Tips for the Beginner

In many ways, doing business with the Air Force is like doing business commercially. You need to

• have a superior product or service, a competitive price, and great follow-through.
• know your customers and their needs; there is no substitute for personal contact.
• pay attention to detail.

Additionally, doing business with the Air Force requires navigating the federal purchasing system. You must understand:

• who buys what in the Air Force in order to know where your product or service might be marketable.
• that you must market to each individual command or base that you identify as a potential customer--and that each individual command and base may have unique marketing procedures, including different directions for required forms.
• that paying attention to the details of Air Force forms is essential.
• that federal procurement regulations--Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS)--govern all Air Force business.

The reward for your time and attention could be growth for your business.