| Does your business qualify for a government | | | | purchases made by local and state governments, |
| contract? Many business owners avoid government | | | | which your small business may be very well qualified |
| contracting for a number of reasons including, but not | | | | to compete. Your local government purchases many |
| limited to, excessive documentation, stringent financial | | | | things not normally considered: everything from |
| reviews and the general complexities associated with | | | | bathroom supplies to car leases, audiovisual |
| federal and state contracts. As a result, many | | | | equipment and janitorial services. The local |
| business owners (about 80% of the nations small | | | | government should be your first target for winning a |
| businesses) do not participate in this trillion dollar | | | | contract less than $25,000.00 |
| industry. | | | | And that is the key to success: One thing the various |
| Anybody who has ever attempted to investigate | | | | levels of government look for is a track record with |
| government contracting at the federal level is keenly | | | | commercial customers. They want to know that |
| aware of the myriad details and bureaucratic | | | | they are contracting with a business that can indeed |
| nightmare and the volume of information that must | | | | deliver the contracted goods and services. And the |
| be absorbed before an individual can even begin to | | | | best way you can gain credibility with the |
| make sense of how the system works. Frankly, it is | | | | government is to start small and build a track record. |
| bizarre. The people who work for the governments | | | | How? Sell to townships and small cities or county |
| (local, state and federal) simply have too much time | | | | governments within your state and be successful at |
| on their hands to develop rules, regulations, policies | | | | servicing your customers well with emphasis on |
| and procedures and a document for everything. Who | | | | customer service. Their testimonials will carry a lot of |
| has the time or inclination to muddle through all this | | | | weight with each successive small government you |
| complexity to bid on a highly competitive contracting | | | | bid to contract with. You build this reputation layer by |
| process, which you will probably not win anyway? | | | | layer from the ground up. You can't get the big |
| That's a good question and here are some answers. | | | | things done until you get the little things done first |
| Getting a government contract, while highly | | | | right? So start small and contact your county to find |
| competitive, will probably not create a windfall stream | | | | out how the bidding process works in your area. |
| of revenue for your business but it will produce a | | | | If you would like more information on this topic, visit |
| steady stream which you can be assured of timely | | | | our site and check out the Government Link section |
| payment and, this revenue can be directly applied to | | | | for high quality links related to government |
| cover your overhead. This will allow you to achieve | | | | contracting. Our links are highly qualified targets that |
| economies of scale that will enable you to win more | | | | will show you where to go within the federal and |
| profitable commercial contracts in the private sector. | | | | state governments. |
| It also adds market credibility with your customers | | | | This article is one of a three (3) part mini series of |
| when they know you are substantial enough to | | | | articles related to government contracting and part 2 |
| service a government contract whether it is a local, | | | | and 3 should be read for complete understanding of |
| state or federal contract. | | | | the material. |
| Most people think of the fed when they think of | | | | Thanks For Reading! |
| government contracting. But there are many | | | | Copyright © 2006 James W. |