How to Market to FEMA

  1. Federal Business Opportunities website - Contact the companies who have already won for subcontractor, supplier or teaming opportunities.

  2. Track expected completion dates - The Federal Procurement Data Center tracks these. You'll get a heads up before the next Request For Proposal (RFP) hits the Federal Business Opportunities website.

  3. Review this year’s DHS budget - The Department publishes a look ahead at budgeted enhancements for coming fiscal years.

  4. Get listed in government-wide databases -- FEMA uses the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. Register with this database and FEMA will locate your business.

  5. Become a contractor at a Disaster Field Office - Disaster Field Office locations and telephone numbers can be accessed by calling FEMA's acquisition voice message system at 202-646-4006 or contact the FEMA regional office where the disaster has occurred.

  6. Watch the web -- Federal and state agencies are placing more and more procurement opportunities on their web sites. Bookmark your favorites, or choose a service like Government Sales Net that tracks new web opportunities. FEMA posts its procurement opportunities on FedBizOpps.

  7. Get listed in electronic catalogs -- GSA advantage, Pro-Net, and other electronic commerce initiatives will let you list your product for government browsing.

  8. Link from your catalog listing to your web site -- Let an interested buyer jump from your product description over to your company site.

  9. Make your web site sell -- Play up your experience and past performance record as well as your product listing and financial stability.

  10. E-mail your qualifications to FEMA program offices (the potential users of your product or service) -- You'll find a listing of agency e-mail addresses while Surfing our website. Keep USERS NOT buyers in the loop on your products. Make sure you include your web site in the e-mail -- most agencies will be able to link right from your message.

  11. Evaluate FACNET -- Some agencies are still sending their Requests For Quotes through the FACNET system. Your best bet is to contact the buying offices you do business with and find out if they use the system and how much. If you're missing opportunities, you may want to shop for VANs. FEMA does not send procurement opportunities through FACNET.

  12. Request a debriefing on every job you lose -- You'll get important tips about where your proposal was weak, where you need to beef up your experience, chisel your price, or team with a competitor.

  13. Monitor draft Requests For Proposals (RFP) -- The agency will often indicate if it is leaning towards your competitor. Here's your chance to get the specs changed so you can compete.

  14. FOIA a copy of prime's subcontracting plans -- Agencies should have these on file for every large business prime they've awarded to. This will show subcontracting goals. You can also get the SF 294/295 forms that show how many subcontracts they've awarded. Target the primes who haven't met their goals yet to get your foot in the door.

  15. Get yourself on several prime's teams -- Prime contractors will get a preference if they list their subs in the solicitation rather than just committing to a percentage and filling in the names later. Start relationship building with the primes you see in the CBD Awards to partner.

  16. Take advantage of cooperative purchasing -- When you sign an agreement with a federal or state agency, see if there are other buying offices or localities that can purchase off the same agreement. Make sure you're set up to do that. Then market to the other entities, making sure you mention how easily they can now order.

  17. Accept the government credit card -- and mention it in all of your literature. The government buys more than $5 billion in goods and services annually with the purchase card. Most COs will choose the purchase card over the paperwork to make a buy.

  18. Get on the road -- Grab organization charts of your top FEMA program offices to target your marketing sessions. Remember to target potential USERS of your products/services; these are not FEMA's contracting personnel. Get appointments with the potential users of your products/services. A face-to-face demo of a product can say what a brochure or web site can't.

  19. Compete for multiple order contracts -- Go after GSA Schedule and Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts. These are popular contracting vehicles with government buyers because of little or no paperwork and fast delivery. If a product or service is available through one of these vehicles -- especially information technology-- the agency will go this route instead of issuing an RFP.

  20. Don't stop marketing after award -- If you win a multiple ordering agreement, you still have to compete for the tasks. Keep marketing, especially on contracts where there is no minimum guarantee of orders. Multiple order agreements include National Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPA), Task Order Agreements, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts, and agency specific vehicles like Government Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWAC).

  21. Follow the federal money to the states -- Federal grants to the states make up half an agency's budget in some cases.

  22. Clean up your performance rating -- Get copies of how agencies evaluated you. Clear up any inaccuracies, and try to counteract negative information with positive ratings from other jobs. List best references first in your proposals.

  23. Team, partner, or form a joint venture -- If you're strong in one business area, but inexperienced in another, find a subcontractor or teaming partner who can fill in the areas where you're weak. The federal government encourages teaming.

  24. Market to the right people - FEMA contracting personnel do not develop specific needs that are filled through contracts. FEMA's needs are evaluated in each program office where the Agency's requirements are generated. Therefore, it is imperative that you do your homework and locate the appropriate FEMA program office that buys your product or service in order to market to them.

  25. Persevere - Making the right connection can take time. Perseverance will pay off.

Remember to follow all these tips before making contact with FEMA.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 21-Mar-2006 08:34:58 EST