FedSubK Feature: Buyers Buy From People They Like and Trust
But it may be part of why you feel like you are hitting a brick wall at times. (Updated: January 2026)
After I retired and decided to start doing some knowledge-sharing in this space, the one mantra I saw every consultant use that helps businesses with finding and winning Federal contracts was (paraphrased) -- "Buyers buy from people they like and trust."
While I like this mantra, it has stuck in my craw for a couple of years now because it oversimplifies what really takes place and how the process works in such a way that it can derail businesses who aren't prepared. And it may be part of why you might feel like you are hitting a brick wall trying to make headway in this sector.
Entertain me a bit here while I explain from the Contracting Officer’s perspective what the rub is and why, in my opinion, this mantra isn’t 100% true.
“But it is true!” (I can hear my GovCon peers exclaim.)
Okay, there are “unicorns” – things that occur that are out of the norm as if out of a fairytale. Those "in-the-right-place-at-the-right-time" moments you hear about. But those aren't the norm.
Hear me out.
I admit that building relationships in any industry is important at all levels. But knowing where to build those relationships is what is most important.
It is also important to understand that when you are doing business with the Government, the part about “like and trust” works differently than you may be led to believe.
So…let’s break this common mantra down into pieces by starting with “Buyers buy…”
The “Buyer” Is…
The term “buyers” isn’t used inside Government; that’s an industry term. Inside Government, the term “buyers” encompasses many people who perform different duties as part of the various processes used to purchase products or services. Some do market research, some do the contract paperwork, some do technical or price analysis, and some negotiate with businesses and sign the contracts. It is rarely a singular “buyer” for any acquisition, but instead a team of people knowledgeable in the various aspects of the procurement process that make up the term “buyer”.
Not all “buyers” are equal. Authority to obligate the Government for payment must be granted in some form, typically by use of a warrant or, in the case of use of the Government Purchase Card, commonly by an appointment letter. The “buyer” that holds a warrant is a “Contracting Officer” (CO, or KO in the Department of Defense so as not to confuse them with Commanding Officers). Only a CO/KO or Government Purchase Card Holder can only obligate the Government within the limits of the authority granted to them.
For example, as a Fed, I held a Contracting Officer warrant with authority to sign contracts without any restrictions in the dollar value or type of contract; an Unlimited Warrant. That means I had the signature authority for contracts of any size or type. Most warrants are limited by contract type, total dollar value, types of duties, and/or office / organization. For example, “Ordering Officers” can only order off specific existing contracts called out in their appointments. “Administrative Contracting Officers” can only effect modifications under existing contract terms and conditions of a contract but not change those terms and conditions themselves. Some Contracting Officer's only have authority up to the simplified acquisition threshold, or only for firm-fixed-priced contracts.
Notice that nothing in what I explained above talked to a buyer deciding WHAT to buy and WHO gets the contract. That’s because “buyers” don’t make those decisions in a vaccum. They manage the process of buying and decide HOW to buy. There are a lot of reviews and approvals and people in this process. As I've said before, buying is a team sport. Even the smallest buys require oversight and approval.
The decision on WHAT to buy comes down to the Requiring Activity, which is the agency or activity charged with meeting a mission and delivering requirement to the end-user. The Requiring Activity is the technical subject matter expert that determines the specifications, scope, and budget of a purchase.
But many GovCons have businesses convinced that “buyers” decide what to buy.
They tell you to ask buyers about upcoming opportunities when you should be talking to the Requiring Activities for that purpose -- from the largest buys down to the smallest buys.
If you want to get your product or service the real attention and speak to people that will understand the innovative solutions you offer, start to build a relationship with Requiring Activity personnel. They are your make-or-break relationship in the Federal contracting space, not the “buyer”.
Now that we know who the "buyer" is and what they really do, let’s move on to the rest of the mantra – “…from people they like…”
If the Government LIKES Me, I Will Win Contracts
Bluntly put, no. I’ve liked a lot of contractors that have never won a contract I had available to award. That’s because you don’t win a contract strictly based on rapport with a Contracting Officer (or "buyer", to continue out theme here).
