Marketing Tips

We recognize that small businesses may not have the marketing and business development staff that medium to large businesses are able to maintain. We offer the following general suggestions for consideration as you develop and implement your marking strategy with DHS small business specialists.

Before contacting the small business specialist you should:

Review the corresponding DHS Component and other available organizational and mission/operational information on the web and from other available sources. For example, review the information at the Department Subcomponents and Agencies section of the DHS Website and the links in the first column (Operating element/Address) of the Small Business Points of Contact Document.

For general/introductory marketing to DHS, electronic marketing is recommended over making cold calls to the specialists. When conducting electronic marketing it is suggested that the firm provide two electronic marketing documents which should provide an overview of the firm’s capabilities.

1. The first attachment is the firm’s capability statement. It is suggested that the statement be no more than one or two pages long and not be embedded with a lot of pictures or graphics. It is suggested the statement be organized in three informational segments.

• The first segment should provide access information on the firm, including procurement and other profile information. For example, personal contact information including voice, email and fax on the firm’s point of contact; web site; active certifications (for example, SB, WOB, SDVOB, 8(a), HUBZone, etc.); active procurement access vehicles (for example, GSA schedule, BPAs, etc.).
• The second segment should provide the firm’s core competencies/capabilities and any unique performance factors. The information should be framed around the specific DHS organization/program office the firm is marketing. For example, if the firm is marketing to the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), it should review the organizational and mission information on the USSS Business Opportunities website, the current Fiscal Year Procurement Forecast and FedBizOpps opportunities, and then demonstrate how the firm’s capabilities will address the specific or general needs of the USSS.
• The third segment should provide the firm’s DHS related past performance and provide any relevant past performance contracts and references. If the firm does not have any direct DHS prime or subcontracting past performance, it should review other past performance and establish relevancy to DHS. For example, state or local government, private sector experience or other government agencies.

2. The second attachment should be an electronic copy of the firm’s SBA's Dynamic Small Business Search Profile. Ensure the information on the profile is current, especially the contact, key words and past performance information. If the firm has been approved for the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program, it should include in its Profile, the name and contact information of their 8(a) Business Development Specialist (after approval is received from the Business Development Specialist). Or if they have been approved for the SBA's HUBZone Program, a copy of the approval letter should be attached.