Business Development

• Sources Sought Announcements Are Requesting GSA Schedule Information
  As one would expect, Fedmarket constantly monitors federal bid announcements including those pertaining to sources sought or requests for information.  It has become increasingly clear that contracting officials are more frequently looking for... read more
• Know the Customer
  There's an age-old axiom followed by federal contracting experts:  If you don't know the customer, don't bid on the job.  It's so simplistic, yet so true. Experienced contractors know and follow this basic premise and inexperienced... read more
• The IDIQ Smorgasbord
  Let's look at a typical IDIQ scenario: A large IDIQ contract opportunity (sometimes worth several billion dollars) is posted at FedBizOpps. After the evaluation of proposals, a number of "pricing only" awards are announced to between three to one... read more
• Recent Trends Discovered While Surfing FedBizOpps
  In contrast to how things were handled in the past, recent publicly-announced bids found at FedBizOpps are either specifically stating that GSA schedule pricing is "preferred" or that only GSA Schedule holders will be considered. ... read more
• Strange but Real IDIQ Purchases
  The following are Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) solicitations for items that might not be normally considered items that would be bought through an IDIQ contract: IDIQ for Quantitative Analysis and Scientific Evaluation of Hawaiian... read more
• IDIQ Contracts: Purchasing Vehicle of Choice for Facility Contracts
  Just like the federal IT sector, which has been rich with contracting opportunities for interested vendors, Indefinite Delivery/ Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts have been prevalent for facility-related contracts for the last few years. Unlike the IT... read more
• Danger, Will Robinson
  Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts generally run for terms from 3 to 10 years although recent research done at FedBizOpps indicates that 5 and 10 year periods of performance are becoming much more common. For the most... read more
• Small Businesses and Current Trends in Federal Contracting
  The current political environment in both Congress and the Executive Branch appears to be pro small business, at least through the fall election. We base this conclusion on the following factors:  New small business initiatives in the GSA... read more
• Everyone Comes in First in an IDIQ Award
  Many of our recent newsletters have discussed the increase in popularity of Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts in the federal arena. As a result of this trend, Fedmarket developed an IDIQ Search Engine which provides daily... read more
• Narrowing the IDIQ Field
  Why not try to win many IDIQs? Well, winning an IDIQ is not only expensive but, more importantly; with too many you are in danger of losing focus. And focused sales efforts are critical to keep sales costs within reason. Equally important, you do not... read more
• The IDIQ Market
  The federal market is always changing and IDIQs are no exception. Major shifts in the market include: using of large umbrella contracts (IDIQs) to purchase goods and services that could be competed individually(this is known as bundling) justifying... read more
• Learning the Lingo: Vehicle
  A contracting vehicle or just vehicle as its known in the DC corridors of power is not something you ride in. It’s a method of awarding a contract within the federal purchasing rules. The term has almost become synonymous with IDIQ contract, but not... read more
• Selling Before the Public Bid
  Most public bids have been pre-sold by vendors to varying degrees and often several pre-sellers will be the only companies that really have a chance of winning. Experienced contractors also know that bidding opportunities for a reoccurring contract are... read more
• Acronym: IDIQ Contract
  Companies new to the federal market often find the alphabet soup of acronyms like IDIQ to be madly confusing. As defined by Wikipedia and shortened here: IDIQ is a contracting acronym meaning Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity. An IDIQ is a type... read more
• Comparing Bidding Strategies for IDIQs and Public Bids
  Our experts have preached for years on end that companies should be exceptionally cautious about bidding on single award, public bids. The reasons for caution are: One or more companies have most likely pre-sold most public bids The... read more
• Selling Using an IDIQ
  Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts vary from agency to agency and there are a number of different types.  From a perspective of trying to develop a federal sales strategy, IDIQs are natural focusing... read more
• More on Selecting the Best IDIQ
  With thousand of IDIQs out there, developing a sales strategy can be a tangled mess. However, it may not be as challenging as you might have originally thought.  Those that have been already awarded are not an option for you unless... read more
• Which Flavors of IDIQs Should Our Company Seek?
