Federal Sales: What are They?

In order to ensure fair market pricing for federal agencies, the federal government uses FAR, Federal Acquisition Regulations, to make selling to it as simple as possible. The federal government operates 137 independent executive agencies with over 430 departments. Most small businesses find that obtaining federal sales can be a challenging process because of this size.

Federal Government Sales Categories

There are two major markets within the subcategory of Small Business Federal Sales, namely Prime Contract Awards and Subcontract Awards.

Prime Contract Awards

There are unique challenges and opportunities in each of these markets. An agency or department within an agency that purchases their products is the first step a small business needs to take as a Prime Contractor. Each federal agency is set up differently, making this process challenging. Some buyers are located in the field, while others are large purchasing departments. So, to sell to federal agencies, Prime Contractors need to identify which Contracting Officers are most likely to buy their products.

FAR Bridge

The next step is to determine if the contracting officer is likely to use a particular procurement vehicle once you have determined who is buying your product. Federal buyers can buy products and services through contracting vehicles that comply with FAR regulations. GWACs are often used by small businesses, but there are many other GWACs, as well as IDIQs for single or multiple agencies. 

Identify key opportunities

GSA Schedules, the largest of the federal sales systems, allow for open application and open enrollment. In most GWACs and IDIQs, firms must compete for spots in these contract vehicles in a short enrollment period. The enrollment period for GWACs or IDIQs can last for multiple years if a company misses it. A small business can potentially earn hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars from federal contracts if it is placed on one.

Sub-Contracting Awards

Subcontracting is one of the most widely ignored markets in the U.S. Small businesses with sales expertise in government are good partners for large prime contractors; however, all of them focus on their prime contracts. As a result, the Sub-Contracting business of small businesses is up for grabs.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How Small Start-Ups Can Sell to Federal Contracts

Why Choose Fedvital for Federal Consulting: Unlocking Success in the Federal Arena

The Relation Between Federal Sales and GSA Contract