Federal market publications lit up last week with news that President Trump is requesting that all federal agencies trim their FY’20 budget requests by 5%. While it grabs headlines now, it may never actually be implemented. The main reason is Congress. Regardless of whatever party controls the House of Representatives after the mid-term elections, appropriated spending is likely to increase. Democrats want to push a comprehensive infrastructure plan, something that already has conceptual support in the White House. Republicans, meanwhile, want to increase defense spending and have made it clear that, save for the Freedom Caucus, running up deficits in short term does not concern them. Companies that rely on federal spending should certainly monitor the budget and appropriations process to ensure that their interests and projects have a good chance of receiving full funding. No one wants to wake up and find that their pet project has been de-funded. Still, we are at the start of a very long process, one that will wend its way from federal agencies, to OMB, to Congress and, finally to appropriators and up or down spending votes. It would be an understatement to say that a lot can happen between an initial 5% reduction request and reality. In the meantime, there is no reason to not keep selling!
In a bid to increase transparency, GSA announced last week that it will start placing select post-award information about E-Buy procurements on FedBizOps. GSA hopes to increase interest and participation by small businesses by demystifying the E-Buy process. GSA Administrator Emily Murphy stated, “Making this data public will be especially helpful for small businesses who often aren’t able to dedicate resources to navigate the government contracting process.” As part of the process, GSA is establishing a test group to gather and analyze data. This group is comprised of the most active e-Buy users, and includes contracting officers from the GSA Office of Internal Acquisition and the FAS Region 7 Southwest Supply and Acquisition Center. All data collected will be from GSA funded procurements. All notices will be posted on FedBizOps and be labeled “eBuy Pilot”. Of course, any business that wants to gather intelligence on how E-Buy works can look at the pilot information on FBO. This could provide valuable information on how agencies specifically word certain requirements so that contractors on a specific contract or SIN can or cannot see them. Other business intelligence information may also be gathered. Therein is the two-edged sword for contractors. While non-winning companies can see some information on why, and to whom, they will also be able to see other public information that could give them an advantage on future bids. So, if you’re selling to GSA via E-Buy there are several reasons to pay attention to the pilot.
Be honest. Try as you might, you don’t always follow through with prospective customers, whether feds or partners. You always intend to follow through, but a host of new priorities, distractions, or just life itself gets in the way. While this happens to everyone now and then, if you find it happening regularly, that’s a sign that you’re way over committed. Failure to follow through leaves your prospective customer or team member hanging and, while your first impression may have been good, what they’ll remember is that you dropped out of site just when they were expecting follow up information. Not following up brands you, and potentially your company, as being someone or something that customers and team members may not be able to trust. Needless to say, this is not a recipe for federal business success. What to do? Absolutely resist the urge to be everywhere at once. Successful companies focus on a few clients at a time. Take on only the opportunities that you can truly handle. It’s better to hit two long shots to the green and make par than to record a snowman (an “8” for you non-golfers). Also, remember that just because it took a federal contact weeks to get back to you, they expect you to get back to them in days. Anyone who’s been or had a teenager knows the mantra, “Life isn’t fair”. You’ll hit more of what you’re aiming at if you follow through.
Can you parallel park a camel? GSA officials have said that they may have as many as 800-900 OASIS contractors once they are finished adding new smaller businesses and promoting current OASIS smalls to the unrestricted contract. Of these, about 500 companies would be on OASIS small business and its derivatives, with the rest being incumbents on the unrestricted vehicle or newly promoted companies to it from among the current OASIS small business contract. GSA is also contemplating the creation of OASIS small business “pools”. At least one, for example, would be an 8(a) pool. To attract this many companies, the agency is being very flexible in how prospective contractors can show that they meet experience requirements. Team member or partner experience can be used in specific circumstances, opening the door wider to newer companies that may, themselves, have fairly narrow areas of expertise. Despite this openness, successful firms know that there is a big difference between obtaining a contract and doing business through it. Each step requires a specialized skill set. That’s important to keep in mind whether your company is pursuing a new OASIS contract, being promoted, or working with a partner who is entering into this segment for the first time.
No, we’re not talking about gun ownership here at The Week Ahead, but rather a common sense approach to developing sustainable government business. Way too many companies look at the smorgasbord of government opportunities and try to say “yes” to all of them. Just like an over-fed person at the buffet, you’ll get indigestion from trying to consume too many potential clients at one time. You don’t have to believe just us, either. Guy Timberlake of the American Small Business Coalition states, “Round out the intelligence you have rather than throwing something at the wall and seeing what sticks.” The “Selling for Winners” website says, “Stay Focused, Make Money, Have Fun”. Still, many sales and business professionals think that calling 50, 100, or 200 federal contacts a day is the only way to build business. It’s a way to build something, all right, but what you’re building is frustration. It’s pretty easy to find out who’s previously brought what you’re selling in federal agencies and not too much harder to figure out who might be buying it in the future. Start with who has money and then understand what their priorities are. While not everyone has to speak “FAR”, knowing some lingo is important, too. New market entries, for example, typically don’t tailor their sales pitches for the federal market. That means they talk about “profit” instead of “mission” or other dead give-aways that they just got off at the federal market depot. Staying focused and doing just a little advanced research increases the chances that you’ll close more of what you chase.