The Women

1
The Womens Business Development Center presents

• Are You Ready for a Government Contract?

2
Presenter

• Freida Curry
• Procurement Technical Assistance
• Center (PTAC) Director
• [phone] x53
• fcurry_at_wbdc.org

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Doing Business With the Government

• Market Overview
• Are You Ready?
• Customer Evaluation
• Assessment of Your Companys Capabilities
• Getting Started
• Finding Opportunities
• Certifications
• Conclusion

4

• What Does the Government Buy?

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Market OverviewWhat Does the Government Buy

• Total 2007 Federal Acquisition Spending 460B
  (331B by DoD alone)
• 36 - Services
• 35 - Supplies Equipment
• 19 - Agriculture, Transportation,
  Communications, Utilities, Finance
  Administration
• 7 - Construction
• 3 - Wholesale/Retail

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Market OverviewWhat Does the Government Buy

• State of Illinois Spends 15 Billion on
  commodities and services
• Cook County 200 MM
• City of Chicago Over 2 Billion dollars
• Chicago Park District
• Chicago Public Schools
• Chicago Transit Authority
• Chicago Housing Authority
• City Colleges of Chicago
• Public Building Commission of Chicago
• Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority

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• Diversity
• Spending Goals

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Market OverviewFederal Spending Goals

• Federal contracts over 550,000 (1 million if
  construction)
• 23 - Small Business
• 5 - Small Disadvantaged Business
• 5 - Woman Owned Small Business
• 3 - HUBZone Business
• 3 - Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small
  Business

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Market OverviewState Local Spending Goals

• State of Illinois
• 5 - male minority-owned small business
• 3 - female minority-owned small business
• 9 - female-owned small business
• 2 - persons with disabilities-owned small
  business
• Cook County
• 25 - minority-owned small business
• 10 - women-owned small business
• (Excludes construction)
• City of Chicago
• 25 - minority-owned small business
• 5 - female-owned small business
• IDOT - Chicago Region
• 23 - minority and/or female-owned small business

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• Are You Ready?
• Customer Evaluation
• Capabilities Assessment

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Are You ReadyCustomer Evaluation

• Common Customer Characteristics
• Opportunities
• Spends lots of money on a variety of commodities
  and services
• Has an interest in sharing the pie with small
  business
• Is a reliable payer
• Challenges
• Often involves a highly bureaucratic process
• Requires a serious commitment of time and
  resources to market to the government
• Can be very price conscious
• May be a slow payer
• Usually inflexible

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Are You ReadyCapabilities Assessment

• Do you sell a product or service that is needed
  by an agency?
• Do you have a competitive edge? Why should they
  buy from you?
• Do you have core knowledge from years of
  experience?
• Can you effectively compete with other
  businesses?
• Do you have a quality assurance program?
• Do you have adequate packaging, marking,
  shipping?
• Is your office organized and efficient?
• Do you have the technology?
• Do you have sufficient capacity to consistently
  delivery on orders?
• Is your pricing competitive?
• Can your business financially support the
  execution of a government contract with delayed
  payment?
• Do you have the patience to deal with the
  bureaucratic process?
• Do you have the commitment to invest the time and
  resources necessary to market to the government?

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• Getting Started
• Finding Your Market

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Getting StartedFinding Your Market

• Federal Government
• Department of Defense
• Civilian Agencies (GSA, NASA, DOE, HUD)
• Prime Contractors
• State
• Commodities and Services
• Construction Related Agencies
• Department of Corrections
• Department of State Police
• Department of Public Aid
• Department of Human Services
• State Universities
• Local
• Cities
• Counties
• Municipalities

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• Getting Started
• Registering Your Business

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Getting StartedFinding Your Market

• What type of business are you in?
• Manufacturing (federal, some state)
• Distribution or Wholesaler (federal, some state)
• Service (federal, state, local)
• Retail (local)
• Construction (federal, state, local)
• What is your geographical service area?
• Local, regional or national

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Getting StartedFederal Registration

