Becoming a federal contractor offers many benefits to businesses of all sizes, such as better earning potential, flexibility, stability in employment, timely payments, and more. Learning how to become a federal contractor can create lucrative business opportunities and the process is more straightforward than most people think.
Understanding the Basics
FEC.gov defines a federal government contractor as “a person who enters into a contract, or is bidding on such a contract, with any agency or department of the United States government and is paid, or is to be paid, for services, material, equipment, supplies, land or buildings with funds appropriated by Congress”.
According to SBA.gov, the two categories of state contractors consist of prime contractors, who bid on and win contracts directly from government agencies, and subcontractors, who join prime contractor teams and normally provide a specific capability or product.
Rules for Federal Contractors
In order to become a federal contractor, it is important to understand the requirements put in place to be successful. The common rules to becoming a federal contractor include business size requirements, sourcing rules that prevent a company from manufacturing its own materials, and legal requirements like the Buy American Act and the Trade Agreements Act.
There are also limits to how much a business can subcontract and who it can subcontract, along with minimum amounts for spending on work or materials for the contract. Documenting and reporting business activities to meet the federal government’s rules for procurement is also required.
Zip Recruiter states that “federal contractors are required to follow several federal hiring and labor laws to qualify for and maintain federal contracts”. These laws include things such as equal opportunity hiring, disability employment, and safety compliance. These duties vary depending on the type of work the contractors perform.
Those who do business with the federal government, according to DOL.gov, are prohibited from discriminating in employment against individuals with disabilities. They are also required to take proactive steps to recruit, hire, retain, and advance qualified people with disabilities.
Resources to Utilize When Becoming a Federal Contractor
GSA.gov says federal contractors and businesses interested in providing goods and services to the government must:
- Find relevant and available business opportunities with the government.
- Make necessary preparations for bidding on a GSA contract.
- Submit an offer.
Using USA.gov you can learn how to grow your business by having federal, state, and local governments as customers. They provide resources to help you search for and bid on contract opportunities. You can also use a search tool to find federal government contracting opportunities for your business.
Anyone interested in doing business with the government can use SAM.gov’s search tool to search contracting opportunities. Opportunities include pre-solicitation notices, solicitation notices, award notices, and sole source notices.
How to Be Successful as a Government Contractor
GovConWire breaks down the steps on how to get a government contract for your business:
Step 1: After you decide on your legal business name, you should register your business. This will protect your brand from legal implications and enjoy legal and tax benefits as well.
Step 2: You will need to obtain a federal tax ID, which works similarly to a social security number. It is used for things such as applying for business licenses and permits and paying taxes.
Step 3: The next step in the process is getting a DUNS number. You will need to provide necessary information about your business such as your legal company name, address, contact information, legal structure and more.
Step 4: You must know your North American Industry Classification Systems (NAICS) Code and register your business at System for Awards Management (SAM) to be able to search for contracting opportunities.
Step 5: Confirm your business size and fill out your SBA profile. This is not a necessary qualification for becoming a government contractor but having a compelling SBA profile gives the contracting officer a deeper look into your business.
How CCC Helps Businesses Win Contracts
The process of securing government contracts can feel intimidating. Complete Contract Consulting has expert skills in finding and procuring the ideal contract for each client while also creating a proposal designed to fit the specific requirements laid out by the government agency. We are committed to providing the highest-quality service while winning proposals for small and large businesses.
CCC serves clients of all sizes and in various industries striving to provide the ideal match between government agencies and contract-seekers. We consider all facets of the agency and business to ensure a long and fruitful partnership for both parties.
The procurement cycle CCC follows is what contributes to our 98.5% success rate and high client satisfaction. Our four-step process includes:
Step 1: Identifying the need that must be filled within a government agency then manually searching for government bid requests that fit the capabilities of the client.
Step 2: Laying out the proper requirements to ensure that our clients have all the necessary capabilities to meet the needs of the requesting government agency.
Step 3: Ensuring all requirements have been listed in a document with terms, conditions, delivery schedules, and instructions to offerors who are proposing.
Step 4: Once the proposal has been submitted, government agencies will evaluate and select the proposal that best suits the needs of the project.
Contact Complete Contract Consulting today to simplify your federal contracting process today!