Column: Tips for Teaming

There are many reasons for teaming up with other companies to pursue federal contracts. Perhaps you cannot meet all the requirements by yourself. Perhaps your current strategy is to seek subcontracts and gain valuable past performance. Perhaps your industry regularly uses subcontractors and suppliers. In any case, putting together the best team isn’t easy.

Here are a few tips:

1. Federal Business Opportunities website

Use the Interested Parties lists at http://FBO.gov to find live situations where prime contractors are looking for subcontractors, and vice versa.

To access the Interested Parties lists at FBO.gov, you must register a username and password and log in. Once you log in, the Interested Parties tab will be live and you can see which contractors have registered their interest in that specific project. You also can register your own interest in the work. Primes and subs then may contact you to evaluate your capabilities and compatibility.

This is a useful tool for a specific opportunity, but it also is a means for identifying connections long before a specific contract is posted. For example, when a Request for Information or Sources Sought notice is issued on http://FBO.gov, sometimes months in advance of a solicitation, interested parties begin registering on the site.

Checking the list regularly will enable you to be first in line in responding to those interests with your capabilities statement. Then follow up with your outreach to the company executive responsible for putting the team in place.

2. Dynamic Small Business Search

Once you have identified possible teaming partners, either on FBO.gov or otherwise, use the Small Business Administration’s Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) to evaluate those firms.

The DSBS is a database of small businesses that want to do business with the federal government. It is supplemental to the government’s contractor registry at http://SAM.gov, and provides a significant amount of additional information about specific companies.

Use the tool at http://dsbs.sba.gov. DSBS is searchable by company name, NAICS and PSC codes, socioeconomic status, geographic location and keyword. For example, you can search for a “cybersecurity” partner in Maryland and get a list of small businesses having those skills. Companies that have made the effort to enhance their listings with keywords, certifications and other data are more likely to be stronger teaming partners.

DSBS also is a good way to evaluate those companies you read about in Set-Aside Alert. When a company catches your eye because it’s winning contracts from your target agency, or has a socioeconomic status that complements your business, look them up in DSBS. You may find additional information that increases your confidence level in developing that relationship.

3. USASpending.gov

You also can research companies on http://USASpending.gov to see if those firms already have won government contracts. If so, the companies have past performance and also areis experienced with government bidding. These are two of the most important qualities for a future team member.

4. Set-Aside Alert

Every issue of Set-Aside Alert contains information to link you to primes and subs.

Our Teaming Opportunities column is the most obvious, where we identify prime contractors looking for small firms or small disadvantaged firms to bid on specific jobs. Even if that specific job is not of interest, consider reaching out to that prime to see if there are other needs that you can support.

The Defense Department Small Business Awards and Small Business Awards pages identify companies that have won contracts. Are they servicing agencies you would like to serve? Are they subcontracting? We provide contact information to enable you to reach out.

Use the awardees’ lists for a long-term strategy. Awardees may have have their team in place but also may be looking for additional partners as they grow and win more work. Develop long-term relationships, rather than focusing on last-minute attempts to get on a team.

Also, scan through our lists of recently-certified HUBZone and 8(a) firms, which all have been certified for federal set-asides. Work with them to supplement their resources, while their socioeconomic status provides the winning edge.

In addition, our new service, Small Business Subcontracting Opportunities, provides a daily email of subcontracting opportunities, including state, local and federal opportunities. Learn more about the service at http://SBSubOpps.com.

5. Networking

The tried and true method of meeting potential partners has long focused on networking events. There are many organizations hosting events that help you meet and evaluate prospects for longer-term relationships. These events help you hone your elevator speech, and you go home with a pocketful of business cards and notes about the next steps.

But it takes a lot of time and commitment to attend these events, and there is a risk that the best connections for your work won’t be there. It’s a good idea to attend some of these events, but don’t overload or do a scattershot approach. Find a few good events that cater to your specific industry and use them judiciously.

Tom Johnson is the publisher of Set-Aside Alert. You may reach him at tjohnson@setasidealert.com. Please keep an eye on our events page at www.setasidealert.com/events2.htm..

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Column: Tips for Teaming

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