4 Step Guide to Contracting Opportunities for the Disaster Relief and Reconstruction Process

The federal government anticipates spending over"Offices" to identify offices geographically.B.
$150 billion dollars for the Katrina and RitaContact the agencies to participate in their Vendor
hurricane disaster relief and reconstruction efforts.Outreach and one-on-one sessions.C. Review the
Contracting opportunities abound for businesses ofDHS Prime Contractors list on the DHS website
all sizes and types and there is a great need forfor the top five that are your best matches.
varied services and products. BusinessesContact the small business liaisons to schedule
throughout the US can explore the contractingcapabilities briefings.D. Visit the USACE website:
opportunities by following these four steps.Theand identify the General Contractors (GCs) that
disaster-related services and products needed inare your best matches.Step 3: Identify the
the Gulf states will cover every aspect of life,Specific PEOPLE in Your Targeted OfficesYou
business and government in the affected areas.want to find the specific decision-makers because
Savvy companies are working to fill the needsthey are your best connections to getting the
now. However, this is a long-term, multi-layeredbusiness you want. They are THE KEY to your
process. While initial contracts have already beensuccess. Finding the right people and taking the
secured, there will be many more contractstime and effort to building solid relationships will
worth billions of dollars to come over the nextguarantee your long-term success.Finding the
6-12-18 months and longer. Those firms thatagencies and end-users who buy what you sell is
employ both short-term and long-term strategiesone of the most difficult aspects of government
will be the most successful.Step 1: Identify thesales. And yet it is one of the most important
Agencies with the Budgets to Buy What Youbecause finding the people who buy your product
SellThis is one of the advantages in doing businessor service is the most critical step in a successful
with the federal government. Unlike the corporatetargeted marketing and sales program.Within the
environment, you can find out what agenciesagency, thousands of program managers,
have budgets projected for your products andprogram professionals, operating supervisors,
services and when they are planning to spendengineers, and scientists participate in deciding
it.The Department of Commerce Hurricanewhat to purchase and from whom. These are the
Contracting Information Center (HCIC) will helppeople you want to take the time find and to
U.S. businesses, especially minority and smallwhom you want to introduce yourself.The
businesses, participate in the Gulf Coast rebuildingstrategy is to identify both the end-users and the
efforts. The website allows companies to registerpeople involved in the actual procurement process.
with government agencies that are providingMarket your abilities, solutions and products to the
contracts to rebuild the Gulf Coast. The websiteend-users so that they recommend your
also provides basic information on doing businessproducts and service specifications to the
with the government, e-mail alerts regardingprocurement personnel, so that yours is the
specific contracting opportunities, links to othercompany the bid "was written for."Action Items:A.
government and local agencies, and informationUse the DHS and USACE websites to identify the
about minority business services.The Departmentfollowing people who are keys to your success
of Homeland Security (DHS) is constantly changingand put them in your contact manager
to best serve the nation's requirements. The 22software:--The Points of Contact (POC) for the
agencies that initially made up the DHS originallyUS Army Corps of Engineers, DHS agencies,
maintained independent purchasing power. Now,State agencies, Red Cross, etc.--The Small
the eight offices listed here are responsible for allBusiness Specialists--Prime Contractor Small
procurement functions of the DHS.DHS AcquisitionBusiness LiaisonsB. Use the information you have
Offices:researched from the FPDC web site to detail the
DHS Headquartersspecific people who have purchased your
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)products or services in the past. Add them to
Note: FEMA is the key agency responsible for theyour contact manager.C. Set up a schedule of
majority of disaster-related budgetscontacts with these people. The contacts should
Customs and Border Protection (CBP)include personal phone calls, emails, direct mail,
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centervisits during procurement conferences and all
(FLETC)out-reach sessions. Try for at least 12 to 18
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)touches per year. Since active procurement
