| Selling to the Government Gets Easier | |
Looking to America's small businesses for innovative products to help fight terrorism, the Department of Defense has announced new and upgraded resources designed to simplify the often mystifyingly complex process of selling goods and services to the government.
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Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC): Administered by the Defense Logistics Agency, the centers form a national network of more than 90 facilities in almost every state. Each center is designed as a "go-to" place for businesses with questions about how to begin and succeed at marketing products and services to the Federal, state and local governments. Each office of the PTAC works to create and retain jobs, foster competition and lower costs for the government, while helping to maintain the readiness of the armed forces.Since government bid documents, regulations and specifications are often over 100 pages in length and filled with jargon and acronyms, "Businesses usually get intimidated at this stage," said Robert Fenn, regional program manager of the Northeast Ohio PTAC.
This is exactly were the PTAC centers can help the most, said Fenn. Each center offers training for business by a staff specifically trained in government policy. The centers are allied through the Association of Government Marketing Assistance Specialists, and are linked electronically to allow instantaneous consultations with each other on tough questions.
PTACs handle any type of product or service, "from janitorial supplies to high-tech sensors, software or computer consulting," Fenn said.
In a Department of Defense press release, Rosemarie Magyar, government sales coordinator for parts-distributor Great Lakes Power Products, said the Ohio PTAC center has helped her take advantage of emergency military orders since last fall. "Dealing with the government is all e-commerce," Magyar said. She said classes at Fenn's shop helped her understand how to bid on government contracts. "It's a good feeling for me."
More Resources to Help: Here are three more great sources of help to small businesses in selling goods and services to both military and civilian agencies of the federal government:
• Procurement Gateway: Another services of the Defense Logistics Agency, the Gateway provides a simplified, online method for prospective government contractors to find out what the Department of Defense is buying and who they are buying it from by performing comprehensive and detailed searches of Requests for Quotation (RFQ) and contract award documents.
• Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR): The SBIR program of the Department of Defense provides funding for early-stage research and development projects at small high-technology companies. SBIR looks for projects which serve a defense need and have the potential for commercialization in private sector and/or military markets. The program, funded at approximately $560 million in FY 2000, is part of a larger ($1.2 billion) federal SBIR program administered by ten federal agencies.
• FedBizOpps (FBO): Everything the government seeks to buy -- products or services -- worth more than $25,000 is posted on this clearinghouse Web site. Every agency of the federal government advertises its needs for products and services on FedBizOpps. Once registered, businesses (vendors) can use the FBO Synopsis/Awards Search system to find agencies currently looking to buy the goods or services they offer. Using the Acquisition Notification Service, registered vendors can get daily notifications via email of new opportunities to sell their goods and services. Companies can download contract information related to the product the government wants to buy. Companies also can get contact information, the related acquisition regulations, a detailed scope of work and more.
Note: FedBizOpps replaced the Commerce Business Daily (CBDNet) service of the Government Printing Office on Jan. 4, 2002.
