Table of Contents - How to Bid on Contracts at Military Bases
Table of Contents:
SECTION 1: How to Quickly Get Started with Defense Contracting
- Vast Opportunities for Small Businesses with Defense Contracting
- Eight Essential Steps to Becoming a Defense Contractor
- How to Register as a Federal Government Contractor
- How to Qualify as a “Responsible” Government Contractor
- Six Ways to Do Business with the Military
SECTION 2: Finding and Understanding Government Solicitations
- Government Solicitations
- Types of Government Solicitations
- The Language of Government Contracting
- How to Use beta.SAM.gov to Find Government Solicitations
- How to Read and Understand a Government Solicitation
- Pay Close Attention to the Solicitation’s Award Criteria
SECTION 3: Successful Contract Bidding Strategies
- Sealed Bidding Procedures
- How Sealed Bids Are Evaluated
- Who Receives the Award of the Contract?
- Characteristics of a Successful Bid
SECTION 4: Writing a Winning Government Contract Proposal
- Government Contracting by Negotiation Procedures
- How the Government Evaluates Proposals
- Types of Negotiated Contracts
- The Role of “Price” in the Contract’s Award
- Know the Difference between “Lowest Price - Technically Acceptable” versus “Best Value”
- How to Identify RFPs your Company Cannot Win
- Find and Use an Experienced Government Proposal Development Consultant
- Key Actions to Take for Developing a Winning Government Proposal
- Provide Evidence of your Company’s Capabilities and Qualifications
- Present a Low-Risk Solution
- Know your Competitors
- How to Use Government Estimates and Historical Price Data
- Explain how your Company will Deal with Problems that Might Arise
- Develop a “Cost Model” Strategy to Win Defense Contracts
- Don’t Procrastinate Developing a Proposal
- Include Sufficient Technical Detail
- Carefully Proofread your Proposals
- Include at Least Three Strong “Discriminators” in your Proposals
- Use Graphics in your Contract Proposals
- Create a Good Proposal Database
- Include Verifiable Facts in your Proposal
- Fully Document your Key Personnel’s Qualifications
- Government Requirements for Bid Guarantees, Bonds, and Insurance
- The Most Effective Way to Improve the Quality of your Proposals
SECTION 5: How Win Follow-on Government Contracts
- The Importance of Past Performance Metrics
- Where the Biggest Profits Are Found in Government Contracting
- Never Take Significant Action without First Consulting with your Government Contracting Representative
- Avoid Speaking on behalf of your Government Customer without Prior Authorization
- The Danger of Withholding Bad News from the Government
- Avoid Making Negative Comments about Government Employees
- Deliver what You Promise
- Government Remedies to Default by a Contractor
- The Long-Term Implications of Unsatisfactory Performance
- Be Familiar with Standards of Ethics for Government Contracting
- Avoid Improper Government Business Practices
- Make Effective Office Visits with DoD Leaders
- Make your Government Customer Look Great to their Superiors!
SECTION 6: Helpful Resources for Defense Contractors
- Five Cardinal Rules for Defense Contractors
- Important Online Resources for DoD Contractors
- How to Find Government Recurring Procurement Forecasts
- Using the Federal Procurement Data System
- Glossary of Contracting Terms
- Acronyms (DoD Contracting)
- DoD & Military Small Business Offices (Online Locators)
- Bibliography
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