Transportation Security Administration (TSA)projects are progress, step this up to every few
U.S. Secret Service (USSS)weeks.D. Long Term Action Item: As you build
U.S. Coast Guard Office of Procurementrelationships with the Contracting Officers and
Management (USCG)Check the DHS website forSpecialists, ask them for the names of the end
specific information regarding the disaster-relatedusers who are involved in the projects related to
contracting opportunities: is a federal governmentyour products and services. Ideally, as you work
website that provides a central listing of mostwith them you can begin to really understand the
current federal contracts. Register at to receiveproblems they experience and educate them how
the notices of bids and contracts that go throughyou can solve those problems. And perhaps
the normal contract advertising process. However,become a preferred vendor.E. Join the
it has been noted on the FedBizOpps web siteInternational Association of Emergency Managers:
that many emergency contracts may not make4: Identify Business Development Processes
it to this public forum. You may need to contactAppropriate for Your Services and ProductsIf you
each agency to determine the specificwant to develop both short and long term
opportunities available.For past expenditures, checkbusiness opportunities involved in the disaster
with the Federal Procurement Data Centerreconstruction process you must develop a
(FPDC), part of the U.S. General Servicesstrategy that utilizes a variety of tactics. These
Administration. The FPDC manages the Federalare the most effective:Web site: Make sure it is
Procurement Data System (FPDS), which is thespecifically addresses the government's purchasing
current central repository of historical informationbest practices on your home page. Does your
on Federal contracting. The system containshome page also note your GSA schedule and
detailed information on contract actions overcertifications?Email: Is it professional? Do you use
$2,500. The Executive departments and agenciesyour business domain name? Or are you still using
award over $200 billion annually for goods andyahoo, hotmail or some non-business related
services. The system can identify who boughtaddress? It is very important to appear as
what, from whom, for how much, when andprofessional as possible. Your business should be
where.Prime or General Contractors (GC) will be astable, reliable, established. Free or personal email
source of sub-contracts for companies of all sizes.accounts make you appear fly-by-night or
This disaster is of a magnitude that the US hasnon-professional.Do you accept government
never seen before and many contractingpurchase cards? This is mandatory in the
operations will be handled directly by Primes orgovernment contracting environment. And it also
GCs.Action Items:A. Check the agencies that haveworks to your advantage by speeding up
a history of purchasing your products andpayments.Action Items:A. Take a critical look at
services. Go to Use some sort of contactyour business development tools to determine if
manager software like ACT! or Goldmine to buildthey meet the specific needs of your
your own government procurement database andgovernment prospects and clients. Give your
schedule regular follow-up.C. New vendors: Getwebsite TOP PRIORITY.B. Identify the companies
registered in the Central Contractor Registry: 2:that could be good teaming partners. Add them
Find the Specific Offices in Your Targetedto your contact manager and start the
Agencies That are Most Likely to Purchase Yourrelationship building process.C. Schedule a
Products and ServicesThe DHS and US Armypro-active contact process with all targeted
Corps of Engineers (USACE) have nationwidecontacts and assign specific tasks to specific
agencies and offices, as do Primes and GCs. Dopeople in your firm.If you use these specific
you want to target areas that are geographicallytactics and strategies you will find that you will
convenient to you? Do you have service, shippinghave better opportunities for government
or delivery issues that demand a local presence tocontracts in both the short and long term.Gloria
your customers? How will this affect your bottomBerthold is President of TargetGov at Marketing
line? Can you effectively offer regional, national orOutsource Associates, Inc. She is one of
international support? You will be most effective ifMaryland's Top 100 Women, a Winner of the
you geographically prioritize the specific agencies,Innovator of the Year Award, Past-Chairwoman
primes, GCs and offices to target.Action Items:A.of the Baltimore/Washington Corridor Chamber of
Check the DHS open business opportunities thatCommerce, a national speaker, educator and
are listed on the Federal Business Opportunitiesexpert in government contracting and effective
web site: Go to each DHS agency link and click onbusiness-to-business marketing strategies.