There are several federal government entities you can provide your services to. The question is, how do you get started? Before pursuing business with the federal government, the first step is to determine if they have a need for the products you sell or the services you provide.
As with any venture, one of the most important tasks is to develop and maintain a relationship with your prospective customer. It may take some time to determine which Government Project Manager or Contracting Officer Representative to contact. Start by looking at each organization as a classification of services. Begin reaching out to the agencies, regional offices, and local branches to find the project manager supervising the services you want to support.
How can you find the right Customer?
There are several avenues to find the right customer to enter the government contracting business.
- Attend Government Networking events in your area.
- Search your local event boards, chamber of commerce, etc. for these events.
- Locate Partnership Opportunities
- There are several levels of partnership, including one-time events and campaigns, ongoing campaign support, and full-service support.
- Work with large businesses that can mentor protégé, Subcontract Agreement
- Contact larger government contractors in your area who may be looking for sub-contractors.
- Make cold calls to prospective contacts
Cold calls can seem intimidating.
Here are some tips for making cold calls to solicit business. The first rule of thumb for making cold calls is to be polite. Mention that you are not sure if they are the correct person to speak with but hope they can help. This will open the dialog, and the conversation will start naturally. If they are not the right person, they will often direct you to someone else who may be able to assist. If you ask for help instead of starting with a sales pitch, you will most likely find the information you are looking for or information from another contact who can assist. Most Government employees (and people in general) want to help. Get to know them, and let them get to know you before pitching your products and services.
Ask questions:
- What is your main purpose or mission?
- What types of companies currently support you?
- What are these companies doing right?
- What areas are they struggling with or need improvement?
- What issues have they not been able to resolve?
- What other areas do you need/wish you had support for?
Connect with the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
In addition to the above, another avenue is the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), located within many different federal agencies. The OSDBU has several outreach activities. They provide training, set-aside opportunities, roundtables, and procurement conferences.
Need More Information About Government Contracting?
Please contact Revolutionary Solutions, LLC, for all your questions related to government contracting. We help small businesses in a myriad of ways, from proposal support to GSA schedules, contract management, and more. Call our Reston, Virginia office at (703) 815-6200 to schedule a meeting.
