Now that you've identified government segments
likely to be the right customers for you, it’s time to start selling.
To sell to the government, you must first register your business so
the government knows you are an available vendor.
Start by looking up the Federal
Supply Class or Service (FSC/SVC) codes and the North
American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes for your products
and services. Next, get a DUNS number from Dun
and Bradstreet.
Since all businesses wishing to work with the federal
government must register at Central Contractor
Registration,
that’s your next task. Note that the Department of Defense (DoD)
and some other departments and agencies require additional registration,
so make sure to check details with the agencies with which you wish to
work.
These links can help you make sure you’ve registered everywhere
that’s important to your business:
- Acquisition
Central is geared to the federal acquisition community and the
government's business partners. From this site you can access shared
systems and tools to help you conduct business efficiently. It includes
links to the sites listed below.
- Electronic Subcontracting
Reporting System (eSRS) is the official site for the new electronic
Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS). It is designed to introduce
more transparency into the process of gathering information on federal
subcontracting accomplishments by providing an easier process for
federal contractors and their business associates to report subcontracting
activity.
- Business
On-line Representations and Certifications (ORCA),
if you want to sell to DoD, you also must register with its new online
registry, ORCA. ORCA is an E-Government initiative that has been developed
to replace the paper-based Representations and Certifications (Reps
and Certs) process. Previously, vendors and contractors had to submit
Reps and Certs for each individual large purchase contract award solicitation
response. Now, using ORCA, a contractor can enter their Reps and Certs
information one time for use on all federal contracts.
- Federal
Department and Agency Registration provides a list of links to departments and agencies. Some federal
departments and agencies have their own contractor databases. You
must contact each department or agency you want to do business with
to determine if they have a separate contractor registry database.
Additional Information for Getting Started
You will find more information on how women-owned
businesses can sell to the government by visiting the SBA
Web site and using the search function. A search using the terms “women selling
to government” produced links to several highly relevant documents.
Other links:
After you’ve registered your business, it’s
time to find contracting opportunities.
Back to top
|
|