Now before my GovCon peers’ heads explode, hear me out again…
It helps to have that rapport in some instances where buys do not require competition (i.e., micro-purchases) or when your company is part of a program like the 8(a) Business Development Program (because of the ease of negotiating and awarding 8(a) sole source actions). Positive name recognition is also helpful in the case of a competed action where the selection of sources occurs. But it doesn’t get you the contract.
What does?
A compliant QUOTE, OFFER, or PROPOSAL with a high-quality innovative solution at a great price. That will get you liked!
You can be the best contractor with great customer service, reasonable prices, on-time delivery, and quality products and services, but all it takes is for the proposal not to follow instructions, fail to address the Government’s concerns in detail, or have a price higher than your competitors and you won’t win no matter how much anyone likes you.
Some GovCons will tell you that the positive name recognition helps to elevate a company in the source selection process. But how much an agency likes you only comes into play in the evaluation of the company’s past performance for a contract. That's because it is documented on past performance questionnaires (PPQs) and/or in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS). It cannot come from the reviewer's knowledge of your company, unless they were a past customer and provided either a PPQ for this specific solicitation or were part of the team providing performance feedback in a formal CPARS report. And remember that past performance is only one of the many criteria that may be included as a factor considered in the technical review of your quote, offer, proposal.
In formal source selection (used for the highest dollar value contracts -- the ultimate goal) is covered under FAR Part 15 [RFO Part 15]. You’ll find that the source selection decision (as outlined in FAR 15.308 [FAR RFO 15.205]) is “…based on a comparative assessment of proposals against all source selection criteria in the solicitation [RFP].”
The Source Selection Authority (SSA) makes that final decision and that person may also have knowledge of your company or a relationship, especially if you are an incumbent. But their rapport and knowledge of your company can only come into play if –
- the rationale for the use of that knowledge is fully documented to include the rationale for any business judgments,
- the knowledge directly relates to the requirements of the solicitation and evaluation criteria in the solicitation, and
- the knowledge supplements the evaluation process findings, not replaces them.
The SSA’s decision, while independent in nature, cannot solely be based on their own personal knowledge of a company or replace the findings of the Source Selection Evaluation Board(s). No matter how much they like you, it cannot be the deciding factor in granting you an award.
A real life example is a 45-page protest I reviewed for my supervisor of a GSA contract where an SSA in her office used his personal knowledge of a company to displace other companies from a contract award. The SSA failed to document what knowledge was used or how it directly related to the requirements of the solicitation and evaluation criteria. GSA lost the protest, another award was made to the displaced company, and it was suggested to this SSA that he might want to find another job (he left the acquisition career field).
That process is what keeps the playing field level. It prevents personal knowledge to impact or prejudice an award. I’ve told contractors I liked and that had great past performance that they didn’t win a contract. It's part of the job. But it was never because I liked or didn't like them. It was always a proposal red flag that was the culprit (see my FedSubK Feature: Proposal Red Flags for more info).
Now let’s talk about the last part of the mantra – “…and trust.”
If The Government TRUSTS Me, I Will Win Contracts
This part of the mantra is often used to imply that if the CO/KO trusts you that you can win a contract. But it’s really a “trust, but verify” situation with the Government, not a “I like you, therefore I trust you” deal.
Sure, if you’ve done work for the agency before or many other agencies, there is an implied trust factor simply because you've received other awards. That trust factor goes up the more awards you've received. But it is never blind trust. Trust always comes down to -- Are you considered a responsive and responsible contractor for the purposes of receiving an award?
Responsiveness is determined by the evaluation of the quote, offer, or proposal. Contractor identified as the selected source, regardless of the acquisition procedure used, are often called the “otherwise responsive” contractor until such time a responsibility determination is made prior to award.
FAR Subpart 9.103 [RFO 9.103] states three distinct requirements related to contractor responsibility:
(a) Award contracts to responsible prospective contractors only.
(b) No award shall be made before making an affirmative determination of responsibility.
(c) A prospective contractor must affirmatively demonstrate its responsibility, including, when necessary, the responsibility of its proposed subcontractors.
