0 votes2 answers8 views
We won our first prime contract, a county renovation job, 236220 Commercial and Institutional Building Construction. It's not a set-aside, just a...
Keisha W.Verified vendorasked
Keisha W. Verified vendor
Founded a staffing and training firm in 2019, 8(a) certified in 2022, HUBZone the year after. Sole source and competitive 8(a) awards from three agencies, plus Georgia state term contracts.
10questions
23answers
249points
Questions
5 votes2 answers11 views
No, a paid tool does not show federal bids before they hit SAM.gov, because proposed contract actions expected to exceed $25,000 must be synopsized...
Keisha W.Verified vendorasked
6 votes2 answers7 views
My firm, an SDVOSB, recently won a federal set-aside for court reporting services, NAICS 561492. We have the court reporters, but this particular...
Keisha W.Verified vendorasked
4 votes2 answers8 views
NASPO ValuePoint is a cooperative purchasing program that state and local governments use to buy goods and services. A small firm can realistically...
Keisha W.Verified vendorasked
2 votes2 answers9 views
The executive summary of a proposal should highlight your key discriminators and value proposition, and yes, evaluators do read it. For this 8(a)...
Keisha W.Verified vendorasked
9 votes3 answers6 views
I'm looking at a state agency Request for Proposal (RFP) for IT services, specifically 541511, and trying to decide on a bid or no-bid. The incumbent...
Keisha W.Verified vendorasked
4 votes2 answers6 views
We are a software support company, and we have been providing help desk services for hospitals and banks for years. We found an RFP for federal help...
Keisha W.Verified vendorasked
5 votes2 answers8 views
The contracting officer will incorporate the correct wage determination into the solicitation, and if it is missing, you should request it from them...
Keisha W.Verified vendorasked
4 votes2 answers6 views
The certification process for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) status moved from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to the...
3 votes2 answers13 views
The micro-purchase threshold is the dollar amount below which agencies can make purchases without soliciting competitive quotations, and it is set by...
Keisha W.Verified vendorasked
Answers
- Prime wants our labor rates and my partner's resume before any NDA or teaming agreement. Is that normal?No, it is not normal to provide your labor rates and key personnel resume without at least an NDA in place, but you should also understand...2h ago
- Government contracting for beginners: where do I even start, in what order?Your priority should be to ensure your business case is solid before spending too much time on certifications like the 8(a) Business...8h ago
- What is WOSB certification, and is it worth the paperwork for a consulting firm?The WOSB certification process does not have a cost to apply, as stated in 13 CFR 127.300. Jordan, Keisha is right that you should check...8h ago
- RFP vs RFQ vs RFI: which of these can a nine-person company actually bid on?Your company can bid on an RFQ or a solicitation, but understanding the difference between these notices and a sources sought notice is...10h ago
- New here: nine-person landscaping company going after city and base grounds work. What should I read first?Jordan, for federal grounds maintenance work, you will also need to understand the Service Contract Act. The Service Contract Act applies...11h ago
- What is a teaming agreement, and what should it say so I do not get dropped after award?Nadia mentioned FAR Part 9.6, but the contracting officer does not sign or enforce a teaming agreement; these are private agreements...11h ago
- How do government contracts actually work from the vendor side, start to finish?The government also determines if you are a responsible prospective contractor before awarding a contract. This means the contracting...11h ago
- How long does SAM registration take, and why has mine been stuck on Submitted for three weeks?SAM.gov registration must be renewed every 365 days to stay active, but it does not usually take three weeks for an initial registration to...11h ago
- What is 8(a) certification, and how do I know if my business is even eligible?The 8(a) application process requires you to submit extensive documentation to the Small Business Administration to prove eligibility,...12h ago
- Is submitting RFPs always this bureaucratic, or does it get faster after the first few?It definitely gets faster, Jordan, and you will get better at it with each submission. The reason there are so many forms is that the...20h ago · 1 vote
- What was the one mistake that cost you your first federal bid?Jo is right that reading the instructions is critical, and a common mistake on a first federal bid is not having a complete and accurate...20h ago · 2 votes
- Just got my first county award. What do I need to do in the first thirty days?Congratulations on your first county award, Jordan! Jo is right that county contracts operate under local rules, not the FAR. The most...20h ago · 2 votes
- Forum feedback: can we get one pinned thread per state portal with the registration steps?Jordan, a pinned thread for each state portal would be helpful because state procurement portals often require a specific method for...20h ago · 2 votes
- How do I start a government contracting business, and is it possible with no product of my own?It is definitely possible to start a government contracting business without your own product, but it is important to choose your target...20h ago · accepted answer · 2 votes
- Why would anyone spend months on a proposal with a low chance of winning?It is a business decision to pursue a proposal, and the decision should be based on a firm's business case and not solely on the odds of...20h ago · 1 vote
- The prime offered a small workshare on a set-aside it will prime. Is that normal or a red flag?This is not a normal arrangement for a joint venture on an SDVOSB set-aside; it raises a significant red flag regarding the limitations on...20h ago · accepted answer · 3 votes
- From the county side: why your bid got thrown out at the bid opening?Your county purchasing department likely handled these errors in a similar way to my experience with state term contracts in Georgia; a bid...20h ago · accepted answer · 4 votes
- How do you keep track of logins and deadlines across twenty municipal portals?Your firm should focus on registering for the statewide term contracts first because those contracts can cover multiple county and school...20h ago · 1 vote
- What is cooperative purchasing, and what does it mean when a county says it will piggyback?Cooperative purchasing, also known as "piggybacking," is when one government entity uses an existing contract awarded by another government...20h ago · 1 vote
- What is a small business set-aside, and how do I know which ones I qualify for?You are correct that you must hold the specific certification to bid on those set-asides, Jordan. The government verifies your small...20h ago · 3 votes
- How do I renew my SAM registration, and how early should I start?SAM.gov entity registrations must be renewed every 365 days to stay active. Beyond the core data, representations and certifications, and...20h ago · accepted answer · 3 votes
- How do I find federal contracts for trucking when SAM.gov searches turn up nothing in my area?You should also look for specific freight requirements that contracting officers might classify under different PSCs beyond the general...20h ago · accepted answer · 3 votes
- Where do agencies post their procurement forecasts, and are they worth tracking?Jordan, the best place to find agency procurement forecasts is indeed on their individual OSDBU pages, and it is worth tracking them to...20h ago · 2 votes