Winning Government Contracts: How Your Small Business Can Find and Secure Federal Government Contracts up To $100,000 »

Deborah Alston has worked closely with Malcolm Parvey for the last four years putting this book together. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband and two children.

The United States federal government is the biggest customer in the world. It buys 20% of all the services and products produced in the U.S. But of the 22 million registered U.S. companies, fewer than 2% of them seek out this market. Why? Because small business owners don't know where and how to get these contracts.

Winning Government Contracts will change that. It begins at the beginning, assuming no prior knowledge of the government marketplace and its sometimes complicated terminology. Written in a clear, easy-to-understand language by experienced sales and marketing professionals, this book takes you through the registration and bidding process step-by-step. All the terms used in government contracts are explained in plain English.

Winning Government Contracts shows you where to find the sales opportunities on the Internet, then guides you through every step in your quote, whether submitted electronically or on paper—explaining the jargon and outlining the exact information that needs to be entered. You will learn how to download drawings and specifications, understand shipping and packaging requirements, and find out how much the government is currently paying for an item before you submit an offer. The book also highlights areas where beginners need to be particularly careful, such as remembering to include shipping costs when you offer the government your best price!

After the offer has been submitted, the book explains how to find the results of the bid—which company was awarded the contract and its price, as well as the names and prices of all the other bidders. Included is the government's system of inspection, acceptance, invoicing, andpayments, as well as the specific requirements for service contracts such as Statements of Work, Wage Determinations, and Technical Proposals.

Whatever your business, the federal government is a marketplace you can enter. Winning Government Contracts will you show the way.

As an independent sales and marketing professional, Malcolm Parvey has more than 30 years of experience helping small businesses sell their products and services to the United States federal government. He has completed hundreds of offers for clients from many different industries—from individual distributors to sub-contractors and service companies. Parvey works exclusively to assist small businesses with every aspect of the federal government marketplace. He lives in Franklin, Massachusetts, with his wife and children.

