Small Businesses, Take Note...
While 2005 is starting to
'ramp up' to be a successful year for savvy federal contractors and prime
vendors, we all know that we need to continue to fill the pipeline through brand
identity and face time in front of our potential federal buyers and end users.
Sometimes it is difficult to get in front of them when they are in a secured
area or on base or -- for that matter, in Washington, DC.
Therefore, I would like to address the many mini opportunities to meet with procurement officers, end users and prime contractors off-site through procurement and small business events.
Many small businesses have come to my classes and have complained that these events are a waste of time because they see a dog-and-pony show, but never uncover any business. These events are NOT designed to buy from you. They are created to show the taxpayer that the agencies are at least trying to fulfill their small business goals by performing outreach sessions in the community.
Now that you know the truth, you can focus your efforts and change your expectations to utilize these events to get face time and future appointments.
#1 Which Events Should I Attend?
I have created a list and some links you can visit to see if there are some small business events happening locally. Focus on the agencies and military bases which are closest to your corporate headquarters first, because being "Local" in some cases is just as important as being "Small" (Disadvantaged, Woman-Owned, Native American, Disabled Veteran, HUBZone, Etc).
Therefore, check out these links to see if there is an event in your area first and mark your calendar:
GSA's International Products and Services Expo 2005
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego, CA
May 3-5, 2005
http://www.gsa.gov (Click on GSA Expo 2005)
(This event is huge. Over 1,000 Large and small contractors holding GSA schedules will be exhibiting and networking at this event. You will want to approach this event with your networking hat on and you want to look for partnerships and teaming arrangements with these vendors.)
OSBDU National Calendar of Events
http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?P=EU&contentId=18011&contentType=GSA_BASIC
6th Annual Small Business Procurement Conference-US Department of Energy (DOE)
June 12-15, 2005
Nashville, TN
http://www.smallbizconference.com
32nd Annual NASA Goddard Small Business Conference
Thursday, May 12, 2005 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Greenbelt, Maryland
http://www.i-c-t.com/nasa-sbc/index.htm
OSBDU Outreach Committee's Working Group Report and Other Outreach Activities:
http://www.osdbu.gov/Outreach%20Events%20Page.htm
15th Annual OSBDU Procurement Conference 2005
Thursday, April, 2005
Upper Marlboro, MD
8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
http://www.fbcinc.com/osdbu/
#2. Which Small Business Offices should I meet?
It depends on your business and your focus, but you need to introduce yourself if you are a small business according to the standards at the SBA.
If you want to see if you meet the small business requirements, here is the link: http://www.sba.gov/size/sizetable2002.html
Your strategy here is to have the Small Business Specialist, Director of OSDBU, or SADBU officer to get you the name(s) of the end users who utilize your products and services and to possibly arrange for an appointment or introduction.
There are two types of small business specialists. They are either the "new kid" in the department learning the rules of working with small businesses and monitoring the primes' small business plans, or they are highly experienced, connected people who are dedicated to helping small business get their foot in the door.
You will need to modify your sales pitch toward the experience level of these people. The experienced SADBU official can be an amazing asset to your organization as you try to open doors throughout the agency. Use their name and ask them for help.
When you find your end user, they will not care -- I repeat -- they will not care whether you are a small business or not. They want to know that you are the best and they want to trust you first. The small business factor will help when it is time to actually select you for the work.
Here is a list of the OSDBUs in the major departments according to the OSDBU Directors Inter-agency Council and updated as of 2/17/05:
http://www.osdbu.gov/Listofmembers.htm
#3. Once you decide on which event to attend? Now what?
Bring a lot of business cards. Keep your brochures, CDs and packets for the personal one-on-one appointments. Time is real estate at these events. Meet and greet as many people as possible and try to make a strong enough impression that you can meet with these people later on. They will be overwhelmed with the number of people they will meet at the conference, so find out what their "hot" buttons, or "pains" are when you're speaking with them and then find out if they have time to meet with you in the next week or so. You need to meet with them immediately, or this "hot" lead will turn cold and probably forget you.
Key contacts can also be the Prime Contractors. They also have small business specialists who will be attending these conferences, and they are "graded" for how much business they give to small, local businesses.
They will be a little more attentive to you if you also offer some business for them. In other words, when you have a separate meeting with the Primes, you cannot show up with your hand out expecting business. You need to walk in the door with some strong contacts at the agencies and a general knowledge of your marketplace with the government to show them you are a contender.
An obvious piece of advice here is to get your teaming arrangements with the Primes in Writing. There is nothing worse than being a small HUB zone company being paraded as a "partner" with the prime contractors to the end users and they actually never invite you to do the work. If they parade you around, you need to get that relationship in writing with money tied to it. As a small business, you've earned this right. Some of the primes cannot get contracts without you, so make sure you get everything in writing.
