Doing Business with the Federal Government

Introduction

The federal government is the largest purchaser of supplies and equipment in the world with a budget of $200 billion. The Philadelphia Supply Center has had over $8 billion in sales, alone, in 2001. Fortunately, in many instances the government will set aside procurement for small business.

Products range from air conditioners to zippers. Small businesses can profit from doing business with these agencies, if they know how to get the information necessary to compete. The following links are set up to give basic information on how to start tapping into that budget.

Getting Started

The Small Business Administration has all the information you will need as a small business owner, including women and minorities, to set up your company to do business with the federal government. You will need a federal tax ID number and a Dun&Bradstreet rating and a CAGE code. The links to these sites are listed below:

Business to Business

These services provide a vehicle for business to electronically interface directly with government agencies. Some of their features include solicitation searches, invoicing, request for quotations, and contracts awarded. They provide a one stop source for all your business requirements with the Fed Govt, saving valuable time. They search the web, and forward all your requirements directly to you via e mail or display it on their website. They can also provide information on past contract awards, allowing you to view the prices the government paid for any one particular item. The only drawback is that they charge a fee for this service. However, subscribing to a VAN (value added network) will increase your productivity.

How to find what the Government is looking for

You can conduct a Fielded Search of the CBD via GPO Access. Type in the product you wish to search for and the CBD will show you if the government is looking for it, or have bought it in the past:

Government Purchasing Office

For the Navy, go to: Navy Purchasing Office

For the Air Force, go to: Federal Business Opportunities

For the Army, go to: Procnet

Federal Small Business Resources

Federal Web Sites For Small Businesses:
Originally created by
Debbie Whittemore - 10/05/01