Get this – the U.S. government is the largest customer in the world, and it’s required by law to consider buying products and services from small businesses just like yours. Are you ready to explore the federal marketplace?
Government contracts can offer a tremendous financial opportunity for your veteran-owned small business. And as the engines of economic development and job creation, small businesses can give government agencies access to a wide variety of diverse ideas and commodities too.
If you’re interested in starting your government contracting journey, check out these resources from the SBA.
Contracting Guide
The SBA’s goal is to ensure that 23 percent of prime government contract dollars are awarded to eligible small businesses. To help reach this goal, the SBA put together a contracting guide to help level the playing field for small business owners.
If you’re interested in entering the federal marketplace, this guide can help you:
· Determine if government contracting is right for your business
· Get to know the basic federal procurement requirements
· Learn how to increase your chances of winning a government contract
· Discover the different types of contracts and awards
· Get up to speed on the contracting standards, rules, and regulations
Take a look at the SBA’s contracting guide for small businesses.
Contracting Assistance Programs
There are a number of SBA contracting assistance programs available to help small business owners navigate the federal marketplace, compete for government contracts, and access small business set-asides and sole source contracts. There are specialized programs available for women-owned small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, businesses located in HUBZone locations, and more.
There are also specific veteran assistance programs to help veteran-owned small businesses win contract awards and acquire surplus personal property that’s no longer in use by the government.
Learn more about the SBA’s contracting assistance programs.
Counseling and Help
If you’re looking for additional government contracting support, your local Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) or Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) is a great place to start. These centers provide expert government contracting help at little or no charge through training and workshops, one-on-one counseling, and matchmaking events. Plus, the VBOC in your area can also connect you with government contracting opportunities and provide specific tools to help you navigate the federal marketplace as a veteran small business owner.
The SBA also offers a federal procurement training specifically for veterans who are interested in entering or expanding their business in the federal marketplace. Through a grant from the SBA, the National Center for Veteran Institute for Procurement (VIP) offers programs that are designed to meet you wherever you are in your government contracting journey – from just starting out to growing down the line.
The government contracting world can be complex, but the SBA is here to help. For more information about SBA’s government contracting resources and programs for veterans, visit https://bit.ly/Aug21VetBiz1.
This blog was originally written by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Veterans Business Development.
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