Four Easy Lessons in Free Federal Market Research V4 Schedule ID for a list of the categories of...

Four Easy Lessons in Free Federal Market Research

by Judy Bradt, CEO

2 ©2013, Summit Insight LLC. You must have the author’s permission to copy or transmit this document. Contact Judy Bradt at [email protected] or 703.627.1074

Four Easy Lessons In Free Federal Market Research—Version 4.0

Introduction Even with cuts, the federal government's contract spend will likely remain over $500 billion. Successful companies will focus their efforts on a few high potential agencies, tie their marketing messages to the Administration's priorities, and strengthen their teaming tactics. First, here are some ideas to get you thinking about hot spots for new government business in FY2013. (Link through to details in the softcopy of this paper!) 1) Military Health System (MHS) remains a high priority. Make the contacts you need online, and at the MHS

Conference in February of 2013. 2) Environment: DoD's Net Zero GSA's Zero Environmental Footprint

Army Utility Monitoring and Control Systems for HVAC IV: recompete of current IDIQ with estimated ceiling of $2.5B. Forecast May 2013 RFP, Jan 2014 Award.

3) Cyber Security: How have you considered Threat Detection, Talent Development, Policy, and Authentication in your proposal? Linked text takes you to themes you'll find in every agency -- defense, civilian, and intelligence.

4) Major IT Projects: More new than recompete; more civilian than defense; lowest combined total since 2006; bottoming-out forecast 2013-12014; smaller average project size in 2013 ($4.3B) vs. 2012 ($7.4B).

5) Purchasing Efficiencies: Emphasis on new and renewed Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACS), and free 24/7 online education for buyers & vendors on how to use GSA Schedule Contracts.

6) Performance Improvements: Show how doing business with you will help your target agencies improve their

program results and return on investment.

7) Staffing: Agencies could insource, outsource, or both as they cope with budget cuts. a) Insourcing drives needs for staffing, human capital management, expanded information technology, office

furnishings, goods and professional services expertise it takes to run offices and bureaucracies. b) Outsourcing can also mean more staffing contracts as well as professional services. c) Cleared IT staff: especially in application development and cyber security. Over 30 percent of the top

cleared federal technical personnel are close to retirement and can't be replaced quickly.

8) Program management: expertise in acquisition and program management is in demand as federal contracting experts continue to retire. Those opportunities are developed through relationships.

9) Entrenched Incumbents: shrinking federal contract workforce means more contract extensions, longer contracts, bigger contracts. Incumbents have the edge in recompetes, which account for over half of maximum contract value of top 20 IT programs.



10) Small business subcontracting and mentor-protégé programs continue to remain important, as the Administration knows it needs to achieve its 23% small business goals and agencies struggle particularly with goals for veteran-owned and women-owned businesses

And now, on to Four Easy Lessons! Let's find you some new federal opportunities.



EASY LESSON 1: FEDERAL BUYING FORECASTS (30 MINUTES) Did you know? Federal agencies publish online buying forecasts, and revise them all year long. Why is th i s he lpfu l ? Forecasts help you focus your efforts on agencies that have money in the budget to buy what you've got. You can also pick out procurements set aside for your kind of company. Where to go : http://acquisition.gov/comp/procurement_forecasts/index.html

How to s tart : You'll see four drop-down menus. Open the bottom one, FORECASTS, and choose the department you want to research. What to look for : A forecast typically covers planned purchases worth more than $150,000, and includes

• What products and services they plan to buy

• How much they plan to spend on each purchase

• Buyer point of contact -- name, phone and email

• When they plan to buy -- planned solicitation release date

• How they will seek vendors, including plans for small business preferences

What next : Highlight the requirements you could meet -- if the competition hasn't begun -- and set up a meeting with the point of contact to find out more about the opportunity and present your capabilities.



EASY LESSON 2: GSA SCHEDULE CONTRACT RESEARCH (30 MINUTES) Did you know? Government buyers use the US General Services Administration (GSA)'s Schedule Contracts to buy certain commercial, off-the-shelf, products or services from thousands of vendors. Government buyers often prefer vendors with GSA Schedules because the buying process is faster. Learn more about GSA Schedule Contracts at www.gsa.gov/masnews. But only 10% of federal dollars are spent through GSA Schedules. So before you go running after one, you want to know if they're a fit for you. Why is th i s he lpfu l ? You can see whether or not the federal government uses GSA Schedules to buy products or services like yours. And you can see your competitors' GSA Schedule Contracts products, services, and pricing. Would you compete with them on price? Would buyers pay a premium for your unique value? Where to go : www.gsa.gov

How to s tart :

1. From the left menu, choose GSA Advantage. Then from the top tabs, click "Schedules e-Library". Choose the category of products or services that you offer. You’ll get a list of related Schedule Contracts and description of what each covers.

2. Explore! Click Schedule ID for a list of the categories of products or services it covers.

3. Jot down the Schedule IDs for YOUR products or services for use in Lesson 3.

What to look for : Check out who's selling -- listed alphabetically, and searchable as well.

1. If any data is underlined, that means you can click for more information. That's how you get to individual vendors' pricing, labor rates, and contract terms and conditions!

2. Using the search box, type a competitor's name. See whether and what they offer through GSA Schedules.

3. Finish your lesson time exploring. Sort by City and State. See which companies have what kind of small business preference.

What next? Find out how much business these companies actually won...with Easy Lesson 3!