• Central Contractor Registration (CCR) You must
  register your company as an available vendor on
  the CCR (http//www.ccr.gov)
• Go to CCRs homepage at http//www.ccr.gov
• Click on Start New Registration
• You will need
• DUNS number (http//www.dnb.com) or call (866)
  705-5711
• FEIN
• Statistical information about your business
• Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) information
• Click Validate/Save when finished entering your
  information on each page
• Click the SBA Logo to create a SBA Profile if you
  are a small business
• Your registration should be active within 24
  hours of completion
• After 24-48 hours search for your company in CCR
  and in the Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS)
  to ensure proper registration

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Getting StartedFederal Registration

• On-line Representations and Certifications
  (ORCA) Complete Representations and
  Certifications (Reps and Certs) for your
  business. This will be required to bid on federal
  contracts. (https//orca.bpn.gov)
• Register with Agencies that Buy Your
  Product/Service Some federal departments and
  agencies have their own contractor databases. You
  must contact each department or agency you want
  to do business with to determine if they have a
  separate contractor registry database.
• Contact the agencys Office of Small and
  Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU)

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Getting StartedIllinois Registration

• Register your company with Central Management
  Services (CMS)
• Complete the State of Illinois Department of
  Human Rights Employer Report Form (IDHR Form
  PC-1) and mail or take to the Thompson Center to
  get an IDHR Number
• Complete the Bidders Application Form (BAF)
• Include the IDHR Number
• Choose appropriate Commodity Classification Code
• Include W-9 Form
• Include Employer Report Form if 15 employees
• All documents are available at
  http//sell2.illinois.gov/Registration_Certificati
  on.cfm

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Getting StartedLocal Registrations

• Cook County
• Complete Vendor List Application
• Include appropriate Cook County Commodity Code
• http//legacy.cookcountygov.com/purchasing/vendorr
  egist.html
• City of Chicago
• Register as a vendor at individual websites of
  the City of Chicago Sister Agencies (Chicago
  Public Schools, Chicago Park District, CTA, etc.)
  
• Google agency name procurement
• http//www.cityofchicago.org/procurement
• Other Municipalities
• Do research to determine who the buying agencies
  are and what the registration requirements are
• Register as appropriate

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• Finding Opportunities

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Getting Started

• Find out how the agency contracts
• Purchase Orders
• Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity
• Credit Cards
• Federal level - Federal Supply Schedules
• Find out where the agency advertises
• Do a test run (dont actually submit the bid)
• Request a solicitation
• Are you competitive?
• Watch for the award and compare your pricing

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Finding OpportunitiesFederal Government

• Check Federal Buying Forecasts for each
  Department
• http//acquisition.gov/comp/procurement_forecasts/
  index.html
• Monitor Fed Biz Opps (http//www.fbo.gov)
• All federal opportunities over 25,000
• Check Agency Websites
• Find a list of government agencies and
  departments
• www.firstgov.gov gt A-Z Agency Index
• Search using keyword procurement
• Utilize Subcontracting Directories
• SBA Subcontracting Opportunities Directory
• http//www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/gc/contac
  ts/gc_subcontracts_opportunities.html
• Department of Defense Subcontracting Directory
• http//www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/doing_business/Subcon
  tracting_Directory_0908.pdf
• WBDC PTAC Bid Match Service

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Finding OpportunitiesFederal Government

• GSA Schedules Program (http//www.gsa.gov)
• Also referred to as Multiple Award Schedules and
  Federal Supply Schedules
• Long-term government wide contracts with
  commercial firms to provide access to commercial
  supplies and services
• Direct ordering from contractors or through
  the GSA Advantage!  online shopping system
  (http//www.gsaadvantage.gov)
• Schedules are
• Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ)
• A base contract of 5 years with up to 3 Evergreen
  options (20 year total)
• Negotiated to offer your Most Favored Customer
  (MFC) price
• To become a GSA Schedule Contractor
• Review the Getting on Schedule page at
  http//www.gsa.gov
• Submit an offer in response to the applicable GSA
  Schedule
• solicitation

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Finding OpportunitiesState of Illinois

