state and local government agencies.
Final Thoughts
Registering to do business with government agencies can be cumbersome. Focus first on only those with whom you will actually conduct business in the short term. Don't spend too much time until you've determined there's a reasonable probability the agency is going to become a customer, an agency requires registration before it will let you access a bidding opportunity, or you've already made a sale and the agency requires registration before signing a purchase order or contract.
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GSA Proposal Preparation eLab
Are you unable to complete your GSA Schedule offer? GSA proposal preparation is fraught with issues, questions, and frustration. Many postpone offer preparation because of the frustration.
Complete your offer in 3 days or fewer. Our instructors will walk you through the process and you will leave the eLab with a completed GSA proposal.
Attend our monthly GSA Proposal Preparation eLab in Bethesda, Maryland.
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FedBuying Intelligence is the most powerful sales tool in the federal market. It searches five years of public bid data and tells you “who bought what”. Enter your product/service using keywords, Product/Service Codes, or NAICS Codes and find the solicitations and awards for the Contracting Officers and Contract Specialists who bought your product/service. Contact data including telephone number and email address is provided for each buyer in a downloadable spreadsheet. Details
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