EASY LESSON 3: FIND GSA COMPETITORS' SALES STATS (15 MINUTES) Did you know? Not every GSA schedule contract holder wins business. You can see who's winning...and who's not selling a thing on GSA. Why is th i s he lpfu l ? First, your top competitor might be a company you've never heard of! Government buyers who use the GSA Schedule first call the top GSA vendors when they need something. Know who they are, and position yourself to win. Second, if you're looking for partners that have a GSA Schedules, you want to know how well they're doing! Where to go The Schedule Sales Query (SSQ) System at http://ssq.gsa.gov

How to s tart : On the top left menu, select "Create Report", log in, and hit "Proceed." What to look for : Sample the 11 different report formats. How would you use each?

1. Now go get the GSA Schedule ID Number you jotted down earlier, corresponding to your products or services.

2. Select Report 10: Total by Contractor for a Specific Schedule and Fiscal Year, to get a full year of data for the GSA Schedule of your choice. Export the file as an Excel spreadsheet, and then sort by contract value.

What next? Only 10% of government spending uses GSA Schedule contracts. Want competitive information on the other 90%, not just GSA Schedules? Time for Lesson 4....



EASY LESSON 4: RESEARCH PAST CONTRACT AWARDS (30 MINUTES) Did you know? USASpending.Gov provides over 60 pieces of data on every federal government purchase worth more than $25,000 -- free! And you can see data on f i r s t - t i e r subcontracts , too . Why is th i s he lpfu l ? First, buying trends tell you whether government already buys things like yours, and who they're buying from now. Second, individual contract data, you get contact information on the vendor -- useful if you want to explore teaming. But best of all, expiry dates for current contracts gives you crucial lead time to start marketing before the next RFP comes out, or even hits the forecasts. Where to go : www.usaspending.gov

How to s tart

• Have questions in mind when you begin, like "Which government agencies buy my kind of services?" or "Who are the top vendors of my kind of products or services to the Department of Homeland Security?"

• "Agency" can be a single organization (e.g. the Small Business Administration), or a part of a larger department (e.g. the Federal Bureau of Investigation within the Department of Justice, or Customs and Border Protection within the Department of Homeland Security).

What to look for : 1. Select "Prime Award Advanced Search". On the next screen:

- Enter a keyword for product, service, or competitor in the "Search Term" box, and, - Just below "Basic Criteria" select the box "Contracts". - Then click "Search".

2. Now, try a search on a competitor you discovered has a GSA Schedule. You'll see not only their GSA Schedule sales...but all the OTHER business they closed using other contract vehicles!



3. Pick a contract you might like to win the next time around. Click through all the underlined data, and try out the sort fields, to discover the detail provided. Government typically buys more of what they're already using. If you work backwards from contract expiry dates, you can estimate when new contracts might be competed.

4. Try exporting the data -- top right side of the screen, choose the option to export in Excel format, so you or your team can work with the data after download.

What next? • Sort by contract expiry date. Which contracts are expiring within the next 6 to 24 months?

o Compare your list of expiring contracts against what's in the current forecasts. What opportunities haven't yet shown up in forecasts? THOSE REPRESENT THE DEEP INSIDER LEADS TO TRACK DOWN and confirm with agency contacts.

What do your target agencies plan to spend next year? Back to Lesson 1!



About the Author JUDY BRADT, CEO, SUMMIT INSIGHT Judy Bradt is one of America’s top champions for savvy business owners exploring government contracts. For 25 years, she has counseled more than 6,000 clients who credit her advice for winning more than $300 million in government business. She’s also the author of the new book, "Government Contracts Made Easier." Judy’s a strategic advisor for government contracts, bringing her clients, readers and audiences no-nonsense insight on winning government business. She just helped one client close contracts worth nearly a million dollars, and an 8(a) win their first federal projects in record time. Ms. Bradt began her career as a business strategist in the technology industry, with IBM Canada in Toronto, and shifted her focus from local to international in 1988. During her 15 years as the foremost expert on U.S. government contracts at the Canadian Embassy in Washington DC, she launched award-winning initiatives and cross-border programs that brought millions in new business to US and Canadian women entrepreneurs. In 2003, Judy founded Summit Insight. Taking on the risk and uncertainty of building her business added credibility and empathy to her expertise from working in government: her clients know she grapples with the issues they face every day. She developed a sophisticated body of work, including strategy workbooks and seven-step methodology to guide government contract success. She serves established companies preparing to take their first step into government business as well as those who want to win more. Her clients include women-owned and veteran-owned companies as well as 8(a) firms planning for graduation. Ms. Bradt is renowned for her entertaining, substantive presentations at national and regional events for groups including the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). Her special courses get top reviews from audiences hosted by the Small Business Administration, the Procurement Technical Assistance Center at George Mason University and the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association’s Professional Development Center. Judy holds a BA from the University of Toronto, and an MBA from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada. She is also an instrument-rated private pilot and a rock-climbing instructor.

RECENT RECOGNITION • Small Business Administration’s

2011 Women’s Business Champion for Metropolitan Washington DC

• 2011 Rising Star award from the Women Presidents' Educational Organization (WPEO-DC) for her contributions to women's business enterprises

• MBE100, which recognizes entrepreneurship, community and professional contributions and outstanding client service.

MAJOR MEDIA COVERAGE Business Week, Fortune Small Business, Washington Business Journal, Smart CEO Magazine, ABC-WJLA Washington Business Report, and Entrepreneur Magazine. CONTACT [email protected] 703.627.1074 www.SummitInsight.com

Four Easy Lessons in Free Federal Market Research V4 Schedule ID for a list of the categories of...

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