Therefore, I would like to address the many mini opportunities to meet with procurement officers, end users and prime contractors off-site through procurement and small business events.
Many small businesses have come to my classes and have complained that these events are a waste of time because they see a dog-and-pony show, but never uncover any business. These events are NOT designed to buy from you. They are created to show the taxpayer that the agencies are at least trying to fulfill their small business goals by performing outreach sessions in the community.
Now that you know the truth, you can focus your efforts and change your expectations to utilize these events to get face time and future appointments.
#1 Which Events Should I Attend?
I have created a list and some links you can visit to see if there are some small business events happening locally. Focus on the agencies and military bases which are closest to your corporate headquarters first, because being "Local" in some cases is just as important as being "Small" (Disadvantaged, Woman-Owned, Native American, Disabled Veteran, HUBZone, Etc).
Therefore, check out these links to see if there is an event in your area first and mark your calendar:
GSA's International Products and Services Expo 2005
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego, CA
May 3-5, 2005
http://www.gsa.gov (Click on GSA Expo 2005)
(This event is huge. Over 1,000 Large and small contractors holding GSA schedules will be exhibiting and networking at this event. You will want to approach this event with your networking hat on and you want to look for partnerships and teaming arrangements with these vendors.)
OSBDU National Calendar of Events
http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?P=EU&contentId=18011&contentType=GSA_BASIC
6th Annual Small Business Procurement Conference-US Department of Energy (DOE)
June 12-15, 2005
Nashville, TN
http://www.smallbizconference.com
32nd Annual NASA Goddard Small Business Conference
Thursday, May 12, 2005 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Greenbelt, Maryland
http://www.i-c-t.com/nasa-sbc/index.htm
OSBDU Outreach Committee's Working Group Report and Other Outreach Activities:
http://www.osdbu.gov/Outreach%20Events%20Page.htm
15th Annual OSBDU Procurement Conference 2005
Thursday, April, 2005
Upper Marlboro, MD
8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
http://www.fbcinc.com/osdbu/
#2. Which Small Business Offices should I meet?
It depends on your business and your focus, but you need to introduce yourself if you are a small business according to the standards at the SBA.
If you want to see if you meet the small business requirements, here is the link: http://www.sba.gov/size/sizetable2002.html
Your strategy here is to have the Small Business Specialist, Director of OSDBU, or SADBU officer to get you the name(s) of the end users who utilize your products and services and to possibly arrange for an appointment or introduction.
There are two types of small business specialists. They are either the "new kid" in the department learning the rules of working with small businesses and monitoring the primes' small business plans, or they are highly experienced, connected people who are dedicated to helping small business get their foot in the door.
You will need to modify your sales pitch toward the experience level of these people. The experienced SADBU official can be an amazing asset to your organization as you try to open doors throughout the agency. Use their name and ask them for help.
When you find your end user, they will not care -- I repeat -- they will not care whether you are a small business or not. They want to know that you are the best and they want to trust you first. The small business factor will help when it is time to actually select you for the work.
Here is a list of the OSDBUs in the major departments according to the OSDBU Directors Inter-agency Council and updated as of 2/17/05:
http://www.osdbu.gov/Listofmembers.htm
#3. Once you decide on which event to attend? Now what?
Bring a lot of business cards. Keep your brochures, CDs and packets for the personal one-on-one appointments. Time is real estate at these events. Meet and greet as many people as possible and try to make a strong enough impression that you can meet with these people later on. They will be overwhelmed with the number of people they will meet at the conference, so find out what their "hot" buttons, or "pains" are when you're speaking with them and then find out if they have time to meet with you in the next week or so. You need to meet with them immediately, or this "hot" lead will turn cold and probably forget you.
Key contacts can also be the Prime Contractors. They also have small business specialists who will be attending these conferences, and they are "graded" for how much business they give to small, local businesses.
They will be a little more attentive to you if you also offer some business for them. In other words, when you have a separate meeting with the Primes, you cannot show up with your hand out expecting business. You need to walk in the door with some strong contacts at the agencies and a general knowledge of your marketplace with the government to show them you are a contender.
An obvious piece of advice here is to get your teaming arrangements with the Primes in Writing. There is nothing worse than being a small HUB zone company being paraded as a "partner" with the prime contractors to the end users and they actually never invite you to do the work. If they parade you around, you need to get that relationship in writing with money tied to it. As a small business, you've earned this right. Some of the primes cannot get contracts without you, so make sure you get everything in writing.
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