FAR 9.104-1 [RFO 9.104-1] outlines the general standards that a prospective contractor must meet. In FAR 9.104-1, they are:
- Have adequate financial resources to perform the contract, or the ability to obtain them.
- Have the necessary organization, experience, accounting and operational controls, and technical skills, or the ability to obtain them (including, as appropriate, such elements as production control procedures, property control systems, quality assurance measures, and safety programs applicable to materials to be produced or services to be performed by the prospective contractor and subcontractors).
- Have the necessary production, construction, and technical equipment and facilities, or the ability to obtain them.
FAR states, “The Contracting Officer shall require acceptable evidence of the prospective contractor’s ability to obtain required resources outlined above. Acceptable evidence normally consists of a commitment or explicit arrangement, that will be in existence at the time of contract award, to rent, purchase, or otherwise acquire the needed facilities, equipment, other resources, or personnel.”
A prospective contractor must also--
- Be able to comply with the required or proposed delivery or performance schedule, taking into consideration all existing commercial and governmental business commitments.
- Have a satisfactory performance record. A prospective contractor shall not be determined responsible or nonresponsible solely based on a lack of relevant performance history, except when special standards are established and stated in the solicitation, as is allowable for specific acquisitions or certain classes of acquisitions.
FAR also states, “A prospective contractor that is or recently has been seriously deficient in contract performance shall be presumed to be nonresponsible, unless the Contracting Officer determines that the circumstances were properly beyond the contractor’s control, or that the contractor has taken appropriate corrective action. Past failure to apply sufficient tenacity and perseverance to perform acceptably is strong evidence of nonresponsibility. Failure to meet the quality requirements of the contract is a significant factor to consider in determining satisfactory performance. The Contracting Officer shall consider the number of contracts involved and the extent of deficient performance in each contract when making this determination.”
Lastly, a prospective contractor shall--
- Have a satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics.
- Be otherwise qualified and eligible to receive an award under applicable laws and regulations.
Determination of subcontractor responsibility is the duty of the prime contractor, except regarding debarred, ineligible, or suspended firms. Primes may be required to provide written evidence of their determination of a proposed subcontractor’s responsibility. Also, determinations of prospective subcontractor responsibility can affect the Government’s determination of the prospective prime contractor’s responsibility. The Government, using the same standards applied to the prime contractor, may directly determine the responsibility of a proposed subcontractor in urgent requirements or contracts for medical supplies, contracts with substantial subcontracting, and others.
Then there is more...
Remember all those answers to that long list of questions in SAM.gov that populated your formal representations and certifications in SAM.gov? Or any that were included in the solicitation that you had to complete?
Well, guess what? Those are also part of the determination of responsibility for prospective contractors! Misrepresent on a provision and it could result in some additional questions from the Government.
Same goes for any Exclusions and the Responsibility / Qualification section of your SAM entity record (formerly FAPIIS.gov). Depending on the type of issue, you could be found nonresponsible.
If you can get through the gauntlet, then your company is considered a responsible contractor for award.
Now, let’s sum it all up!
The mantra “Buyers buy from people they like and trust” really means…
“Contracting Officers or other Federal personnel with authority to obligate the Government buy from companies that propose compliant products and/or services that meet the Government’s needs and which are offered at a fair and reasonable price, who are then determined to be the most responsive and a responsible source for purposes of contract award.”
Not as simple as you might have thought, huh?
Does that mean you don’t need to build relationships? Not at all!
Does it mean that you won't win contracts? No. But this shows you how claims of "Buyer buys from people they like and trust" are a tad overblown when it comes to the ease at which a relationship can result in a large award. A purchase card buy, yes. But not any contract over the micro-purchase threshold ($15,000 as of 10/1/2025).
Relationships should be targeted and strategic, not sending off an email to every Fed whose email address you can get your hands on.
Getting to know Feds will create rapport. But understanding how far that rapport can get you toward a win in your industry, given your specific business situation and the specifics of the acquisition, is very important.
