SOURCES SOUGHT: Synopsis for Air Force Air Surveillance Sensor

This Sources Sought Synopsis is in support of Market Research being conducted to identify potential sources for Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) for multiple Air Force terrestrial-based air surveillance sensors used to detect and track threats in support of the air sovereignty and aerospace defense missions of North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD)/United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM). This is not a Request for Proposal (or solicitation) or an indication that a contractual commitment will exist for this requirement. The Government is interested in all businesses to include Large Business, Small Business, 8(a), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, Hubzone, and Women-Owned small business concerns.

  • Original Set Aside:
  • Product Service Code:
  • NAICS Code:
  • Place of Performance: USA
  • Original Response Date: Aug 27, 2021 05:00 pm EDT

Full details via beta.sam.gov


Steven Koprince: Founder of Koprince Law and Small GovCon!

Learn about government contract laws and regulations from the founder of Koprince Law and SmallGovCon, Steven Koprince!

BACKGROUND

Steven Koprince is the founder and is a Senior Partner at Koprince Law LLC, a boutique law firm providing legal solutions for government contractors.

He also founded the blog SmallGovCon where he has written over a thousand posts on government contracting legal issues.

The site is viewed by thousands of readers each month and is one of the official must read websites for learning about new rules, changing policies, and court findings in federal procurement.

Mr. Koprince is also the author of the book entitled The Small-Business Guide to Government Contracts and three GovCon Handbooks providing in-depth information on discrete government contracting topics. 

Due to all of these, he appeared on numerous radio programs and podcasts and has been quoted in several national news outlets regarding different government contracting matters.

He is also a ten-time Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers featured speaker and was honored as a “Friend of APTAC” at the Spring 2016 APTAC National Conference.

ALL SMALL MENTOR-PROTEGE PROGRAM

In the All Small Mentor-Protege Program, any small business can team up with a mentor that is approved by the Small Business Administration (SBA).

The mentor then provides business development assistance to the protege and in return the SBA allows the mentor and the protege to form joint ventures. 

What mentors get?

With this, as a mentor in a joint venture project, you’ll be getting 60% of the profits because you did 60% of the work, meanwhile the protege is getting 40% of the profits.

Apart from that, the SBA also recently confirmed that it is legal for a mentor to be getting 40% of the small business’ 40% profit because in that joint venture, you basically own 40% of their company.

Lastly, mentors can have up to three proteges at one time. Although the proteges can’t be actual competitors to one another, there’s a lot of room and opportunities out there. 

What mentors should provide?

Primarily, mentors should provide business development. It is a requirement in the mentor-protege program, so that regardless if the protege gets a contract or not, they will still exit the agreement in a much better spot than when they entered. 

This is why it is a must for proteges to not skip the mentor-project agreement before entering a joint venture because by doing this, the mentor has the contractual obligation to provide business development.

“Whatever it is you need to take your business to the next level, you ask your mentor to put, to do that.”

Apart from that, the mentor can also provide financial assistance, provide facilities, help in writing proposals and anything related to project management, and help the small business in developing good internal policies and procedures.

How do proteges find mentors?

Most primes want to mentor businesses that they have a past relationship with and not just someone who goes straight and asks them, “Hello, be my mentor.”

So, the best thing to do is be a subcontractor to them. All these large businesses have subcontracting plans and they need subcontractors with different socioeconomic certifications.

If you see a contract coming up that they’re bidding and that you could be useful to, let them know. You will then be included on their team and you can start working together and soon build a relationship. 

THE THREE-IN-TWO RULE 

The three-in-two rule was a restriction on joint venture entities. In this rule, it said that within a two-year window period, you are only restricted to get three contracts. 

Then, after you get your third contract, you can either stop working with your partner or mentor or you form a new joint venture and resets the clock to zero. 

However, this is where it gets more frustrating because when you continue bidding under that old joint venture and you exceed the three contracts, the size of your partner will then be added to yours, so you now can’t go after small business set-asides.

And if you build another joint venture, you will still be subject to the three-in-two rule which means that if you reach the three maximum contracts, you need to build another joint venture. 

Fortunately, the three-in-two rule was recently changed where they get rid of the three parts. 

Now, in this new rule, the two rule, joint ventures can already win as many contracts as they want between the two-year period. 

Still, consider that the two-year period is still there and if you continue bidding after that period with the same joint ventures, then you will be found affiliated with that and could get in trouble. 

SMALL BUSINESS SIZE STANDARDS

In the old small business size standard, small businesses were determined based on the number of employees or dollar amount of revenues from a three-year average.

However, the Congress made some changes and on December 17, 2018, the Small Business Runway Extension Act of 2018 was signed into law.

With this new modification, small businesses are now determined based on a 5-year average.

HUBZONE PROGRAM

In recent years, the government wasn’t able to reach its goal for the HUZone Program. This may be due to structural issues that are imposed in the program that affects disadvantaged businesses in HUBZone areas. 

One of the structural issues has been its 35 percent requirement wherein HUBZone companies should have 35% of its employees living in a HUBZone area. 

This is certainly a problem because this requirement must be met when these businesses apply in the program and during both the bid date and award date of a contract. 

Another problem is that if one of these employees living in a HUBZone move to another place or quits the job, then you will be removed from the program. 

Fortunately, there are positive changes that the government made for HUBZone companies.

Now, you don’t have to maintain the 35% requirement within a contract’s bid date and award date, as long as you meet it on the date of your certification and you will do an annual renewal afterwards. 

Then, the government also made it for you to do joint ventures as they get rid of the requirement that you can only do this with another HUBZone company. Now, you can do joint ventures with a mentor, like any program. 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER

1. Don’t do something that is not written in your contract.

Many folks believed that everyone in a contract or a project who carries a government business card can essentially tell you to do more work or change your work, but it is not.

