Corporate Partner Procurement Contract Opportunities for NAWBO-SV Members

Tell us about your firm

• Name, Address, Phone, Fax
• Point of Contact
• Web Address, Email Address
• Office Locations
• Business Size Classification
• Know your North American Industrial Classification System(NAICS) code

• Products and Service
  – Capability Statement (1 page)
  – Brochure / CD / linecard
• Registration with Department of State
  – Pursuant to 22CFR122.1: “Any person who engages in the United States in the business of either manufacturing or exporting defense articles or furnishing defense services is required to register with the Office of Defense Trade Controls. Manufacturers who do not engage in exporting must nevertheless register.”   http://pmdtc.org/registration.htm

• USA owned and controlled
• Basic statistics
• Quality Assurance Standards
  – What is your 3rd party Quality System?   AS 9100 / ISO 9000
  – What are the “’ilities?”   Reliability, maintainability, quality, availability, dependability, etc.

Know Your Client

• Website or just “Google” them
• Brochures
• Annual Reports
• Small Business Administration
• Procurement Technical Assistance Center
• Contractor Central Registration
• Know how you can help them solve problems and save money!

Obtain the details

• Arrange for a company presentation with your engineers / other internal customers.
• Research the topics of interest.
• Tell us how you / your product-service can directly assist mission success.
• Be professionally prepared.
• Don’t fake it—We can tell!

How Should I Follow-Up?

• Ask the SBLO or Buyer
  – SBLO’s work proposals in earliest stages - they are your contact
  – SBLO’s will send your company information to key members of the proposal team
  – SBLO’s work the proposal Small Business Subcontracting Plans and could include your company in the Plans

Enhance your odds

• Bring something “extra” to the table
• Have something extra to contribute
• Be a willing partner in the process
• Don’t have the attitude that you are a small business and that is sufficient

Expectations

• Investment will continue for a long time—don’t expect a large company to understand your issues.
• Winning sometimes means losing—teaming doesn’t guarantee the contract.
• If you were a team contributor you will get another chance.
• Do NOT UNDERBID just to get the job!

After you “win”

• You may still not get any work for a while.
• Watch for “bait and switch.”
• Don’t expect the prime to help—they have their own problems

• Don’t start the job without the purchase order or it will be painful for you and your firm!