This is where reviewing historical data and procurement forecasts comes into play. For more on that, check out fedsubk.com/fedsubk-in-action for webinars that teach you how to do that or check out my trusted support provider network at fedsubk.com/support-provider-network for people who can assist you.
The Federal space takes patience and persistence. There are opportunities for some quick wins using avenues like micro-purchases and simplified acquisitions.
Did this burst a bubble? Don't let it. Use it as motivation to dig in, learn more, and put your resources in the right places; PLAN. Target the right people for that important conversation, put your effort into that proposal you know is a winner, and be prepared for all the post award stuff that comes with being a prime Federal contractor. That's what will help your company be one the Government likes and trusts.
Check out our website to learn more and watch for an exciting announcement we have coming this spring related to expanding your Federal Contracting knowledge!
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The FAR Overhaul: Long-Deferred Maintenance on the Government's Procurement Highway
If you’ve ever worked in federal procurement — as a contracting professional, program manager, small business, prime, sub, or advisor — you’ve probably had this moment:
You’re doing your best to follow the rules…and suddenly you hit a clause, a cross-reference, or a requirement that feels like it came out of nowhere.
That’s because the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) isn’t just a set of rules. It’s a highway system. A massive, heavily traveled road network that’s been patched, expanded, and rerouted for decades — and in many areas, it’s operating with years of deferred maintenance.
Let’s talk about what that really means using the highway analogy to explain why the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul isn't as "revolutionary" as some might think.
The FAR is like a Well-Traveled Federal Highway
The FAR is the main road that nearly every federal acquisition travels on. And like any highway system:
- Everyone uses it
- Everyone depends on it
- And over time, it’s been modified in ways that made sense in the moment… but created complexity later
If you look at any highway on Google Maps it shows a rather clean route. FAR, we were taught, was set up to be the same way: requirements, procedures, clauses, and guidance. But once you’re actually “driving” that road? Well, you realize the terrain is full of twists and turns. It's more complicated than you realized.
Hidden Guardrails: The Rules You Don’t See Until You Need Them
Some of the FAR’s most critical compliance safeguards are like guardrails buried under weeds or snow. They’re there for a reason: to prevent waste, protect fairness, ensure accountability. But they’re not always easy to spot. In practice, you often discover them when someone asks:
“Did you document that?”
“Where’s your justification?”
“Why didn’t you compete this?”
“Which clause applies here?”
That’s when you realize the guardrails were present the whole time — just not visible.
Guardrails are added all the time or in the process of being fixed (via rulemaking). But all that construction can clog up traffic and make the time for arrival (contract award) continually recalculate.
Hazards & Risks: Potholes, Speed Traps, and Fog
Now add in the hazards:
- Potholes = ambiguity and unclear language
- Fog = inconsistent interpretation across offices and agencies
- Construction zones = evolving policy updates, executive orders, and new mandates
- Speed traps = protests, audits, IG scrutiny, and compliance reviews
And these hazards hit different people differently. The same stretch of FAR may feel smooth to one team and treacherous to another. That’s not because the people are bad at driving — it’s because the road is uneven.
Side Roads & Gray Areas: The Detours Everyone Knows About
Then there are the side roads. Some are official alternate routes: simplified acquisition procedures, flexibilities, exceptions, and FAR “shortcuts” that exist for good reasons. Those are the routes people take because they’ve always taken them. Indicators might be hearing yourself or your peer say --
“We’ve always done it this way.”
“That’s how the last CO handled it.”
“This should be faster.”
“It’ll probably be fine.”
Side roads aren’t automatically wrong. But they come with risks, Eventually someone asks, “Why did you go that way instead of the main route?”
Others are the gray areas -- the gravel roads and roads only the locals (experienced COs/KOs) know. Those routes have to be navigated very carefully and even the best driver can have issues even if there is less traffic. Many times they beat those on the highway to their destination, but it's only because they know where all the seen and unseen hazards are from their years driving that route.
So What Is the FAR Overhaul, Really?
Here’s the key point:
✅ It is NOT building a new road.
✅ It is NOT bulldozing the FAR and replacing it.
