Developing Federal business (FedBiz) starts with knowledge, and keeping up to date with the direction and initiatives of agencies of Federal agencies is essential to any federal marketing program. A number of websites and magazines cater to Federal agencies and Federal employees and are well worth reviewing on a regulat basis.  Some, like GovExec, allow you to subscribe to their various email newsletters to stay informed. Many others offer email alerts and RSS feeds to help you stay on top of Agency programs. many allow you to read most content online without subscription. 

Fed Initiatives Mean Promising Opportunities for the Savvy

Getting on the GSA schedule provides many opportunities for getting government contracts and significantly increasing revenues. A GSA contract:

Small Business Marketing Ideas

Government marketing involves many things, and meeting face to face with agency personnel is always a good idea. Federal agencies often sponsor and participate in events that enable them to meet with small busiensses and prime contractors.  Various agency OSDBU's (i.e., small business offices) have already planned to attend several evnts in 2011. 

GSA’s Green Proving Ground Program Seeks Information from the private sector.  

Agency creating registry of innovative technologies and practices.

In pursuit of GSA's goal to reduce its environmental footprint significantly, GSA’s Public Building Services (PBS) is seeking to harness the potential of innovative building technologies and operating practices.  On a limited and carefully controlled basis PBS will be testing and evaluating  technologies and practices in selected buildings in its owned inventory based on program needs.  As an initial step, PBS is creating a registry of innovative sustainable building technologies and practices. 

You've spent the better part of the past year completing your offer to GSA and have successfully completed the months-long negotiation with GSA.  Your reward is you’ve obtained your very own GSA number.  Congratulations!  

Some updates about the greening of government…

Finding Federal Business Opportunities or Creating FedBizOpps: Which works Best?

The vast majority of articles in magazines and on the web provide tips on how to set up your business to receive federal contracts and how to search for opportunities. Most provide advice about where to search agency web sites for procurement plans and forecasts, how to use FedBizOpps to locate current opportunities, or, if you are a GSA Contractor, using eBuy to find still more opportunities not available on FedBizOpps (see the eGuide link below for a guide containing this information).  But in searching all of these databases, are you missing out on the greatest opportunity of all; the opportunity to create your own opportunities with Federal agencies?

GSA's Southeast Sunbelt Region Office of Small Business Utilization is conducting a free conference for Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB) and Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) that will focus on marketing your GSA Schedules contract.  It is an opportunity to network with other small businesses and government contracting officers to learn how to market your business and to identify and compete for opportunities.

I received a call from a business colleague last week.  It seems she received a cold call from another firm that “expedites GSA sales proposals.”  A number of dubious claims were made about their services as well as erroneous statements about GSA schedule contract.