Do you think your small business might be a candidate for government contracting opportunities? That’s great, but where do you start? Fortunately, Florida SBDC at FIU and the government-funded APEX Accelerator are here to help.
Why government contracting? The massive opportunity is a reason to look into it. There is a good chance the government is buying the product or service that you are selling. That’s because they contract out for all their goods and services.
“Basically, this is an opportunity for you to address a need or a problem from the government and also to grow your business. And I would just highlight too a lot of people focus on the federal government, but state governments also spend a lot of money, and local governments spend a lot of money too, and a lot of that ends up being federal grants that come down to the state or local governments,” said Brian Van Hook, regional director of Florida SBDC at FIU, the small business center within the university’s College of Business. SBDC at FIU offers no cost business consulting to small businesses in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties.
It’s also important to research how much of what you are selling are they buying and what is the level of competition, added Luis Batista, a procurement specialist and a consultant with SBDC at FIU and APEX. Knowing and understanding the competition is key.
A step-by-step approach
Part of the evaluation process is also determining whether your small business has the team, expertise and the financial resources – such as a line of credit – to be able to fulfill the contract before the government dollars roll in, he added. Ask yourself, what size contract can you handle? Will your company be able to add employees needed? SBDC at FIU and the Florida APEX Accelerator at FIU, which aims to create more government contract-ready companies and connect local businesses to government led innovation programs, can help with all this, too.
Does all this sound daunting. There is a six-step method called the Gateway Method that you can follow to evaluate basic government contracting, plan, register, prepare, pursue, and achieve. Following this guidance is all about working smarter, not harder, Van Hook said.
Through all of this, networking is critically important. When you talk to a procurement officer you begin to build that relationship. Get to know the procurement staff. Take advantage of matchmaker events. Conversations create contracts.
Once you’ve decided you want to enter the government marketplace, there are business registrations to undertake as well as marketing tools to get in order. The process will also require getting any relevant certifications you may qualify for such as for women-owned business, and putting together a powerful capability statement. Once you’ve done your research and registrations, it boils down to marketing your product and services and responding to solicitations. You are ready to find potential opportunities.
Don’t disregard coming in as a subcontractor and teaming with a prime or banding together with other small businesses that you share core values with – you may be able to make a stronger case for the contract together. It’s also an ideal way to show “past performance,” too.
The achievement, which is the sixth step of the Gateway method, “is to win those contracts, basically nail it, do a great job, and then pursue more government business,” Van Hook said.
If you get a no, learn from your debrief about how to make your proposal more competitive for the next time.
One more tried-and-true tip: Start small and start local to build past performance and work you way to larger contracting opportunities.,
Find out more
For much more on the importance of market fit, understanding competition, preparing for necessary registrations and certifications, teaming, the importance of your elevator pitch and networking, and more, check out this SBDC and APEX webinar. In it, Florida SBDC at FIU consultants Van Hook, Batista, Matthew Block and Myrta Wroy share their expertise.
Here’s a second recent webinar that may also be helpful if you are pursuing an FDOT contract:
And lastly, check out this success story coming out of Florida APEX at FIU:
Pro tip: If you are not already a client of SBDC at FIU, put it on your 2025 to-do list to register with the Florida SBDC at FIU to receive no-cost consulting services and be assigned an advisor.