The OSDBU is here to help!
- If you have not yet contracted with a Federal agency, consider doing some research at your local Procurement Technical Assistance Center. Learn how to write proposals, develop contracting planning tools, and get a checklist or schedule for doing contracts. Procurement Technical Assistance Centers may also be able to advise you in joining a relevant trade association, which could introduce you to relevant opportunities in your line of work.
- Familiarize yourself with your North American Industry Classification System codes (NAICS), and obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) so you can register your business with SAM.gov.
- Get to know your local Procurement Center Representative (PCRs). SBA employes PCRs to assist small businesses in obtaining federal contracts. To learn more about PCRs visit http://www.sba.gov/content/procurement-center-representatives. To locate your local PCR visit http://www.sba.gov/content/government-contracting-field-staff-directory.
- Visit the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Government Contracting Classroom. The Government Contracting Classroom will enable participants to take courses on contracting terms, on how the government buys, on how to sell to the government, and offers guidance specifically for small business concerns.
- Visit one of the Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) business centers located throughout the country or visit their website to obtain technical assistance, information on access to capital, and more.
Let’s get started!
We strongly recommend that you start with our federally managed and operated facilities, because 85% of DOE appropriated funds are obligated via facility management contracts. The remaining 15% is contracted at the DOE headquarters program office level. Each Facility Management Contractor has the responsibility of managing and operating a particular Energy site and, has its own buying authority.
- Familiarize yourself with DOE HQ and Field office, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers etc. http://www.energy.gov/offices.
- Review each facility management contractor website to identify projects and potential contracting opportunities.
- Register with FedConnect to view current business opportunities, receive solicitations, and submit proposals. FedConnect helps Department of Energy manage contractor relationships throughout the acquisition cycle with respect to pre-acquisition, solicitation, evaluation award, and post administration duties. Type “DOE” to search for opportunities within the agency.
- Find opportunities on the General Services Administration. Vendors interested in becoming GSA Schedule contractors should review the Getting on Schedule page.
- As procuring offices rely more and more on Federal supply schedules (FSS) and government-wide acquisition contracts (GWAC), consider becoming an FSS or GWAC contract holder since accessibility to your firm is important. Learn more here.
- Search the Federal Procurement Data System – Next Generation to find out when contracts expire with your NAIC in an effort to prepare for future requirements.
Take advantage of the forecast!
Review the Department's Acquisition Forecast to find upcoming prime and sub contracting opportunities. Contracting opportunities on the acquisition forecast are cross-referenced via NAICS codes including program description, program office, solicitation method, contracting activity, tentative release dates and tentative award dates. When you find a contracting opportunity of interest, click on it and go the point of contact to request additional information. Once you have located an opportunity from the acquisition forecast, you should start working on a business development strategy in order to prepare a capability statement or proposal that is responsive to the requirement. Consider these tips:
- Allow yourself at least one year to prepare an approach for fulfilling the requirement. The incumbent contractor does not always win the re-competition.
- Obtain a copy of the solicitation for the requirement.
- Review the statement of work, résumés of key personnel, the basis of award, and the security requirements.
- Find out the current prime contractor's subcontractors.
- Take a site visit.
- Consult with firms that have databases of previous government requirements.
Make Connections!
- Focus on networking with other contractors currently doing business at DOE.
- Consider participating in the DOE Mentor-Protégé Program.
- Get in touch with State procurement representatives.
- Keep an eye out for upcoming OSDBU outreach events in an effort to meet one-on-one with OSDBU personnel, small business program manager(s), program/field office personnel and/or the buyers of goods and services.
If you require additional information or have general questions, please send us an email at smallbusiness@hq.doe.gov or contact our Office at (202) 586-7377.