• Illinois Procurement Bulletin
• http//www.purchase.state.il.us/
• Must be registered to view solicitation documents
• Invitation for Bids (IFB)
• Based on Commodity Classification Codes from BAF
• Circulated to vendors who have indicated interest
• If vendor does not reply to three consecutive
  IFBs, they will be removed from list
• Illinois Public Higher Education Procurement
  Bulletin
• http//www.procure.stateuniv.state.il.us/
• WBDC PTAC Bid Match
• Be aware of requirement to comply with Public
  Act 095-0971

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Finding OpportunitiesLocal Governments

• Cook County
• Monitor Bid Proposal Postings
• http//legacy.cookcountygov.com/purchasing/proposa
  ls.html
• City of Chicago (http//www.cityofchicago.org/proc
  urement)
• Monitor City of Chicago Department of Procurement
  Services website
• Check MBE/WBE Small Order Bid Opportunities and
  Current Bid Opportunities
• Sign up for DPS Alerts
• Monitor individual City of Chicago Sister Agency
  websites
• Same process for other municipalities

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Finding OpportunitiesBidding on Contracts

• Deciding whether or not to bid
• What is the bid due date?
• What is the delivery location?
• What are the items requested?
• What is the quantity?
• Bidding the Contract
• Read ALL the rules that apply to the opportunity
• Understand Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
  Clauses and Provisions (http//www.acquisition.gov
  /far/)
• Follow the prescribed procedures
• Direct questions to the Contracting Officer

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Finding OpportunitiesBidding on Contracts

• Preparing a bid
• Read the solicitation CAREFULLY and more than
  once
• Request a Buy History if available
• Get clarification, in writing, of any ambiguities
  or mistakes in the bid package
• Attend Pre-bid meetings (construction and service
  contracts)
• Do a walk-through if possible (construction and
  service contracts)
• Have someone else proofread your proposal
• Submit your bid on time and in the prescribed
  manner (Note Federal bids are considered
  "timely" when post marked by the U.S. Post
  Office. All other delivery services must be in
  hand to be considered timely.)

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• Getting Certified

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CertificationsFederal

• Formal Certifications through SBA
• SBA 8(a) Program
• HUB Zone
• Self Certifications through CCR/DSBS
• Small Business
• Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB)
• Woman Owned Business
• Veteran Owned Business
• Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business

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Certifications Federal

• 8(a) Business Development Program
• 9 year program providing ongoing personalized
  assistance through SBA counseling and training
• Sole Source and Limited Competition Awards
• Automatic Small Disadvantage Business (SDB)
  certification
• Requirements
• Small Business by SBA standards
• In business for a minimum of 2 years
• Direct ownership of the company by US citizen
  claiming disadvantage
• Net Worth under 250,000 (excluding home and/or
  business equity)
• Social disadvantage Members of specific groups
  or written narrative of disadvantage (women are
  not considered disadvantaged)
• Economic disadvantage Everyone must write a
  narrative of financial disadvantage

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Certifications Federal

• Historically Underutilized Business Zone
  (HUBZone)
• Creates jobs in urban and rural communities
• Provides federal contracting preference to small
  businesses
• Potential price evaluation preference of 10 on
  full and open competition contracts
• Requirements
• Small business by SBA standards
• Owned and controlled at least 51 by U.S.
  citizen(s)
• Principal office must be located within a HUBZone
• At least 35 of employees must reside in a
  HUBZone
• Are you in a HUBZone?
• http//www.sba.gov/hubzone

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Certifications Federal

• Small Disadvantaged Business Self Certification
• Register SDB Status on CCR and ORCA
• Requirements
• Small Business by SBA standards
• In business for a minimum of 2 years
• Direct ownership of the company by US citizen
  claiming disadvantage
• Net Worth under 750,000 (excluding home and/or
  business equity)
• Social disadvantage Members of specific groups
  or written narrative of disadvantage (women are
  not considered disadvantaged)
• Economic disadvantage

