Marketing Tips and Resourcesfor

GSA Schedule 520 – Financial and Business Solutions Contract

Holders

National Capital RegionSmall Business Utilization OfficePresenter - Deirdre White-Randall

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Who uses GSA Schedules?Executive & Other Federal AgenciesMixed-Ownership Government Corporations (FDIC,

Federal Home Loan Banks, etc.)The District of ColumbiaCost Reimbursable Government Contractors

authorized in writing by a Federal agency (48 CFR 51.1)

State and Local Government (Cooperative Purchasing, Disaster Relief)

Domestic and Worldwide

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Schedule 520 Sales/Trends

FY 2010 Total GSA Schedule Sales = 38.8 Billion

Total FY 2010 reported Sales for Schedule 520 = 1.14 Billion Schedule 520 was 6th in total schedule sales in FY

20111- Schedule 70 - IT

2-Schedule 874 – MOBIS3-Schedule 871 – PES

4-Schedule 84 – Security5-Schedule 71 – Furniture6-Schedule 520 – FABS

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Schedule 520 Sales/Trends

Top 5 Sales per SIN FY 2010

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SIN Description FY 2010 Sales

FY 2011 Trend*

520-4 Debt Collection

$325 M Up (4%)

520-7 Financial Audits

$200M Up (12%)

520-13 Financial Mgmt Svcs

$166M Up (3%)

520-11 Accounting $129M Down (3%)

520 - 1 Program Fin. Advisor

$61M Down (19%)

*FY 2011 trend compares sales first 2Qts of FY 2010 to FY2011

Prerequisites for Marketing

Define your Niche

Conduct Market Research – You can not market successfully with out conducting market research

Learn the Rules – FAR

Narrow your focus

Create a Business Plan for federal contracting5

Market Research

Who are my customers Who are my customers – All government agencies and other authorized users can order from the GSA Schedule but

“All agencies” is not a focus

Focus on one or two agencies to start your market research

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Who buys want I/we sell?

Consider the following resources to conduct market research.

USASpending.govhttp://USASpending.govFederal Business Opportunitieswww.fedbizopps.govFederal Procurement Data Systemhttps://www.fpds.govAcquisition Centralwww.acquisition.gov/procurement

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Questions for your Marketing Plan

Who are we?/What are our business strengths? – Weakness

Where do we want to go?

What is attainable now?

What/Who will help me meet my goals?

What is my budget for exploring?

What is the final outcome? 8

How agencies make purchases Solicitation Procedures

Simplified Acquisitions – FAR 13Small Business Set-asides – FAR 19, FAR 6Sealed bids – FAR 14Negotiated Proposals – FAR -12,13, & 15Full and Open Competition – FAR 6GSA Schedule –FAR 8.404

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) provides guidance for all these acquisition methods

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How agencies make purchasesGSA Schedules

Often the preferred method with DOD and other Agencies

FY 2010 GSA Multiple Award Schedule 520 sales reached over $1.4 Billion

*Total FY 2010 Schedule Sales – $38 Billion10

How does Agencies can utilize Schedule 520

Sales – Micro

purchases/Simplified/BPA’s/Competition/Evaluation factors

e-Buy - Research the Advantage Spend Analysis Program e-Buy statistics/trends

GSA Advantage!®

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How agencies utilize Schedule 520

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Vendors Log in here

https://www.asap.gsa.gov

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How agencies utilize Schedule 520

Schedule

520

GSA 19 e-Buy RFQ’s so far in fy2011

Locating BuyersLocating Buyers

www.fbo.gov – Advanced SearchPre-solicitation, Sources Sought, Solicitation/Synopsis

Agency Forecast, Digest bulletins,

Legislation, GAO Reports, OIG Reports

News reports- Federal Times, WSJ, local publications

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USASpending.gov

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Know your customers purchasing practice

Research/Customer BaseCurrentPotentialRequestOther sourcesCost/DiscountsBenefitSuccess?