✅ It IS road maintenance -- the kind that should've been done years ago.
And when you have decades of deferred maintenance, it takes a lot of work to make that road appear to be what it was all along.
But that's not "revolutionary". That's finally doing the work you've been putting off because you couldn't get to it.
The County (in this case, the FAR Council, being the governing body over the FAR and its contents) could always do a little better job at maintenance than they do. But their budget and resources are low and their workload demands are very high (just take a look at the FAR Open Case Report). Sometimes it takes a new Sheriff In town (a new Administration) driving down the highway see what those too close to it should have been aware of all along. Layers upon layers of deferred maintenance.
The FAR Overhaul is best understood as freshening up the same highway.
- Clearing overgrowth = outdated and redundant material and non-regulatory clutter.
- Improving signage = clarity and usability.
- Standardizing merges and exits = better consistency and flow.
- Removing obsolete detours = non-regulatory clutter, outdated terminology, and rules that no longer serve their purpose.
And a bonus is the updated maps available for your travels (FAR Companion and Practitioner Albums)
The destination isn’t changing. But the route is FAR more functional -- see how I did that. ;)
Why This Metaphor Matters
When people hear the word “overhaul,” they often assume “Everything is changing.” But what this effort really signals is “We are fixing the road we’ve been driving on for decades.” That’s important because procurement has become more complex, acquisition timelines are under pressure, and both agencies and industry need guidance that is easier to understand, apply, and defend.
If the FAR Overhaul is the same old FAR highway with better pavement, clearer signs, fewer surprises, and, hopefully, less time lost in detours, fewer compliance collisions, and a smoother drive for everyone. The biggest difference is that now all travelers know what the locals knew all along. How to get from point A to point B in less time using an updated road system and map.
Safe travels on the FAR Highway in 2026!
The FAR Is a Highway System… and the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul Is Long-Overdue Road Work
Contract Types and Contract Vehicles: The Difference Matters
Nuances matter in Federal Contracting. Those who haven't lived the Federal Contracting experience day in and day out may believe it's minor details that don't make a difference. They don't pick up on the nuances.
For those that have lived it from behind the walls of an agency know how those nuances can make a difference between how you are perceived building relationships with primes, potential team members and, most importantly, agency decision-makers.
One nuance -- Contract Types and Contract Vehicles.
Contract TYPES are defined by the pricing structure and risk ratio between the parties. They are:
✅️ Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) to include FFP with Economic Price Adjustment (FFP w/EPA), Prospective Price Determination, Fixed-Ceiling Priced Contracts with Retroactive Price Redetermination, and those with a Level-of-Effort term (FFP-LOE).
✅️ Cost Reimbursement (or "Cost-Plus" ("CP")) to include cost sharing, Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF), Award Fee (CPAF), and Incentive Fee (CPIF).
✅️ Time-and-Materials (T&M) with materials on a fixed-price or cost-reimbursement basis.
✅️ Labor-Hour (L-H).
Contract VEHICLES provide the performance and administrative structure for the Contract Type. Those are:
✅️ Definitive Contracts are for specific stand-alone project(s) that fall above the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT).
✅️ Indefinite Delivery Vehicles (IDVs) include Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contracts (IDIQs), Definitely Quantity, and Requirements vehicles. They include, but are NOT exclusively, governmentwide (GWACs), agency-specific, or GSA Multiple Award Schedules (MAS).
➡️➡️ Under the IDV umbrella falls task orders (services) & delivery orders (products) and specific instructions for who can order and how.
✅️ Agreements such as Basic Agreements, Basic Ordering Agreements (BOAs), and Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs).
➡️ ➡️ They are most often an umbrella for calls / orders (agencies call them both of these things even where FAR / RFO is specific, so it is easy to get confused), but don't have to be.
✅️ Purchase Orders (POs) (actions that fall under SAT).
✅️ Letter Contracts.
Yea, I know. FAR (even the RFO) lumps them all together as "Contract Types" in Part 16. But none stand alone. In my opinion, the FAR rewriters blew their chance to clarify this important piece of the procurement puzzle. For example:
▶️ IDIQs for services may include the ability to issue multiple types of task orders like fixed-priced, cost, T&M, and L-H under them, or only one type.
