Procurement Technical Assistance
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The mission of the Pennsylvania SBDCs is to help you grow your business. For some firms, a route to expanding sales is through government contracting. The SBDCs can help you identify contract leads and sell to federal, state and local governments and prime contractors through the Procurement Technical Assistance Service. |
Every year, federal, state and local governments spend billions of dollars on goods and services. Government buyers may be looking for what you have – quality products at competitive prices from responsible suppliers willing to participate in contracts.
Federal purchasing offices are often required to set aside contracts or portions of contracts for exclusive bidding by small and/or minority owned businesses. Major prime contractors are required to subcontract part of their work out to small firms. The SBDC Procurement Assistance Service can help you identify these opportunities.
Before meeting with an SBDC consultant, review the Basics of Government Marketing Tutorial, which will introduce you to the basics of the government market. The tutorial will also help you to identify the strategic and logistical concerns related to pursuing government contracts.
Receiving Procurement Assistance
Firms that want to enter the government market should be financially sound with at least 3 years of commercial business experience, electronic and computer capable and willing to commit resources to a long-term/strategic marketing program.
Who Can Use the SBDC Procurement Assistance Service?
The SBDC Procurement Assistance Service is primarily for manufacturing, construction, commercial service, and wholesale/dealer firms that are located in Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Northampton, Montgomery, Philadelphia and York Counties.
If your firm is located outside of this service area, Procurement Technical Assistance Centers offer similar services to other areas of Pennsylvania.
How Can the SBDC Procurement Assistance Service Help My Company?
Procurement assistance is offered through one-on-one consulting, training seminars on a variety of topics related to government marketing, and a free automated bid matching service tailored to individual firm specifications. Specific assistance includes:
- Assistance with assessing your potential as a government contractor
- Assistance with locating government Internet resource web sites
- Assistance with government forms, registration and certification applications
- Assistance with GSA Federal Supply Schedule
- Assistance with research to help find procurement histories for your product or services
- Assistance with obtaining federal and military specifications, drawings and standards necessary to complete a bid package
- Assistance with marketing your business to potential prime contractors
- Assistance with your final bid package
- Assistance with contract management
How to Get Started
Federal acquisition regulations require contractors who wish to do business with the federal government to register with Central Contractor Registration (CCR) prior to the award of any federal contract, basic order agreement, or blanket purchasing agreement. Registration must be renewed annually. CCR includes the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) PRO-NET database and SBA certifications. The government contracting officers check this database for products and services, and then notifications of open bidding opportunities are e-mailed to companies. Quicker payment of invoices is another result of this electronic data system. The registration is free, and an SBDC consultant can help you with the process. To self-register, visit the CCR website.
Bid Match – Electronic Bid Announcement Service
If your firm is looking to expand its sales base by participating in the government marketplace, the Bid Match system will help you identify federal, state and local government opportunities. You will save significant time and money using Bid Match.
How Does Bid Match Work?
Bid Match provides targeted contract leads, matching your individual products or services with government sales leads. An SBDC consultant will work with you to develop a profile of your firm's products and services to enter into the Bid Match system. The Bid Match system will extract only those leads that match your products or services. Leads come from extensive database networks, including: The Commerce Business Daily (CBD), DoD Blue Tops File, DLA Small Purchases, Prime Contract Awards, Pennsylvania Bidnet, nationwide state and local government bid boards, foreign trade leads, and private contracting opportunities.
Searches are conducted daily and leads or a dedicated website are sent directly to your company via e-mail. Many leads are provided with complete procurement histories referencing competitors, pricing and national stock numbers. This information is useful in determining bid feasibility and identifying competitors.
How Much Does Bid Match Cost?
Bid Match services are provided at no charge. To start receiving leads from the Bid Match system, simply complete the online Company Profile form below. An SBDC procurement specialist will contact you to develop your company profile that will be entered into the Bid Match system. You will then begin receiving leads by e-mail.
Bid Match Registration
To register your company for Bid Match simply complete the form below.
Please Note: Bid Match is
available for Pennsylvania firms only.