Training Program

Mastery Training Program

Growing Your Business through Government Contracts
Three intensive days focused on the process and potential of winning government contracts. The facts and fundamentals. The documents and details. Plus, insider tips from the pros that can tip the scales in your favor and position your company to win a government contract.

You will learn how to...

  • Find government contracts that fit your company
  • Evaluate the costs
  • Fill out the applications
  • Position your company for notification of future contract bids
  • Become a preferred U.S. government vendor

Plus... get shortcuts that can streamline the process, including how to apply for two or more contracts in the time it takes to apply for one.

Agenda Day 1

Defining the Scope

  • Understand what the government buys
  • Match what you sell (or would like to sell) with the government's needs
  • Recognize the different solicitations used by the government to potentially acquire your product or service

Laying the groundwork

  • Identify your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes
  • Classify your business’s size
  • Obtain the necessary registrations to submit a bid
  • Identify and access additional help

LUNCH

Understanding the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and other laws

  • Understand the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
  • Implement internal processes in anticipation of winning an award
  • Delegate contract administration roles and responsibilities

The importance of a SWOT analysis

  • Analyze your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
  • Assess strengths and weaknesses
  • Identify optimal opportunities and target agencies
  • Anticipate and avoid potential threats

Analyzing your organization

  • Define your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
  • Identify buyers with the agency method or geographic method
  • Analyze your potential competitors
  • Track federal buying cycles

Agenda Day 2

Understanding the General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule

  • Assemble the items necessary to get on a GSA Schedule
  • Put into place a corporate infrastructure
  • Download a solicitation and prepare your GSA proposal
  • Define pricing for your GSA Schedule items

Marketing and administering the GSA Schedule

  • Administer your GSA Schedule and task orders
  • Modify your GSA Schedule, if necessary
  • Identify and network for GSA customers
  • Prepare a marketing briefing

LUNCH

Expanding through “reselling”

  • Understand the “reselling” concept
  • Diversify your current company or start selling products to the government
  • Step through the reselling process
  • Locate distributors or manufacturers

Marketing and finding the business

  • Identify and tailor marketing materials and tools to the federal marketplace
  • Locate opportunities to do business with the government
  • Gather intelligence on your agencies of choice and target market to them

Agenda Day 3

The pre-bid process

  • Read and analyze the solicitation
  • Set bid parameters
  • Make the bid decision

The Invitation for Bid (IFB) exercise

  • Read an Invitation for Bid (IFB) block-by-block
  • Sidestep classic stumbling blocks
  • Avoid mistakes that can cost you money
  • Double-check the document with a final bid checklist

Responding to an RFP

  • Review the procurement document
  • Assemble your proposal team
  • Find your win
  • Outline the proposal
  • Compose the proposal for the greatest success potential

LUNCH

Financial considerations

  • Prepare cost and price proposals
  • Understand the difference between fixed priced and flexibly priced
  • Calculate direct and indirect costs
  • Troubleshoot contract billing issues

How solicitations are issued and bids are evaluated

  • Understand the process for issuing a solicitation
  • Determine the basis for responsive bids
  • Evaluate the evaluation
  • Request a debrief or file a protest

Funding your future

  • Understand the benefits of factoring over a traditional loan
  • Structure a factoring transaction
  • Strengthen your financials with factoring

Taking the next steps

  • Get started
  • Assess your current situation
  • Plan six month goals
  • Create an action plan