First, 95% of all businesses in the CSRA are small businesses. Government contracts can be quite lucrative for small businesses, offering a stable revenue stream and access to a large, consistent market. The U.S. government is a massive buyer of goods and services, and it’s legally obligated to consider small businesses for many contracts.
In case you didn’t have a chance to access the Government Contract 101 webinar that ABD reported was available last week. Here is what you need to know.
While the potential is high, the process of winning government contracts can be complex and competitive. It requires understanding the procurement process, preparing competitive bids, and potentially investing in specialized expertise.
Let’s break it down. These questions are a great starting point:
- Does the federal government buy what you sell?
- Do you have any experience with government contracting?
- Is your business capable of fulfilling a government contract?
- Where do you find contracting opportunities?
The last question is probably the easiest. Everyone starts at the beginning by registering at www.sam.gov. There is no cost to register, and the site will walk you through opportunities and the contract award process.
No matter which side of the river, your business has plenty of opportunities on how to proceed with getting state or federal government contracts.
While targeted acquisition goals for government contracts typically focus on small businesses, a specific emphasis is placed on small disadvantaged businesses (SDBs), women-owned small businesses (WOSBs), and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs). The government aims to award a certain percentage of contracts to these entities to promote diversity and economic opportunities.
Although the online seminar was sponsored by Piedmont SCORE, based in Greenville, SC, and conducted through Small Business Administration (SBA) leadership, any SCORE organization, which consists of business leader volunteers, can help. Contact https://www.score.org/. No matter where you are in the CSRA, they can point you in the right direction.
These are some specific resources for Georgia.
Working through the CSRA Chambers of Commerce, SCORE programs, or the Small Business Administration, are great places to start the process of applying for local, state, or government contracts.
Big businesses start small. Perhaps a government contract will help fulfill your business success.
Editor’s Note: Mitzi Oxford is a veteran broadcaster and features writer who also worked at the same television station in Columbus, Georgia, as Augusta’s Brad Means! If you have a South Carolina story idea for Mitzi, please email her at mitzioxfordcreative@gmail.com.
