IBA SUCCESS MAGAZINE Volume 6 Campaign 1 | Page 36
SHAKERS & MOVERS n SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Want a
Government
Contract?
LET’S GET DOWN TO BASICS
By Malaya Bryan
Fortunately, one of the services that we of-
fer at Small Business Contracting Source,
Inc. is assistance with navigating the con-
fusion of government contracting. Our
decades of experience working at various
levels within the Florida Department of
Transportation, as well as my numerous
contacts within the organization, give us
a key insight into the requirements and
processes involved with winning a gov-
ernment contract. I was recently reminded
of the challenges of breaking into govern-
ment contracting when I was referred to
a new client that has recently relocated to
Florida from Central America. While quite
successful in their own country, they had
no idea of the constraints that govern-
ment procurement brings.
Unfortunately, by the time that they
reached out to us, it was too late in the
procurement process for them to be eli-
gible to compete. They did not have the
requisite certifications nor was their busi-
ness registered in the appropriate coun-
ties. Here are a few things that you can do
when interested in government work that
34
IBA Success Magazine
n
VOL 6, Issue 1
can ensure you are prepared to go after
these often-lucrative contracts.
• Print the ad and read it thoroughly.
I can’t stress this one enough. Though
it may be confusing, generally all the
information that you need will be
contained in the ad. It should give
you the required formatting, certifi-
cations required, deadlines, and any
other mandatory requirements that
your business must meet to submit
a responsive proposal or bid. This
should also give you the schedule of
events. Don’t wait until the last minute!
• Attend all public meetings.
The thing about government work
is that all meetings are public be-
cause of the Sunshine Law. Even if it’s
an optional meeting, you want to be
there to not only gather information
about the project but also to network
with the people who you are hoping
to work with.
• Register in Sunbiz and
MyFloridaMarketplace.
You won’t be able to do any work
with the State of Florida unless you
are registered with these websites.
The cost associated is low, but reg-
istration can sometimes take time.
Again, do this as soon as you think
that you want to get into the business
of government contracting. Don’t
wait until a contract that you want is
advertised.
• Never give up.
Don’t sweat it if you don’t win, or
even come close, with your first pro-
posal. Most firms don’t get it right on
the first attempt. Make appointments
for marketing meetings and intro-
duce yourself and your service to
the agency. Get familiar with how
they do business. Find out what they
are looking for, and show them that
you have what they need.
Believe me when I say that I know how
frustrating this procurement process can
be. I’ve been on both sides and you must
remember that the government runs at
its own pace. However, obtaining a gov-
ernment contract gives your business
validation, reliable revenue (for the dura-
tion of the awarded contract) and opens
the door to do business with other gov-
ernment agencies and contractors!! “No
matter what type of service your business
offers, from IT services to landscaping,
there is a government contract just wait-
ing for you.” If you want my advice on how
to grab it, give me a call at Small Business
Contracting Source and we can ease the
frustration and set your business up for
continued success.
Malaya Bryan
Principal
Small Business
Contracting Source
1-833-ASK-SBCS
www.SBCSinc.com
https://www.facebook.com/sbcsinc
https://www.instagram.com/sbcs_inc
Business Experts providing Solutions
for Success:
Business Advisory Services
Capital Business Financing
Training & Development
Government Contracting
TOP:
A
s a former employee with the Florida
Department of Transportation, I am
fully aware of the challenges
facing small businesses trying
to obtain their first government contract.
Their websites are not user-friendly, and
the overwhelming amount of informa-
tion makes it impossible to find what you
need. Most of the time, the software that
they use is outdated. There are many re-
strictions and required certifications that
are not clearly defined, and their process-
es can be complicated. Not to mention,
the difficulty of locating a “live person”
within the agency that can assist you with
the dedicated time needed to explain the
systematic procedures of doing business
with the government.