Securing government contracts can help build or support your business, even if you are located in a rural or small town area.
Jean Warner, Oklahoma Women’s Network, found some local training in Oklahoma, at Rose State College. That’s right across the street from Tinker Air Force Base. Here’s the brochure and registration form. (Warner credits the State Chamber with the link.)
Locally, we also have a government contracts specialist who consults, at no charge, with small businesses. The program is called Bid Assistance.
Look around your area for training and support. If you find ideas worth sharing, share them here!
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Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
There are many good points in your article. I would like to supplement them with some information.
For an all volunteer site, dedicated to small businesses who wish to succeed in federal government contracting please see the below site:
http://www.smalltofeds.blogspot.com/
The federal government will contract in excess of $80B to small businesses in the next fiscal year.
There are over 50 agencies or “Departments” in the federal fovernment. Each of these agencies has a statutory obligation to contract from small business for over 20% of everything it buys.
Contracting officers must file reports annually demonstrating they have fulfilled this requirement. Not fulfilling the requirement can put agency annual funding in jeopardy. Small business has a motivated customer in federal government contracting officers and buyers.
Large business,under federal procurement law, must prepare and submit annual “Small Business Contracting Plans” for approval by the local Defense Contract Management Area Office (DCMAO) nearest their headquarters. These plans must include auditable statistics regarding the previous 12 month period in terms of contracting to small businesses and the goals forecast for the next year.
The federal government can legally terminate a contract in a large business for not meeting small business contracting goals. Approved small business plans must accompany large business contract proposals submitted to federal government agencies. Small businesses have motivated customers in large business subcontract managers, administrators and buyers.
There are setaside opportunities available for small entities,veterans, disabled veterans, women and minorities. All it takes is navigating the system, persistance,asking questions,registering,marketing, teaming and work hard.
Americans are good at that.