We’ve heard a lot about federal contracts recently in the rebuilding effort after Hurricane Katrina and in Iraq and Afghanistan. Is that where most of the contracts are going?
They’re certainly advertising for that kind of work right now, but it’s definitely not the only type of work that’s available. There are hundreds of opportunities for all kinds of small businesses in almost all sectors. It’s incredible how much is out there.

Why are there so many federal contracts available?
There are lots of federal employees doing all kinds of work, but they can’t do it all. That’s where the contracts come in. They help us do our work. The contracts are awarded in countless areas – every single department from Health and Human Services to the Farm Credit Administration to the Federal Reserve.

What’s the first thing businesses who have not taken advantage of federal contracts should do to pursue such contracts?
If you intend to do any sort of business with the federal government, you need to be registered in the Central Contractor Registry, www.ccr.gov. Any small business contractor worth a grain of salt is registered here, because you might get a contract if you’re not registered with the CCR, but you won’t get paid.

What’s the main resource for small businesses to find contract opportunities?
Everything is posted at www.fedbizopps.gov. It’s a site that allows you to filter and select exactly what type of opportunities you’d like to review with drop down menus.

Are all the contracts open to all businesses?
No. The contracts have a number of criteria, and sometimes, they’re open to specific types of businesses. It might be set aside for veteran-owned businesses, or minority-owned businesses, or restricted to only small businesses with a maximum number of employees or annual revenue. That may restrict some businesses, but it also means you have a better chance of winning the contract if you do qualify.

Any tips for small businesses that may be new to the whole process?
When a contract is less than $100,000, it’s awarded exclusively based on the lowest quote. When it exceeds $100,000, it requires a response to a more detailed bid. My suggestion is that if you’re new to working with the federal government, go after bids under $100,000 at first.

Why should they limit themselves to the smaller contracts at first?
The detailed bids for larger contracts are open competition and are evaluated by a detailed scoring process. A lot of the time, two of the main factors in that scoring process are your capabilities as a firm to complete the contract and your experience working with the federal government. If you’re a small, two-person company working out of your home, you probably don’t have the capabilities or the experience to compete with some of the businesses who have spent years working with the federal government.

That sounds intimidating. Is there anywhere small businesses can go to figure out what contracts they might be able to win?
Of course. The Small Business Administration, www.sba.gov. It’s their sole purpose of existence – to help small businesses flourish – and part of that is helping them understand contract opportunities. The SBA holds workshops to help small businesses understand these opportunities all the time. There are also offices devoted to helping small businesses within each federal department. For example, here in Health and Human Services, we have an Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, and I know many departments have an office of the same name.

All of that still seems overwhelming though, since it’s on the national level.
Well, there are regional offices so go to the Web sites and find out what’s in you Of course. The Small Business Administration, www.sba.gov. It’s their sole purpose of existence – to help small businesses flourish – and part of that is helping them understand contract opportunities. The SBA holds workshops to help small businesses understand these opportunities all the time. There are also offices devoted to helping small businesses within each federal department. For example, here in Health and Human Services, we have an Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, and I know many departments have an office of the same name.r area. Another way of finding regional opportunities is to contact your elected officials in Congress. They often put on procurement fairs in their states. They look at it as a service to their constituents. Contact their offices and ask them if they have any upcoming events, and if they don’t, let them know you’d like them to.