▶️ Definitive contract vehicles can be any contract type or combination thereof (hybrid) as indicated in the contract line items (CLINs) and for which terms and conditions are included.
Bottom line is -- There is not a complete understanding of a contract vehicle without defining its contract type(s).
If you see folks lumping TYPES and VEHICLES together in a discussion without explaining the difference, you know they aren't familiar with the nuances of this part of the FAR / RFO.
Follow those that are and have. Visit fedsubk.com and Expand your Federal Contracting knowledge today.
There are nuances in every FAR / RFO Part, including Part 16. We talk about why it is important to know and understand them in this marketplace.
FedSubK Feature: Be Seen! Why Your SBS Profile is So Important
UPDATED November 2025 to incorporate changes from the SBA Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) to the new SBA Small Business Search (SBS)
I’ve posted on LinkedIn a lot recently about ways to be seen as a little fish in the big pond that is the Federal marketplace. Every GovCon consultant has a take on the best entry points with agencies. My take is there is only one place small businesses MUST put their best foot forward to be quickly and easily seen by Federal buyers for potential opportunities and influence small business set-asides.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) Small Business Search (SBS) is THE PLACE you must be on your A-game.
The Small Business Search (SBS) is a database in which SBA houses information on the current pool of certificated small businesses. Presently, small businesses that do not have certifications or are self-certified, may also create a profile in this database. The SBS is used by contracting officers, small business specialists, large prime contractors, and other small businesses looking for teaming partners to find small businesses that can help meet Federal requirements and identify businesses that can help the Government (or a prime contractor) meet its small business goals. SBS is one of the first--and often only--sources used in market research by agencies to determine the numbers of small businesses able to provide products or services by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code.
You can see why this might be an important place to pay attention to, eh?
Businesses have forgotten about the SBS in the last few years because SAM.gov no longer sends small business registrants directly to SBS at the end of their registration to complete the profile like it used to. I HUGE bummer. Businesses now must wait for their SAM.gov registration to be activated, then they can establish an SBA SBS account, claim their entity record, and fill in their company profile in the SBS system. Federal buyers are looking for detailed information from SBS to use as part of their market research efforts.
SBS isn’t only for market research.
Even more importantly, the SBS shows Federal buyers the status of any pending certification applications for the purpose of determining whether you are eligible to compete for a set-aside action. For example, an Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) can still submit an offer for an WOSB set-aside even with a pending application for certification showing in the SBS. Contracting Officers often use SBS as a source to confirm the socioeconomic certification status and 8(a) program participation along with SAM.gov.
While MySBA Certifications automatically sends socioeconomic certification status to SAM.gov and updates the requisite reps and certs to reflect the correct socioeconomic status, recently it has taken weeks for that migration to occur. WOSBs and EDWOSBs have reported not seeing their correct socioeconomic status reflected in their SAM entity record.
Businesses should always check their SAM entity record to ensure that the proper status is shown within a reasonable time after receipt of an active certification status; usually within 14 business days. If the record is not accurately reflected, you can contact answerdesk@sba.gov or the SBA socioeconomic program under which your business was certified for assistance. If a Contracting Officer says that your SAM record does not reflect the status claimed, ask the Contracting Officer to check SBS for the more accurate information because of these delays.
So now let’s talk about BEING SEEN in SBS and walk through each part of the registration.
Understanding how to maximize the fields in SBS is how you can make the best possible first impression so that Federal buyers want to learn more about YOU!
The Key Words
Often businesses pluck these from thin air and over-generalized based on what they think the Government wants to see. Key words need to reflect and incorporate aspects of your primary NAICS, secondary NAICS, and what you can provide under those NAICS. If you use key words that don’t reflect your primary NAICS, you’ll leave the Government scratching their head about you. They won’t understand the message you’re sending about your company. Be consistent and specific with key words while tying into your NAICS codes in order to leave the best impression. You have 500 characters -- use them wisely.
