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Thanks to the Internet, doing business with the government has never been easier or more focused.
Opportunities for private business abound, everything from supplying milk and ice cream products to an Air Force base in Texas, to providing lenses for landing lights used on C-130 and B-1B aircraft. Online you can find opportunities to provide lodging, catering, and meeting space for an AmeriCorps event, and evaluate a request to create a management training system supporting U.S. AID/Egypt's strategic priority areas.
You just have to know where to look.
The federal government has consolidated contracting opportunities for goods and services into one Web site, called Federal Business Opportunities, or FedBizOpps. This site covers all federal agencies' contracts for more than $25,000 and it replaces Commerce Business Daily.
Businesspeople can search and monitor opportunities by agency and by product or service. Contracts already awarded are listed as searchable as well. Products and services range from large-scale construction projects to musical instruments, recreational equipment, office supplies, books and clothing. Forms are often provided online for "Requests for Quotes." Searches may be limited by "set aside codes" for Small Business or Small Disadvantaged Business; the codes indicate that government must set aside contracts for those groups.
Each posting gives a detailed description of the product or service, with deeper technical information available by request. Contact information including name, address, phone, and e-mail are given.
Users can register to receive notification of awards by e-mail from a specific agency. Also available is daily e-mail providing synopses of all pre-solicitations, pre-solicitation modifications, awards, sources sought, foreign standards, sales of surplus, and special notices.
User support is offered via a toll-free telephone number and e-mail. Customer support staff is knowledgeable about the FedBizOpps system and the procedures involved in government bidding.
State governments provide similar Web sites that offer contracting opportunities with state agencies. The National Association of State Procurement Officials Web site has contact information and links to the appropriate office in each state for contracting opportunities.
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