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Federal Market Intelligence for Small Business |
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Column: Finding those elusive program managersby Tom Johnson, publisher, Set-Aside AlertMost federal contractors are aware that while contracting officers execute the acquisition process, it is the federal agency executives and program managers who identify the needs and manage the money. Program managers, in particular, have a key role in defining needs and in translating those needs into requests for products and services. Many of those requests are opportunities for small businesses. Consequently, it is the program managers with whom you should most want to connect. How do you identify these holders of the keys to your success? We outline a number of resources in this column to help you through the maze. Targeting decision-makers Scenario: you have determined which agencies are your prime targets, and the bureaus within those agencies that need your products or services. Where can you get the names and contact information for the key decisionmakers? And going one step further, where can you meet those people face-to-face? Agency personnel directories At one time, every agency published a print telephone directory with names, titles, office addresses, telephone numbers and even emails. Those printed directories have pretty much disappeared, but a number of agencies have good directories on their websites. GSA has been especially transparent, with a prominent link to its searchable Staff Directory on its home page. Other agencies have various formats but you may need to dig deep to find them. Long-range procurement forecasts Every agency is required to post its annual forecast on its website by Oct. 1. Those agencies that are fastidious even will update the forecast regularly throughout the year. But your interest is in the people, especially the program people listed as points of contact in the forecast. They are key people in the decision chain and can give you useful background information about other projects within their area of responsibility. Make note of their names and positions so you recognize who they are and can interact with them at industry days and events. For example, the Homeland Security Department’s Acquisition Planning Forecast System does a good job of laying out a searchable database with key program managers names and contact information, and they update it frequently throughout the year. Major project documentation Large federal projects are often exposed to industry well before the project gets to the acquisition phase, so that program managers have the benefit of current thinking in the commercial world. A recent example is NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s software engineering services II (SES II). An organizational chart for the Software Engineering Division is posted as part of the materials made available in advance of the solicitation. The managers in this division are responsible for a number of projects, and this chart is a road map for reaching them, even if you have no interest in SES II. Vendor and Industry Days There are two kinds of industry days to watch for. One is for a specific upcoming major project in which program managers are brought out to describe their parts of a large effort. Search FBO.gov for the specific agency, using “industry day” as the keyword. Knowing who presents at these sessions gives you a link to someone you can reach when you have questions about other projects in their offices. The second type of industry day is that produced by an agency Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) office to link small businesses to primes and to the agency managers. Small business offices at the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission conduct these regularly throughout the year. They can usually be found by checking the agencies’ OSDBU’s web pages and by visiting Small Business Events listings on FBO.gov. Another information source related to vendor/industry days is the attendance list. Frequently the agency personnel sign in on the attendance register along with prospective contractors. These logs can be valuable sources for identifying people by their functions, such as base engineer office or facilities management division. Take that information and run it through Google or LinkedIn and you might be pleasantly surprised at the results. LinkedIn/Facebook Speaking of social media, a number of federal managers and executives have taken to LinkedIn and listed their positions and even their biographies. You may be able to email them through LinkedIn. You can learn what associations they belong to and their alma maters. Some agencies (such as the Interior Department’s OSDBU) have developed Facebook pages that can help you find your way through the office and also link to related people. Professional associations Numerous local chapters of professional associations draw federal program managers as speakers, officers, committee chairs and regular members. These are a great way to become acquainted one-on-one with the managers who determine the requirements and write the statements of work. You’ll also meet the key prime contractor personnel looking for small business subs.
Don’t overlook any of these many ways to pinpoint your best friends in government. Tom Johnson is the publisher of Set-Aside Alert and president of Business Research Services, a subscription news service for small business federal contractors, based in Bethesda, MD. He can be reached via email at tjohnson@setasidealert.com . |
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