NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center Federal Contracting Basics.

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center

Federal Contracting Basics

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 2

AGENDA

• Reminder to turn cell phones off• Hold questions until the end please• SBTDC and PTAC Services• Intro to the Government Market• How Federal Agencies Purchase• Steps to Sell to Sell to the Federal

Government• Small Business Resources


Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC)

• Confidential one-on-one counseling• General Business - planning, marketing, financing,

human resources & operations• Management Education Services• Export Financing Assistance• Technology Development and Commercialization• Boating Industry Services• Government Procurement Assistance

– Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) www.sbtdc.org

http://www.sbtdc.org/


Statewide Offices

Asheville, Boone, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Cullowhee, Durham, Elizabeth City, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Greenville, Hickory, Pembroke,

Raleigh, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem


PTAC assists you with. . .

• Understanding government rules and regulations• Completing mandatory registrations and certifications• Researching award histories• Identifying contracting opportunities• Reviewing bids and proposals• GSA Contracts and schedules• Selling to the federal, state and local government

http://www.sbtdc.org/services/gov_procurement.asp

http://www.sbtdc.org/services/gov_procurement.asp


Is the Government Market for Me?

• What a Government Contract can do for your business– Diversify your customer base– Cover overhead costs– Even out cash flow

• What a Government Contract can not do for your business– Jump-start your business– Save your business– Be the sole source of your business


Why the Government?

• Product or Service they use or could use?• Why should the government purchase

from you?– Can you deliver on time?– Can you offer a low price?– Capacity to perform?

• Preference Program?• Subcontractor?• What percent of your revenue base?


Simplified Acquisitions

• Purchases $3000 up to $100,000• Reserved for small businesses

• 8(a), HUBZone and SDVOSB companies• Informal buys up to $10,000-$25,000

• Informal advertisement required• Formal advertisement required in FBO for

purchases over $25,000• Sources Sought/Presolicitation/Synopsis• Request for Quote (RFQ) or IFB


Large Contract Bids

• Purchases over $100,000• Open to large and small businesses• Rigid process/well defined requirements• Advertised in Federal Business

Opportunities (FBO)• Invitation for Bid (IFB) • Request for Proposal (RFP)


Federal Contracting Goals

• 23 percent of prime contracts for small businesses; • 5 percent of prime and subcontracts for small

disadvantaged businesses; • 5 percent of prime and subcontracts for women-

owned small businesses; • 3 percent of prime contracts for HUBZone small

businesses; • 3 percent of prime and subcontracts for service-

disabled veteran-owned small businesses.


Federal Preference Programs

• 8(a) Business Development Program- www.sba.gov/8abd

• Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) Program- www.sbaonline.sba.gov/sdb

• Historically Underutilized Business (HUBZone)- https://eweb1.sba.gov/hubzone/internet/index.cfm

• Women Owned Business Program- www.sba.gov/women

• Veterans Business Program- www.vetbiz.gov

http://www.sba.gov/8abd

http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/sdb

https://eweb1.sba.gov/hubzone/internet/index.cfm

http://www.sba.gov/women

http://www.vetbiz.gov/


Registrations -- Acronyms

• NAICS – North American Industry Classification System

• SIC – Standard Industrial Classification• FSC – Federal Supply Classification• PSC – Product Service Code• TIN – Tax Identification Number• DUNS – Data Universal Numbering System• CCR – Central Contractor Registration• ORCA – Online Representations & Certifications

Application• WAWF – Wide Area Work Flow


Registrations – Codes

• Identify your NAICS and SIC codes – http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics

• Identify your FSC and/or PSC codes – http://www.outreachsystems.com/resources/tables/pscs

• Obtain Tax ID Number (TIN): 1-800-829-1040– Even if Sole Proprietor

• Obtain DUNS Number : 1- 866-705-5711– Required for Central Contractor Registration (CCR)– Free for Government Vendors

http://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics

http://www.outreachsystems.com/resources/tables/pscs

http://www.outreachsystems.com/resources/tables/pscs


Registrations -- CCR

• Central Contractor Registration [CCR] www.ccr.gov – Mandatory requirement – authorizes Electronic

Funds Transfer– Assigns Commercial & Government Entity Code

(CAGE Code) – User ID and Password– Don’t forget to complete the SBA Firm Profile– Required Annual Update


Registrations - ORCA

• Complete Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) https://orca.bpn.gov/

