FedBiz’5 Podcast | Episode 37: Your Government Readiness Level – Part 1
Your Government Readiness Level – Part 1
Your Government Readiness Level (“GRL”) is your roadmap from registration to award. Did you win any awards in 2022? Make sure your foundation is set by following an established process known as your GRL.
In this episode we host Senior Government Contracting Specialist, Frank Krebs, to discuss your roadmap to government readiness by following a process for becoming a successful government contractor.
What is your Government Readiness Level?
Level 1: Get Registered and Optimized – SAM and DSBS
Level 2: Create Visibility for Market Exposure – Website Visibility & FedBiz Connect
Level 3: Develop your Company Resume – Capability Statement
Level 4: Perform Targeted Market Research
- Get Daily Bid Opportunities – Market Intel Database
- Get Connected to the Right Federal Buyers – Federal Connections Package
- Get Connected to the Right State & Local Buyers – Local Connections Package
- Get In-depth Research into Your Industry Buying Trends – R.A.D.A.R. Report
- Get Engagement Coaching to Introduce Your Business to Contracting Specialists
Level 5: Become a Preferred Government Contractor
- Get Certified Based on Your Socio-Economic Status
- Get on the GSA Schedule for a 5-Year Contract with the Government
In Part 1 of our podcast, we discuss Levels 1 and 2 in more detail. To become a government contractor, you must first have proven success in the commercial world. You can’t just wake up one morning and decide that you’re going to become a government contractor and win awards on Day 1.
Too many times businesses think, “Oh, I can just sell this, or I can sell that to the government,” and then when I asked them, “Well how have you done selling that product in the commercial world?” They respond, “Well, I don’t actually sell that product, but when I get the government contract, then I’ll be selling and servicing the government with no problem.”
Well, here’s a little secret, the government almost never contracts with a company that does not already have a successful commercial business and a track record of success.
Level 1: Get Registered and Optimized – SAM and DSBS
So, if you’ve already sold products or services commercially and are looking to expand into the government contracting market, Level 1 gets you registered in SAM (System for Award Management) and the DSBS (Dynamic Small Business Search)
SAM is commonly referred to as your ‘accounting record’ and is used as the primary database by the U.S. Government Services Administration (“GSA”) for vendors doing business with the federal government.
The DSBS is considered your ‘marketing record’ registered with the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) and is used by government agencies to find small business contractors for upcoming contracts. Small businesses can also use the DSBS to find other small business to work with or subcontracting opportunities.
These two registration records are usually referred to together as your initial registrations and contain most of the vendor information that the government needs to make awards. The SAM and DSBS are discussed in greater detail in earlier episodes of the FedBiz’5 Podcast.
It is important that your SAM and DSBS are accurate, up to date, information aligned between the two registrations and optimized with keywords, industry codes, and descriptive narrative. This will help improve your visibility and make you more competitive in the marketplace.
Level 2: Create Visibility for Market Exposure – Website Visibility & FedBiz Connect
Once your SAM and DSBS registrations are complete and thorough, in Level 2 you want to make sure you are visible, and that contracting officials and prime contractors know that your information is accurate and verifiable.
FedBiz Connect is an online directory of businesses registered to do business with the government. It gives your business a free landing page with a complete business profile drawn from the information on your SAM and DSBS registrations. This searchable database was developed specifically for government buyers, contracting officers and large prime contractors so they can search for small businesses to fill certain business needs.
In addition, any credible business should have its own company website. This is a unique URL with landing pages that describe your products and/or services, ‘about us’ company information, and contact information, as well as having your own unique email address. This allows you to showcase your business to potential customers.
Visibility is important because government contracting officers are required by the FAR, which is the Federal Acquisition Register, to take advantage of all commercially available market research methods in order to identify capabilities of small businesses within the contracting market. FedBiz Connect provides the search capability in a database for government buyers that are looking for small businesses. Your own custom website further validates your credibility with buyers.
Prime contractors also utilize the search capability on FedBiz Connect because all major government contracts include a small business subcontracting plan that these large firms have to complete as part of their proposal submission. They are always looking for small businesses under certain socio-economic criteria and with certain expertise in areas that they can utilize within these contracts. FedBiz Connect provides this database resource to these large businesses to find you.
A professional service can help to ensure your registrations are done right the first time. Don’t miss out on opportunities because your registrations are not complete. Federal contracting officers, as well as prime contractors, buy from small businesses they know. So, to make sure they know who you are and how to reach you, you need to be visible. Levels 1 and 2 are your first steps toward success in the government marketplace.
FedBiz Access (“FedBiz”) has a fulfillment team that takes the time to understand your business and ask questions to ensure you have a solid GRL foundation. FedBiz is a leading government contracting business development and marketing firm that offers research and engagement strategy coaching, registrations, set-aside certifications, and GSA Schedules.
FedBiz has over 22 years of experience working with thousands of companies worldwide to help them win over $35.7 billion in awards. From registration to award, FedBiz helps businesses succeed in the government marketplace.