Introduction     13
How to Use This Book     23
Introduction to Federal Government Sales     27
Are You a "Small Business"? Determining Size Standards
Resources for Small Businesses
The Small Business Administration
Women-Biz.Gov
Small Business Administration's Free Online Government Contracts Training
Small Business Administration Subcontracting Network
Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC)
SBA Agency Procurement Forecasts
How the Federal Government Buys What It Needs
Invitation for Bid (IFB)
Request for Proposal (RFP)
Request for Quotation (RFQ)
Best Value Purchasing
Consolidated Purchasing Programs
Government Credit Card Purchases
Online Reverse Auctions-FedBid
Important Business Codes and Numbers
Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
Tax Identification Number (TIN)
Central Contractor Registration (CCR)
Trading Partners Identification Number (TPIN)
Marketing Partners Identification Number (MPIN)
Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Codes
North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS)
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Codes
Federal Supply Classification Codes (FSC)
Online Representations and Certifications (ORCA)
A Checklist for You
Searching the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) Website     47
The Federal Business Opportunities Website
The Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) Homepage
Searching the Site
Methods of Searching
Start Search-Click Here to Begin Your Search
Interpreting the Search Results
Understanding theSynopsis
General Information
Contracting Office Address
Approved Sources
Other Mandatory or Preferred Sources
Solicitations With Drawings or Specifications
The Automated Best Value System (ABVS)
Additional Information
Point of Contact
Numbered Notes
Register to Receive Notification
Understanding Amendments and Modifications
The Site Visit
Questions and Answers
The Solicitation Package
The Set-Aside Programs
Small Business Concern
Very Small Business Concern
Woman-Owned Business Concern
Small Disadvantaged 8(a) Businesses
Minority-Owned and Small Minority-Owned Businesses
HUB-Zone Businesses
Veteran-Owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses
Other Important Programs
Sole Source
Qualified Products List (QPL)
Qualified Suppliers List for Manufacturers (QSLM) and Distributors (QSLD)
Other Government Agency Standards
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)
The Contracting Officer
Related Links
Business Partner Network
Federal Agency Business Forecasts
Federal Assets Sales
Federal Grants
USAGov
Minority Business Development Agency
SUB-Net
Integrated Acquisition Environment (IAE)
FedTeds
Vendor Notification Service
Section 508
Hurricane and Disaster Response Contracting
FedBizOpps Homepage-Vendor Link
A Word on Acronymns
Searching and Quoting in the Defense Logistics Agency's Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS) Website     93
The DIBBS Homepage
The Vendor Tab
The Solicitations Tab
RFP/IFB Database
Other DLA Opportunities
Understanding the Solicitation Numbering System
Automated Awards-PACE
Manual Awards
Auto-IDPOs
Approved Part Numbers and Alternate Part Numbers
The References Tab
NSN/FSC Query Database
All FSCs Managed by DLA
Master Solicitation Document
The Automated Best Value System
The Technical Data Tab
Drawings and Technical Documents
Viewing Drawings
Still Can't Find What You Are Looking For?
Other Websites for Obtaining Drawings
Procurement History
Other Important Programs
The Quality Shelf Life Program
Environmental "Green" Purchasing Programs
Approved Environmental Attributes
Other "Green" Programs
Quoting in DIBBS
Step-by-Step Through Your Online Quote in DIBBS
Batch Quoting
Finding Information on Awards
Icons Used in DIBBS
Additional Procurement Sites     117
Procurement Gateway (ProGate)
Your Search Options at This Site
The Search Results
How to Obtain Drawings
Where to Obtain Specifications and Standards
Creating a Custom Procurement Gateway Profile
Army Single Face to Industry (ASFI)
The United States Postal Service
The Veterans Administration
Federal Prison Industries (UNICOR)
Federal Bureau of Prisons
United States Patent Office
Sub-Contracting Opportunities-SubNet
The Government Printing Office
Market Information at the Federal Procurement Data Center
Additional Procurement Sites
A Sampling of Other Procurement Sites
Submitting Your Hard Copy Offer Using Federal Standard Forms (SF18, SF1449, SF33)     135
The Uniform Contract Format
Solicitation/Contract Form
Supplies/Services and Prices/Costs
Description/Specifications/Work Statement
Packaging and Marking
Inspection and Acceptance, and Deliveries or Performance
Contract Administration Data
Special Contract Requirements
Contract Clauses
Instructions to Offerors
Offeror Representations and Certifications
Acknowledgment of Solicitations Amendments
Past Performance Information
Changes to Contract Terms and Conditions
For How Long Will the Price You Give Be Valid?
Samples
Late Submissions, Modifications, Revisions and Withdrawals of Offers
Contract Award
Multiple Awards
Specifications and Standards
Evaluation
Contract Terms and Conditions
Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders
More Cited Regulations
List of Attachments
Representations, Certifications, and Other Statements
Instructions, Conditions, and Notices
Possible Clauses
Evaluation Factors
Combined Synopsis/Solicitations
Submitting Your Offer
Service Contracts     165
The Price Proposal
The Technical Proposal
Past Performance Information
Wage Determinations
Contractor Manpower Reporting
Insurance
Site Visit
Federal Travel Regulations
Evaluating Your Offer
A-76 Standard Streamlined Competitions
More Resources
Fulfilling the Terms of Your Contract     179
Packing and Marking Requirements
Liability for Damage Caused by Inadequate Packaging
Unique Identification of Items- Bar Codes and RFID Tags
Bar Codes
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Tags
Wood Packaging Material
More Information
Shipping Your Product
DD250: The Distribution Data Report
Inspection and Acceptance
Inspection
Acceptance
Invoicing
Web Invoicing System (WINS)
Wide Area Workflow
Getting Started
Submitting Invoices
Wide Area Workflow Training
Using Wide Area Workflow for Vendors-A Student Guide
Practice Sites
The Post-Award Orientation Conference
Contract Performance Monitoring
Reporting
Breach of Contract
Performance Reports
Veterans Reporting Requirements
Stepping Up to the Next Level     193
Government Wide Acquisition Contracts for Information Technology
The General Services Administration's (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule
Other Government Wide Acquisition Contracts
In Conclusion
Appendix     199
Central Contractor Registration Worksheet
Offeror's Representations and Certifications Applications Worksheet
U.S. Trade Agreements Act, Designated Countries
Unit of Issue Codes
Index     229
About the Author     235