The Website
Be sure that you include the URL for any website you have. Make it be more than a landing page. It needs to tell your story. It needs to include information about your company, what you sell, past customers, and products or solutions you provide. And most of all, it must be polished. Scrub your site hard for formatting, typos, grammatical errors, etc. Acquisition personnel using the SBS will often quickly click on the site to see just how polished it is. When it looks good, they get the impression you know your stuff and pay attention to details.
The Capabilities Narrative
This is the written equivalent of your elevator pitch. This section should include all the things you’d include in that two-minute speech. Hit hard on what your company specialized in and its core product or service areas. Show the business’s focus and avoid being all over the map by overpromising on the breadth of work the business performs.
Near the end of the capabilities narrative, list any socioeconomic certifications Why not lead with it? Because that certification is only part of your business, and it alone does not get you interest from the Contracting Officer. End with that information so the Contracting Officer can easily see it in a quick query and get your business into their market research counts.
Lastly, identify any government contract vehicle or GSA Schedule your company may hold. If you can catch their eye that you have an existing GSA Schedule or your business participates in the 8(a) program, you’ll get counted and likely get a look in terms of the Contracting Officer wanting to know more. If they need to meet a socioeconomic goal, they can see quickly. You’re helping the Contracting Officer do their job. They LOVE that! (And made another great first impression!)
SBS now also includes a field to add a link to your online capabilities statement. Use it!
“Extras” You Should Never Skip
Performance History
I cannot say this enough…if you history doing work for any Government or quasi-Government entity at any level -- Federal, State, or Local level -- list them! Don’t play the “they’ll see that when I propose” game. Showing performance history—even if it is minimal or commercial and not Government--helps. How? It proves the viability of the business and the size and types of projects you’ve completed. Those goes a long way to determining eligibility of the business based on performance on same / similar work of a same / similar dollar value (“Rule of Two” stuff – you can read more about that here).
Review Your Profile
Go out to the SBS site and use the filters for your NAICS, business name, geographic location, and business types. Make sure your show up and see how your profile measures up to your competitors. Look at their records and see what they included that you haven’t. Use the good ideas of others, but don’t plagiarize. Contracting Officers will see that and that won’t look good for either of you.
Keep Evolving
Your SBS isn’t something that you can just set and forget either. Make reviewing your profile in SBS something you do when you renew your SAM.gov registration every year. If something major changes in your business focus, NAICS, or socioeconomic status, make associated changes in SBS.
What GovCon doesn't always talk about -- The SBS Influence
When doing market research and trying to determine if an acquisition should be set-aside for small businesses, the Government is not only counting about the numbers of small businesses that claim they can do the work under a NAICS code in SBS. They are analyzing your SBS profile to see if your business could be one of the "... two or more responsible small business concerns that are competitive in terms of fair market prices, quality, and delivery" and they have “…a reasonable expectation of obtaining an offer…” from you. (There’s that pesky “Rule of Two” again.)
In other words, based on what they see, could you submit a proposal likely to win? And how does a Contracting Officer determine that? Simply put... the your answers to everything we just covered.
Completing your profile helps tip the market research scales toward a small businesses set-aside and possibly a specific socioeconomic set-aside. If you're all over the map in your SBS narrative, the Government will not consider you viable eligible contractor towards that “Rule of Two” and could possible choose to go another way with their acquisition strategy, away from a small business set-aside. Or worse, they set it aside but remember your name from the market research as one of the businesses that didn’t make their initial market analysis cut.
Influence where you can! SBS is the place where you have a lot of influence!
Have I convinced you to get out there and create or update your SBS profile yet?
While the system is no longer got the word "Dynamic" in the title, don't forget its meaning. Life is dynamic, business is dynamic, and your SBS profile should still be dynamic, too. Get it completed ASAP. You can’t afford not to.
Remember again, SBS IS WHERE FEDERAL BUYERS GO TO FIND SMALL BUSINESSES and where other small businesses go to find teaming partners and subcontractors.
Get out there, GET NOTICED, BE SEEN, and STAY DYNAMIC!
(former title: FedSubK Feature: Be A Dynamic Small Business!)
