A little off the beaten PAO path -- how to promote your business in Federal agencies - My appearance on FED NEWS RADIO

  

How businesses can better market themselves to federal buyers and trade associations, publications  

04/27/09 
April 28th, 2009 at 11:30 AM

Special guest Abbe Buck, principal of Abbe Buck Public Affairs, visits host Scott Orbach in studio to discuss how businesses can better market themselves to federal buyers and trade association publications.  For more information on the show or to e-mail your latest government contracting and sales questions to Scott, visit www.ezgsa.com. 

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"....and now for something completely different." --MPython

From Business Week:

Securing Government Contracts

Posted by: on May 01

One of the biggest challenges for small businesses interested in working with the government is a lack of information on how to get started! Prior to jumping into the government contracting arena, the first thing your small business needs to do is register with the Small Business Administration office serving your local customer base:

• It is critical to register using the right North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes based on the products and/or services that you have to offer to the government.

• You should also apply to become a GSA (General Services Administration) Schedule contractor via the GSA Web site.

Once these primary steps have been completed, your small business should then register with the following premier federal contracting research organizations:

• INPUT is an authority on government business and "provides market intelligence, analysis, consulting, events, and training to help companies develop government business." The ability to use INPUT effectively can be a critical success factor for a small business.

• FedBizOpps.gov can be used to search, monitor, and retrieve "opportunities solicited by the entire federal contracting community." Again, the success of a small business is directly related to using the right keywords while looking for opportunities.

Success for your small business within the government cannot be achieved without strategic teaming partners:

• A key strategy in winning contracts is to register as a small business with larger government contractors.

• Another approach is partnering with other government contractors in areas where your small business lacks expertise but can offer complementary products and/or services.

Finally, physical presence is very important in this business, and a successful small business must set up shop in the backyard of the federal government. An "in your face" strategy will help in the federal contracting race.

Jack Nargundkar, Director of Marketing
Government Solutions Group, Annapolis, Md.

You can also find this information on the Abbe Buck Public Affairs blog

Special Thanks to Scott Orbach for having me on his program -- ab

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Turning Five: The ASBC (American Small Business Coalition) has an excellent lineup of Government Leaders next April 23rd

An Excellent Lineup of Government Leaders for April 23rd at The ASBC's Fifth Anniversary Conference

 Guy Timberlake, The American Small Business Coalition, LLC

web: www.turningfive.com 

WHEN: Thursday, April 23, 2009
7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

WHERE: Sheraton Premiere Tysons Corner
8661 Leesburg Pike
Vienna, VA 22182 

WHO: Government Leaders to include: (additional info here)

Shay Assad, Director, Defense Procurement, Acquisition Policy and Strategic 
Sourcing, Department of Defense

Soraya Correa, Director, Office of Procurement Operations, Department of 
Homeland Security

Casey Coleman, Chief Information Officer, General Services Administration

Delores Thompson-Gad, Assistant Director, Office of Small Business Programs, 
Mission and Installtion Contracting Command, Directorate of Contracting, Fort Belvoir

Mary Davie, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Assisted Acquisition Services
Federal Acquisition Service, General Services Administration

Amanda Fredriksen, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, General Supplies and 
Services, Federal Acquisition Service

Mike Sade, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Integrated Technology Services, 
Federal Acquisition Service

Houston Taylor, Director, Program Analysis Division, Office of Acquisition 
Management, Federal Acquisition Service

Kendra Turner, Director, Industry Relations Division, Office of Acquisition 
Management, Public Buildings Service

WHAT: The American Small Business Coalition Fifth Anniversary Conference
and Awards Dinner: "Celebrating a Culture of Collaboration and Success" (http://www.turningfive.com/)

WHY: In addition to new initiatives like the Economic Stimulus, the change in
our Nation's leadership is affecting the dynamics of how Government and Industry partnerships will occur, now and in the future. This event is a full day of high-
touch, high-value information exchange for companies doing business in the
government sector as well as those seeking to do business there. This event includes keynotes, breakouts and discussion panels led by leaders from Government and
Industry with unparalleled networking opportunities throughout the day. This
 information-rich event concludes with a festive cocktail networking reception and 
awards dinner in the Sheraton Premiere's Capital Club.

The American Small Business Coalition (The ASBC) is a membership organization exclusively focused on supporting the development of relationships, best practices and 
market intelligence for companies doing business in the government sector.

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