Government Contracting -- 7 Ways To Get Your Foot In The Door

The government is immense. You are not. So how do you bridge that gap? Here are some tried and true approaches to contracting with the government:

1. START SMALL. Yeah, it is nice getting a great big huge contract. But if you are the new kid on the block, odds are that it won't happen. So go after the smaller jobs. Prove yourself. Get that recommendation from your contact person, then forge on ahead to a slightly bigger one. Before you know it, you will be able to go after those biggies, and succeed.

2. NICHE IT. No company is good at everything. Know what you are good at, and bid just on those projects. Your specialized knowledge can take you a long way on a government contract.

3. PLAN IT. The bid may not ask for your business plan, but be sure you've got one handy, just in case. If you do get a chance to talk with anyone, a well thought out, well-documented business plan will go a long way to make up for other deficiencies.

4. REGISTER. Go to Central Contractor Registry: www.bpn.gov/ccr and register as soon as you are ready to start bidding. Make sure your website is up and ready too.

5. PERSONALIZE IT. Bidding is still a person to person task, especially with smaller bids. Approach the agency that you believe you can serve. Get to know the people there. The smaller the bid, the more likely you can swing it in your direction when you know the right people.

6. LOOK LOCAL. The US government is only the beginning of government contracting. There are still state governments, county governments, city governments, and a gazillion different agencies that are possibilities. Let your imagination be your guide.

7. FOLLOW EVERY LEAD. Even if the lead doesn't pan out, get your name out there. The more people who know about you, the better.

Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of businesses prosper on government contracting work. It is probably the most overlooked source of business that there is. No matter how esoteric your business is, odds are that there is a niche somewhere in the government for your services.