  The federal government doesn't actually know the number of active IDIQs but rough estimates are that the number exceeds 2,000 and is increasing at an annual rate of approximately 30%. There are a large number of different IDIQs and... read more
• IDIQs Keep Getting Bigger as More are Issued
  Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity contracts (IDIQs) are funded when individual task orders are issued for competition among the companies that have received awards. Task orders are getting bigger and bigger and will soon reach the magic one... read more
• Squeezing the Procurement Sponge: IDIQ Contracts Limit Competition within the Rules
  This in the first in a series of six (6) newsletters about federal Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts and their growing importance in the federal market. As we speak, federal buyers are processing their procurement dollars... read more
• Multi Vendor Contracts: Becoming the Rule
  In previous newsletters, we described how multi-vendor contracts (IDIQ contracts) are becoming the rule rather than the exception in federal contracting. Federal purchasing officials are now using IDIQ contracts to procure virtually... read more
• Only One Way to WOSB Certification
  The SBA's stated goal when announcing the new Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) program was to expeditiously implement the policies, procedures and regulations necessary to ensure that federal contract dollars would immediately start... read more
• Where is the Needle in the Haystack of Federal Contract Opportunities?
  The first step to winning federal business is to invest in an aggressive, direct federal sales program. Notice the word "direct." Resellers can sell some of your products but services have to be sold by you. Many companies that make... read more
• The Benefits of an IDIQ Contract
  Recent installments have discussed the federal government’s unending march to award federal contract through Indefinite Duration Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contacts. What Are They: In the simplest terms, they are multi-year contracts that are... read more
• The Trend Towards Multiple Award Contracting Escalates
  The multiple award contract is becoming a way of life in the federal government. Many large, federal multiple award contracts have been awarded this year; several of them carrying ceilings of more than $1 billion. And that is only the tip of... read more
• Selling in the Federal Marketplace
  Up until the actual close of a sale, selling in the federal market is essentially the same as selling in the commercial market. You have to find out who buys what you sell, knock on their door, be prepared for rejection if you are unknown to the... read more
• Contracting with Federal Civilian Agencies is Easier Than Defense Agencies
  The Washington press announced recently that thousands of defense jobs may be eliminated, including those related to large defense contracts. This is clearly very bad news for defense contractors. In contrast, civilian agency contracting will... read more
• Federal Buyers Squirreling Away Dollars
  Are Federal Buyers Squirreling Away Budget Dollars for the August/September Spending Spree? No one knows really but probably yes. Why: Human nature: No one wants to turn back budget dollars because they won't get them back. The "squirreling... read more
• Looking at the Federal Market Through a Crystal Ball
  What is happening to the federal market? Our crystal ball is no better than anyone else's but here's our take. The budget crunch will have a negative impact. The Administration's focus on increasing the federal workforce and insourcing would... read more
• Rebuttal: Are Small Business Advocates Helpful?
  In a previous newsletter, we questioned the usefulness of federal small business advocates.  We received the following response from a reader which illustrates why companies must perform aggressive, direct federal sales in-house.... read more
• Would You Issue Public Bids If You Were a Federal Buyer?
  Absolutely not, if you could avoid it! Why: Public bids are inordinately expensive and the amount of time it takes to acquire the good or service in question is ridiculously long.  They consume impractical amounts of staff time, assuming staff... read more
• What is Happening in Federal Contracting?