Use Fedbizopps and eBuy to research what current needs request for RFI/Sources Sought, recent contracts

Use acquisition.gov/procurementforecasts/ to view potential opportunities

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Locating Buyers – FPDS.gov

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sort options

Top 10’s

Agencies

and Vendors

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Market Research - Federal Business Market Research - Federal Business OpportunitiesOpportunities

Search for opportunities,set-asides, sole source, pre-solicitations, and Special notices

Search for Recovery opportunities and awards

Seek/Create Federal Seek/Create Federal OpportunitiesOpportunitiesSeek/Create Federal Seek/Create Federal OpportunitiesOpportunitieswww.gsa.gov/smbusforecast -

Forecast (Updated)NAICS CodeTitle State

Cold CallingAuthority to PurchaseContact Information Quarterly/Biannual

UpdatesEmails as follow-up only

*Be pleasantly persistent*

Conference AttendanceSet GoalsAnticipate potential

partners – not just buyers

Determine NeedsNetwork, Network,

NetworkAcquition.gov-Portal to view all

agenciesForecast Opportunities-View agencies web sites

and Small Business web pages

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Utilizing Information Effectively

Consider different mailing list General – Any and

everybody Potential – High

Probability Direct –

responsive/sure thing

Contact Steps1. Letter/Capability

(Intro)2. Phone Call

(details)3. Follow-up

Follow-up often/sincereEmailSeasonal Greetings

Update AnnuallyPoints of Contact

(POC’s)NumbersAddressGeneral or Direct ListPricingGSA Data Sites

e-library GSA Advantage! Vendor Support

Center

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All agencies

Acquisition Central

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Company IntroductionLetter: Who, What, Where (about the

company)(avoid starting your Introductions – We are a Small Business.

Talk about what your company does well)

Phone Call: Who, When, How Much (potential customer) -

Follow –Up: Card, Email, Letter (quarterly update)

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GOAL: Visibility, Familiarity, Integrity, Trust, Confidence

Responding to an RFQ/Sources Sought

Decide and NotifyYes I will be

participatingNo, I will not

Respond in orderNot clear, then ask

questionsRespond to all partsFollow DirectionsDescribe your process and

unique valuesSpell Check and Grammar

CheckBe NeatGroup Review before

submission

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Fedbizopps, eBuy, GSA Advantage or ITSS

How to DEAL?????Rejected BidsUnable to fulfill contractCannot submit an offer/respond

to an RFQUpset the Contracting OfficerNot meeting sales criteriaNothing seems to be working

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More Support

11 Regional GSA OSBUwww.gsa.gov/smallbizsupport

OSDBU for all agencieswww.osdbu.gov

Procurement Technical Assistance Centerswww.aptac-us.org

Customer Service Directorswww.gsa.gov/CSD

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Utilize All Marketing Toolswww.gsa.gov/logoUse images on GSA Advantage! ®Attend large conferences like the GSA

EXPOwww.expo.gsa.govwww.gsa.gov/events

Attend outreach sessions designed just for small business - Access to Success (East Coast Oct 6, 2011) Opening Doors (West Coast – Spring/Summer 2012)

Come prepared to ask questions and get contact information

Invest in FedBizOpps 27

Know Your GSA Schedule Contract TermsWarrantyDeliveryDiscountsAuthorized

DealersQuantity

DiscountsService

AgreementsExpiration Date Option Year

Requirements

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Give copies to your employees!!!

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National Capital RegionNational Capital Region

Small Business Utilization CenterSmall Business Utilization Center

202-708-5804202-708-5804

www.gsa.gov/ncrsmallbusinesswww.gsa.gov/ncrsmallbusiness

Judith Stackhouse-Jordan

www.judith.stackhouse@gsa.govDeirdre White-Randallwww.deirdre.white@gsa.gov

Thank you for attendingThank you for attending