Perhaps your company is small or medium size and you want to expand by doing business with the government. You might want to think about manufacturing military cable assemblies or other products. A government contract can be very lucrative and a source of steady income for years. But how is this possible? Here are some helpful tips for earning contracts from the government.
Small Business Administration
Visit the SBA website to see if your company qualifies to do business with the government. For example, your operation must be independently run and owned. It also must be a “for profit” business with locations in the US. In fact, you must operate primarily in the United States. For instance, your military cable assemblies business must contribute to the US economy and pay taxes.
D-U-N-S
You cannot bid on government jobs unless your company has a Dun and Bradstreet number. This number is unique and contains nine digits and there is good news. It will not cost you anything. You must provide important information like your physical address and legal name and other contact information. You must also inform the government if your business is home based.
SAM
SAM is the System of Awards Management and contains the government’s vendor data base. To register, you’ll need to submit your Dun and Bradstreet number. They will verify your identity and once you are registered, they will issue you a password and user identification. After your business is listed in the database, government agencies can find your military cable assemblies company by searching.
Additional Info
You’ll need to apply for a code from the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Next, get a performance evaluation from a company like Open Ratings. Register with ORCA (Online Representations and Certifications from the US Department of Defense). For more assistance, go to your closest Procurement Technical Assistance Center.