  The news: The Obama administration is, as part of its initiative regarding federal contracting, pursuing an agenda of (i) increasing competition for federal contracts, (ii) promoting openness of competition, and (iii) eliminating fraud and... read more
• PSC Codes
  What Are PSC Codes? Good question.PSC stands for Product Service Codes. These are legacy codes that are used in certain government procurement databases to classify products and services.Public Law 93-400 requires the Administrator for Federal... read more
• The Next Two Years in Federal Contracting
  The Next Two Years in Federal Contracting: Some Uncertainties and Business as Usual The next two years in federal contracting will be uncertain in the information technology and defense system sectors and business as usual in others. The buildings... read more
• Sell Then Tackle the Red Tape: Part 2
  In the previous newsletter, we recommended that you postpone tackling the red tape until after after you have made a sale with a federal buyer. Once an actual sale occurs, you will no option but to address the red... read more
• Sell Then Tackle the Red Tape: Part 1
  Companies new to the federal market frequently find that they have encountered a new culture with its own foreign language and requirements (such as red tape, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), contract boiler plate and countless... read more
• Federal Procurement is Getting Messier by the Day
  The federal procurement system is going south fast. Contracting offices are understaffed and experienced contracting officers are defecting to the private sector. The foregoing situation has brought an already slow process to... read more
• Federal Market Myths
  Two myths about the federal market persist in the commercial sector. They are as follows: Just go to the federal market and pick the low-hanging fruit; and  The fruit is ripe and you can pick it quickly. The federal market is exceptionally... read more
• Does the "M" in the new 8(M) Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program Mean Money?
  Answer: Yes and then some. The first women-owned businesses to be certified under the new 8(m) program will have a head start because of the political pressure to give small business preference to women-owned businesses has been building for... read more
• Is Obama Trying to Harm the Federal Contracting Industry?
  Politically and philosophically, yes. Intentionally and in practice, no. After all, we are voters too. For both political and philosophical reasons, the new administration is trying to return highly visible work to the appropriate federal agencies. ... read more
• Are End Users and Contracting Officers Moving Apart?
  Those of us at Fedmarket have noticed that, at least in some federal agencies, the contracting office is moving away from the end users. The chronic under-staffing of contracting offices has caused office consolidation and reduced communication... read more
• To Protest or Not
  Protests of federal contract awards appear to be increasing but the statistics are confusing due to the increase in the number of contract transactions. What is certain is that protests are increasingly in the spotlight in the federal contracting... read more
• Become an Incumbent Contractor
  Once you make a sale, you can use your company's stellar performance on a federal project to leverage more sales. Federal contractors working on-site at a federal facility are essentially getting paid to sell to agency customers and to generate... read more
• Women Owned Small Businesses May Be in for a Treat
  Women Owned Small Businesses (WOSB) may get an advantage in federal contracting under a newly proposed Women-Owned Small- Business rule. (See link below) For the first time, the Proposed Rule would give federal agencies the ability to set-aside... read more
• Emergency Contracting - Disaster Contracting
  Recently, I heard about a company who went to the news media to complain that they had the ultimate solution to the Gulf of Mexico oil clean up. It was just proven in someone's pool to be a great solution to cleaning up the Gulf of Mexico. The company... read more
• The Thick Wall
  Establishing relationships with federal customers can be a long, arduous process that can often take a year or more. The federal end user's job depends on the vendors he chooses and, as a result, the end user is often averse to taking a risk with an... read more
• 2010 Federal Procurements Are Bigger Yet
  Is the Obama Administration cutting back on federal contracting? Let's look at the top 20 federal procurements planned for 2010. Washington Technology and Information Week say that the top 20 will exceed $180 billion, up from around $120 billion the... read more
• The New Administration and Federal Contracting
  Like most democratic administrations, the Obama administration publically professes to (1) crack down on federal contractor abuse, (2) make contracting information more transparent, and (3) substitute federal employees for contract personnel. These may... read more
• Stimulus Program Works for Federal Contractors
  An article in the Washington Post recently summarized how federal departments are paying firms to help spend stimulus money. The stimulus program is working well for federal contractors for two reasons. First, the following types of services are needed... read more
• Why Federal Contractors Will Continue to Thrive
  The Obama administration is calling for a cutback in federal contracting and is expanding the federal workforce. Should the federal contractor worry? No, for the following reasons: Federal program managers can achieve their goals faster and more... read more