Doing Business with the Primes

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Doing Business with thePrimes

• Veterans Conference

Mario A. Ramirez 5 November 2004
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OutlineDoing Business with the Primes

• What You Need to Know
• Talk the Talk
• What It Takes
• Where to Start?

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Doing Business with the PrimesWhat You Need to
Know

• Not quite business as usual you must
• Learn the lingo
• Do some research
• Complete the paperwork
• Certify your business, if applicable
• SDB or HUBZone must be certified in CCR
• Find out Whos Who
• Be prepared to work through some Red Tape
• Sharpen your pencil
• You must be competitive
• Be passionate, persistent patient

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Talk the Talk

• The Basics
• What is your business classification?
• SB small business
• SDB small disadvantaged (CCR)
• WOB woman-owned small business
• HUBZone Hubzone concern (CCR)
• VOSB veteran-owned small business
• SDVOSB service disabled veteran SB

You may be counted in ALL categories but . Sell
your capabilities, not your size, class or
ethnicity
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Talk the Talk

• The Basics
• Primes have goals
• SB, SDB, WOB, HUBZone, VOSB, SDVOSB
• Primes employ Small Business Specialists
• Who are your Advocates
• The are brokers, not the decision-makers
• They bring buyers sellers together
• They identify current upcoming requirements
• They match requirements with qualified suppliers
• They recommend sources to Procurement
• They are not SBA employees

Your Goal? Meet with the Decision-Makers Small
Business Specialists can help you
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Talk the Talk

• CCR (Central Contractor Registration)
• CCR is the primary vendor database for the U.S.
  Federal Government. Both current and potential
  government vendors are required to register
• CMR (Commercial Marketing Representative)
• If youd rather be a subcontractor on government
  contracts, these are the people to talk to. They
  work with large prime contractors and help them
  find subcontractors
• FAR (The Federal Acquisition Regulations)
• Roadmap for doing business with the government

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Talk the Talk

• HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business
  Zone)
• The HUBZone Empowerment Contracting program
  provides federal contracting opportunities for
  qualified small businesses located in distressed
  areas
• OSDBU (Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business
  Utilization)
• Office at all federal agencies that serve as
  small business advocates within the agency.

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Talk the Talk

• ProNet (Now CCR)
• SBA database authoritative source for vendors
  that were certified in SBAs 8(a) Business
  Development program, HUBZone Empowerment
  Contracting Program and Small Disadvantaged
  Business program is now merged with CCR (Central
  Contractor Registration).
• PTAC (Procurement Technical Assistance Office)
• The PTAC mission is to generate employment and
  improve the general economy of its geographic
  area. PTACs will assist businesses seeking to do
  business with the Department of Defense (DoD),
  and State and local governments.

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Talk the Talk

• SADBU (Small and Disadvantaged Business
  Utilization)
• A less used term meaning the same thing as
  OSDBU.
• SBA (Small Business Administration)
• Provides assistance to small business. SBAs
  programs now include financial and federal
  contract procurement assistance, management
  assistance, and specialized outreach to women,
  minorities and armed forces veterans.
• Subcontractor
• Federal Acquisition Regulations define
  subcontractor as any supplier, distributor,
  vendor or firm that furnishes supplies or
  services to or for a prime contractor or another
  subcontractor

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Talk the Talk

• Supplier Diversity
• Offices or departments within large companies
  tasked with ensuring supplier socio-economic
  class goals are met.
• CVE (Center for Veterans Enterprise)
• OSDBU office within the VA tasked with
  assisting
• VOBs and SDVOBs to find government contracts.

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Do Some Research

• Department of Defense
• http//www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/publications/sbs/sbs.
  html
• http//www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/links/index.htm
• http//www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/publications/index.ht
  m
• http//www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/publications/selling/
  index.html
• http//www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/publications/subdir/i
  ndex.html
• DoD Directorate for Information Operations
  Reports
• http//www.dior.whs.mil/peidhome/procstat/procsta
  t.htm
• Small Business Administration
• http//www.sba.gov
• Veterans Business Journal
• http//www.vetbizjournal.com/

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Prime Hit ListTop 10 Companies Receiving DoD
Prime Contract Awards
 
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How to Sell to the PrimesWhat It Takes

• The 3 Rs
• The Right Stuff at the Right Time and at the
  Right Place
• Know How to Sell to Primes and the Government
  its a little different!
• Know How to Write a Winning Proposal when you
  finally receive that RFQ

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The Right Stuff

• What were all looking for
• Long-term relationships with
• Best Value suppliers
• Who deliver quality products on-time
• Interested in Customer Satisfaction
• Who will anticipate our needs
• Better, faster. smarter philosophy
• Focus on continuous improvement
• Help drive costs down

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The Right Stuff

• We will take a close look at your
• Key personnel
• ISO compliance or certification
• Schedule
• Quality assurance program
• Financial stability / cash flow
• Life cycle cost performance
• EDI capabilities

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The Right Stuff

• We will take a close look at your
• Track record reputation
• Best Value pricing
• Were looking for
• Low maintenance suppliers
• Team players who are focused on the Customer

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If You Have the Right Stuff. Right Time -
Right Place

• Timing is everything
• You must
• Know What we buy
• Sell what we buy
• Know When we buy it
• Know Where we buy it
• Meet our Quality requirements
• Meet our Delivery requirements

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Where Do You Start?