• Active CCR required– Must have MPIN (Marketing Partner ID Number) – 9 digit alphanumeric (no spaces or symbols)

vendor makes up– Yearly update required

https://orca.bpn.gov/


Registrations - WAWF

• Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF) Registration• http://www.dfas.mil/contractorpay/

electroniccommerce/wideareaworkflow.html• Required to get paid as per contract/order• Registration is required


Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

– http://farsite.hill.af.mil/– Establishes uniform policies and procedures for

acquisition – Used by all executive agencies– Agency specific regulations (DoD, NASA, DOE)

• Part 13 – Simplified Acquisitions

• Part 14 – Sealed Bidding

• Part 15 – Contracting by Negotiation

• Part 19 – Small Business Programs


Research Opportunities

• Federal Business Opportunities (FBO)– www.fbo.gov – Register as vendor after CCR active– User-friendly vendor guide– Can set up search agents– Single government-wide point-of-entry for federal

govt procurement opportunities (required for over $25K)

– Recovery Act opportunities and awards

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Research Awards

• Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS)– http://www.fpds.gov – Statistical information on federal contracting

• FedSpending– http://www.fedspending.org– Pulls information from FPDS

• American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA)– http://www.recovery.gov/Pages/home.aspx– Research ARRA awards


FPDS - Next Generation


Fedspending


Agency Opportunities

• Check agency websites for…– Informal requirements $2500 up to $25,000– Procurement forecast information – General information about the agency

• Use Federal Acquisition Jumpstation to locate agency websites http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/fedproc/home/html

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Finding Opportunities

• DLA: https://www.dibbs.bsm.dla.mil• Army: https://acquisition.army.mil/asfi • Navy: https://www.neco.navy.mil• Marine Corps Systems Command:

http://www.marcorsyscom.usmc.mil/Vendor/mcscopps.asp

• National Guard Contracting: http://www.nationalguardcontracting.org

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: www.usace.army.mil

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Subcontracting Opportunities

• DoD Subcontracting Directory http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/lps57820/www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/index.html - under Doing Business with DoD– Lists Primes by state– Provides conference information– Small Business Specialists by state

• SBA Subcontracting Directory http://web.sba.gov/subnet– Prime contractors by state– Prime contractor projects & requirements


Points of Contact (POC)

• Prime Contractors– Small Business Liaison Officer (Public Law 95-507)– Subcontracting plans have goals

• Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) and Small Business Specialists (SBS)– Do not buy anything– Act as liaison between you and buyers

• Procurement Contract Representative (PCR)• Commercial Marketing Representative (CMR)


NOT “Who do you know” BUT…Who knows you?

• Contracting Officers (CO)– Only person that can obligate the government

• Contract Specialist or Administrator– CO assistants

• End UsersPerson that knows requirement best

• Treasure Hunt: find the POC using on-line phone book; Logistics, Inventory, Supply


Market Your Firm

• Identify and target key agencies• Promotional material

– Capability Statement; preference programs

• Email, phone, fax, get the appt.• Visit agency SB specialists/equivalents• Effective communication

– In writing -- Signature Block – Web Site

• Attend trade shows

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center 33o

Things To Remember

• TARGET YOUR CUSTOMER: –Who buys your product or service? –How do they buy?–When do they buy?

• KNOW THE RULES :–Federal Acquisition Regulations–Contract requirements and specifications –How to obtain Contract history

• PERFORM AS PROMISED: On-time delivery, Good Quality, Fair & Reasonable $


Where to Start?

• Learn the process!• Complete required registrations• Identify your market• Know what/how the agencies or prime

contractors purchase what you sell• Contact the OSDBU -- Office of Small &

Disadvantaged Business Specialist • Contact the PTAC for assistance


Electronic Opportunities

• PROBID– Electronic bid matching system (Fees apply)– Searches almost 400 sites (federal, state, local, foreign)

• When you find opportunities– Read entire synopsis (and other documents) carefully– Combined synopsis/solicitation– Obtain complete copy of solicitation– Follow directions of documents– To bid or not to bid?– Call PTAC!


Questions / Answers ??

NC Procurement Technical Assistance Center Federal Contracting Basics.

Documents

agency websites http

statistical information

subcontracting plans

goalsoffice of small

army corps of engineers

govsubnetprime contractors

governmentcontract specialist

contract history