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Certifications Federal

• Small Business Self Certification
• Requirements
• Meet Small Business Size Standards set by the SBA
• http//www.sba.gov/contractingopportunities/offici
  als/size/index.html
• Woman Owned Business Self Certification
• Requirements
• Business is at least 51 owned by a woman or
  women
• Management and daily operations are controlled by
  a woman or women
• Veteran Owned/Service Disabled Veteran Owned
  Business Certification
• Requirements
• Business is at least 51 owned by a veteran or
  service disabled veteran
• Management and daily operations are controlled by
  a veteran
• or service disabled veteran
• Center for Veterans Enterprise
  (http//www.vetbiz.gov)

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CertificationsState of Illinois

• CMS Small Business Set-Aside Program
• 64 supply/service classifications set-aside
• All awards under 50,000 set-aside for certified
  small businesses
• All State procurements considered for set-aside
  program
• To qualify, must be an Illinois business with
  annual gross sales
• less than 6 million for Retail/Service
• less than 10 million for Wholesale
• less than 10 million for Construction
• less than 10 million and less than 250 employees
  for Manufacturing
• Apply for the program by completing the Bidders
  Application Form available at http//sell2.illinoi
  s.gov/Registration_Certification.cfm

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CertificationsState of Illinois

• CMS Business Enterprise Program (BEP)
• Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)
• Persons with Disabilities Business Enterprise
  (PBE)
• Female Business Enterprise (FBE)
• To qualify
• Business must be at least 51 owned and
  controlled by persons who are minority, women or
  designated as disabled
• Owner must be a United States citizen or resident
  alien
• Average annual gross sales over the last three
  tax years must be under 31.4 million
• Certification documents are available at
  http//sell2.illinois.gov/Registration_Certificati
  on.cfm

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CertificationsState of Illinois

• Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program
• Department of Transportation funded/assisted
  transportation projects
• Requirements
• Business is 51 owned, managed and controlled by
  socially and economically disadvantaged groups
  (minorities and women)
• Net worth less than 750,000 (excluding home and
  business equity)
• Business must meet SBA size standards and have
  average annual gross receipts not to exceed
  22.41 million
• Through the Illinois Unified Certification
  Program (ILUCP) certification from one agency
  will be honored at any of the agencies below
• IDOT
• City of Chicago
• CTA
• Metra
• PACE

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CertificationsLocal

• MBE and WBE
• Cook County
• Application available at the Office of Contract
  Compliance (http//www.cookcountygov.com)
• City of Chicago
• Application available at the Department of
  Procurement Services (http//www.cityofchicago.org
  /procurement)
• DBE
• Application available at
• CTA
• Metra
• Pace
• City of Chicago
• Cook County Highway Dept. does not have its own
  DBE program, but utilizes IL UCP DBEs on its
  highway projects

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CertificationsPrivate

• Chicago Minority Business Development Council
  (CMBDC) www.cmbdc.org
• Certifies businesses that are owned, managed and
  controlled by ethnic minorities (MBE)
• Womens Business Development Center (WBDC)
  www.wbenc.org
• Certifies businesses that are owned, managed and
  controlled by women (WBE)

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CertificationsPrivate

• Benefits of WBDC and CMBDC Certifications
• National Recognition by Corporate America
• Streamlined State of Illinois certification
• Expedited City of Chicago certification
• Accepted by Chicago Park District, City Colleges
  of Chicago, Metropolitan Pier and Exposition
  Authority, City of Evanston, Village of Oak Park
• Provides assistance to help utilize certification
  
• Typically faster, more user-friendly process

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• Conclusion Things to Remember

42
ConclusionThings to Remember

• Register with entities that buy your
  product/service
• Focus on opportunities in your niche and
  prioritize
• Be competitive
• Make appointments and attend contracting sessions
  - meet your buyers if possible
• Be Persistent do follow-up on each activity
• Be Patient
• Network, Network, Network

43
WBDC PTAC Services

• Automatic Bid Matching Service
• Assistance with Certification
• Direction in locating contracting information
• Providing Mil-Specs and Standards
• Review of bid package prior to submittal
• Listing of current local, state and federal
  government bid opportunities on our website
  (www.wbdc.org) under Contract Opportunities

44
WBDC

• 8 South Michigan Ave., 4th Floor
• Chicago, IL 60603
• www.WBDC.org
• 312.853.3477