• You must know yourself
• Capabilities
• Products
• Pricing strategies
• Customer service
• Your market, your niche
• Your customers
• What they buy, when and where
• Your competition
• Differentiate why you are better

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Know How to Sell

• Make a Hit List of prospects
• Do your research
• Learn all you can about each prospect
• Their Products Services
• What they do
• What they buy
• Where they are located
• Their purchasing strategies, needs, policies
• What they are looking for

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Know How to Sell

• Contact the Small Business Specialist
• Your goal?
• Meet the decision makers

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Write a Winning Proposal

• Your passion, persistence and patience paid off
• You receive a Request for Quote
• Now What?

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Write a Winning Proposal

• Winning proposals are the result of
• Teamwork
• Communication with the customer
• Good planning
• Losing proposals are
• Non-compliant
• Inconsistent
• Fail to give information requested

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Write a Winning Proposal

• 8 Tips
• Read the entire solicitation
• Do your homework and research
• Communicate only with the person identified
• Be responsive to all requirements
• Submit pricing information as requested
• Go to the experts if you need help
• One last check Be sure its right
• Respond on or before the due date

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Write a Winning Proposal

• Rule 1 - Read the entire solicitation
• Especially the Statement of Work
• Pay close attention to the instructions
• Read all amendments
• If you decide to bid
• Complete all Representations, Certifications
• If you decide not to bid
• Notify the Point-of-Contact (POC) in writing
• Business etiquette requires a response
• If you do not respond, future requests may be
  non-existent

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Write a Winning Proposal

• Rule 2 Do your homework
• Do your research
• Know the rules how will bids be evaluated
• Know the criteria
• Understand the source selection process
• Know who your Point of Contact is
• If you have any questions-ASK the POC
• If you need help, contact SBA
• Company/Government Small Business Liaison Officer
• Procurement Technical Assistance Centers
• SBAs SCORE

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Write a Winning Proposal

• Rule 3 - Communicate only with POC
• The solicitation will identify the POC
• Address questions to the POC

Be sure you are talking to the right person
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Write a Winning Proposal

• Rule 4 Be responsive to all requirements
• Read all instructions carefully
• Follow instructions to the letter
• Answer the Mail
• Respond to all requirements
• Be specific
• Describe how you will meet every requirement
• Pay close attention to words like shall and
  will
• Suggestions, creative ideas, cost savings
  approaches should be addressed separately

A good response shows you understand the
requirement and demonstrates that you can be
successful
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Write a Winning Proposal

• Rule 5 - Submit pricing information as requested
• Be sure to include all elements of cost
• Cost of material, labor, overhead, packaging,
  special marking, transportation, other
  miscellaneous expenses
• Do not low-ball just to get the business

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Write a Winning Proposal

• Rule 6 Go to the experts if you need help in
  preparing your proposal
• The company Small Business Liaison Officer
• Government Small Business Liaison Officer
• SBA httpwww.sba.gov
• Resources include
• Small Business Development Centers
• Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
• Procurement Technical Assistance Centers
• Womens Business Centers

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Write a Winning Proposal

• Rule 7 One last check
• Review your proposal before submission
• Make sure you have signed and dated all required
  documents
• Double check the address, department, mail zone
  and zip code

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Write a Winning Proposal

• Rule 8 Respond on or before due date
• Ensure your bid arrives at the right place and at
  the right time
• Late submittals are disqualified
• Respond before the due date, if possible
• Allow time for delays
• Company mail room delays
• U.S. mail delays
• Internal company distributions

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Write a Winning Proposal

• Winning proposals
• Are submitted on time
• Answer all of the customers questions
• Stand on its own merits

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Write a Winning Proposal

• Ultimately you will be judged on
• Your solid management approach
• Technical expertise
• Responsiveness to schedule
• Affordability
• Risk
• Focus on quality
• Continuous improvement initiatives
• Track record
• Your total commitment to Customer Satisfaction

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SMALL BUSINESS is BIG BUSINESS at LOCKHEED
MARTIN

• Veteran Small Business Advocate
• John Cooke 661-572-7460