0 votes1 answer7 views
My facilities maintenance firm keeps losing out on federal base contracts to the same two companies. We bid on federal contracts for NAICS 561210,...
Tom B.
Chief estimator at a general contractor doing county, city and school district work in Arizona, with the occasional federal job through the Corps. Bid bonds, Davis-Bacon, prevailing wage, bid tabs: that is my week.
8questions
23answers
243points
Questions
4 votes2 answers5 views
A sole source contract is an award to one vendor without competition, and while uncommon, certain circumstances and certifications allow them. A...
4 votes2 answers5 views
The 8(a) certification application requires a detailed narrative statement and supporting documentation to verify ownership, control, and economic...
4 votes2 answers6 views
Yes, your company can get work on these task orders as a subcontractor to an IDIQ holder. An Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract...
6 votes2 answers5 views
A bid tabulation is a list of all bids received for an Invitation for Bid (IFB), typically showing the names of the bidders and their total proposed...
1 votes2 answers7 views
Yes, a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification is different from a state MBE and WBE certification because DBE certification is a...
4 votes2 answers7 views
HUBZone certification is a small business program that provides contracting preferences for businesses located in historically underutilized business...
2 votes2 answers10 views
We are looking at a county paving project. The IFB requires a bid bond at the bid opening in nine days. I called our insurance agent, and they said...
Answers
- Why does the surety want my personal financial statement and net worth before writing a bid bond?The surety wants your personal financial statement and net worth because they are taking on a risk when they issue a bid bond for your...1h ago
- How do I search SAM.gov for open bids only, instead of pages of award notices?Jordan, the "Active" status filter in SAM.gov will show you current opportunities, but you also need to use the "Notice Type" filter to...12h ago
- Who can buy off Sourcewell and other cooperative contracts, and how does a vendor get on one?Marcus is right, but cooperative purchasing is enabled by state procurement codes, not federal regulations. These state and local...12h ago
- From the county side: why your bid got thrown out at the bid opening?Your county purchasing department would consider the bid non-responsive, Helen, but the specific process for handling these errors often...20h ago · 2 votes
- Lost every local bid this year on price. How do I find out how far off I was?You need to submit a public records request for each contract because a contracting officer cannot just give you the bid results. The...20h ago · 1 vote
- What is cooperative purchasing, and what does it mean when a county says it will piggyback?Keisha is right, a county can use cooperative purchasing, but you need to check the original contract to see if it allows other government...20h ago · accepted answer · 3 votes
- What is NASPO ValuePoint, and can a small firm realistically get on a NASPO contract?Jo is correct that a lead state issues a solicitation for a NASPO ValuePoint master agreement. The lead state will specify in its...20h ago · 1 vote
- How do I bid on school district contracts, and who actually decides at a district?School districts in Texas typically post their solicitations on their own websites, state procurement portals, or through cooperative...20h ago · 1 vote
- What is a recompete, and how do I track when the incumbent's contract actually ends?The government tracks contract actions over the micro-purchase threshold in the Federal Procurement Data System. You can find the...20h ago · 1 vote
- Is FPDS still a thing, or did all the award data move into SAM.gov?FPDS is still the system for reporting federal contract award data, but it is accessed through SAM.gov. Marcus is right about the reporting...20h ago · accepted answer · 3 votes
- Agency-level protest or GAO: which makes sense when the award was clearly scored wrong?You should file an agency-level protest first. An agency-level protest based on an apparent solicitation impropriety must be filed before...20h ago · accepted answer · 3 votes
- How do you decide bid or no-bid when you cannot tell if an RFP is wired for the incumbent?A bid bond is a tool that can reveal if an RFP is wired for an incumbent. The bid bond protects the government if the low bidder fails to...20h ago · 3 votes
- How do I price labor rates for a government contract when I only know my commercial rates?You price labor rates for a government contract by understanding your direct costs, indirect costs, and profit, then comparing that to...20h ago · 2 votes
- How much does a performance bond cost, and does the rate drop once you have a few jobs done?Your performance bond rate will drop once you have a few jobs done, especially if they are similar in size and scope to the city park...20h ago · accepted answer · 3 votes
- How do I bid on state contracts, and do I really have to register in every state separately?Yes, you generally need to register in each state's system separately to bid on state contracts. Each state procurement portal has its own...20h ago · 2 votes
- How do I file a bid protest, and what does it cost a small firm to go to GAO?The filing fee for a GAO protest is set by regulation and applies to protests filed on or after October 1, 2024. Jordan, your debrief was...20h ago · 1 vote
- How do I find out who won a government contract I bid on, and for how much?You can find award information for federal contracts on SAM.gov, and for state or local contracts on the relevant state procurement portal....20h ago · 3 votes
- What does a debrief mean in government contracting, and how do I request one that is actually useful?A debriefing is a formal explanation from the government about why your proposal was not selected for award. You are entitled to a...20h ago · 2 votes
- What is a capability statement, and what goes on it when you have no government work yet?A capability statement is a marketing document that summarizes your company's core competencies, past performance, and differentiators for...20h ago · 2 votes
- What is CMMC, and do I need it if I only sell parts to DLA through DIBBS?CMMC is the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification, a program from the Department of Defense. It defines cybersecurity requirements for...20h ago · 3 votes
- How do I bid on a government contract for the first time, from the notice to hitting submit?To bid on a government contract for the first time, you need to dissect the solicitation, understand the requirements, and submit a...20h ago · 3 votes
- What is CMMC, and do I need it if I only sell parts to DLA through DIBBS?Priya, your assumption is correct; DLA solicitations on DIBBS will include the CMMC requirement. The FAR clause that applies is FAR...20h ago · 2 votes
- How do I write a proposal for a government contract when I have never written one?The City of Jacksonville RFP will have specific instructions for how to structure your proposal, including how to address the scope of work...20h ago · 3 votes