Only the contracting officer can do these changes as they are the ones who have the authority in that contract. 

For instance, if you are doing a landscape project and the project manager asks you to do something else, then you should not agree to it, unless the contracting officer made the changes in the contract and added what the project manager asked. 

But what happens if you do it, will you get paid? In some cases, you will be paid through ratification, but this is optional and it depends on the people in that agency. This is why you should protect yourself from these instances. 

2. Update your SAM profile before you submit a bid.

It’s a common misconception that you only need to update your SAM profile once a year, but this information is false. 

In fact, the FAR says that any time you bid on a government contract, your reps and certs in SAM should be current, accurate, and complete, as of that date.

So, one year is the minimum of making changes. If nothing has changed or you didn’t bid in anything, you still have to update it once a year. 

However, if anything changes in those reps and certs and every time you submit a bid, you need to update it, otherwise you’re making a false certification towards the government. 

3. 1099ers are subcontractors, not employees.

1099 independent contractors are subcontractors. This doesn’t mean that you need to give them your subcontracts to companies, but you can call it an independent contractor agreement that hereby incorporates all the FAR clauses.

You can’t also call them 1099 employees. You either classify them as 1099 or your employees. You can’t have it both ways.

Besides, you can’t tell the IRS that they are a 1099 while also telling SAM that they’re an employee when you want that to be true.

However, if you call them employees, then you better be paying all of your unemployment taxes and other stuff, otherwise you’re committing tax fraud.

RESOURCES

If you want to learn more about government contract laws and regulations from Steven Koprince, then be sure to click the resources below. You can also visit the GovCon Giant website or the new GovCon Edu where you learn everything about government contracting!

81: A Guest That Needs NO Introduction… Mr. Koprince of Koprince Law

https://govcongiants1.wpengine.com/podcast/081/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QelKtX7HKk

SOURCES SOUGHT: Q508–On-Site Inpatient Hemodialysis Services

VHA RPO West NCO 17 Health Care Resources Branch I is planning to solicit a vendor who can provide On-Site Inpatient Hemodialysis Services for Veterans within the area of the Thomas E Creek VA Medical Center. The Thomas E Creek VA Medical Center is looking for a Contactor that can provide all supervision, personnel, supplies, transportation, and equipment to perform inpatient acute hemodialysis treatments. VHA RPO West NCO 17 Health Care Resources Branch I is conducting a market survey to determine the existence of potential small business concerns (e.g., HUBZone, 8(a), SDVOSB, Woman-Owned, etc.) with the capability to fulfill this acquisition. Place of Performance: Department of Veterans Affairs Thomas E Creek VA Medical Center 6010 Amarillo Blvd West Amarillo, TX 79106-1991 Type of Contract: If this source sought notice leads to a future solicitation, the Government intends to award a firm-fixed-price contract.

  • Original Set Aside:
  • Product Service Code: Q508 – MEDICAL- HEMATOLOGY
  • NAICS Code: 621492 – Kidney Dialysis Centers
  • Place of Performance: Department of Veterans Affairs Thomas E Creek VA Medical Center Amarillo, TX 79106-1991 USA
  • Updated Response Date: Jun 28, 2021 02:00 pm EDT
  • Full details via beta.sam.gov

    govcon logo Check out our RESOURCES page for a sample letter that we use in response to government market research.

 

SOURCES SOUGHT: NM FLAP TAO CB110(1) Veterans Memorial Road

THIS NOTICE IS BEING ISSUED TO DETERMINE IF IT IS SUFFICIENT
INTEREST FROM QUALIFIED PRIME CONTRACTORS who are Small Business
Concerns (SBCs), HUBZone small businesses, Woman-Owned Small Businesses
(WOSBs), 8(a) small businesses, Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) or Service
Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) and who intend to submit a bid
for this solicitation NM FLAP TAO CB110(1) to allow for a set-aside in one of these programs MUST submit the
following by e-mail to CFLAcquisitions@dot.gov or by fax to 720-963-3360 (Attn:
Josephine Helms) for receipt by (2 p.m. MST) on June 15, 2021.

  • Original Set Aside:
  • Product Service Code: Y1LB – CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAYS, ROADS, STREETS, BRIDGES, AND RAILWAYS
  • NAICS Code: 237310 – Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction
  • Place of Performance: Ranchos de Taos, NM 87557 USA
  • Original Response Date: Jun 15, 2021, 02:00 pm MDT
  • Full details via beta.sam.gov

    Check out our RESOURCES page for a sample letter that we use in response to government market research.

Andy Wells: From $1,400 to $90M Company!

Achieve success like Andy Wells III and learn how he transformed his business from $1,400 to $90M!

BACKGROUND

Andy Wells III is the President and CEO of Wells Technology, a one-stop shop company providing different machineries and equipment to both government and commercial clients.

He founded the company in 1994 with a mere $1,400 investment to manufacture industrial tools and fasteners. 

Over the years, the company then achieved the million dollar annual revenue mark and was certified as an 8a, HUBZone, Small Disadvantaged Business, and a Minority Business Enterprise. 

But it was due to their SBA-approved Mentor-Protege agreement with Fastenal Company when Wells was able to transform his business. 

As of the time of this interview, the company’s revenue was $90 million and is still moving upward.

BUILDING WELLS TECHNOLOGY

With the goal of providing jobs to Native Americans like him, Andy Wells decided to quit his job as a university teacher and started Wells Technology. 

“Of course, it’s like driving at night with your headlights. You don’t see real far, you just see a little haze. I thought I might create two or three jobs. So, we started manufacturing with a machine.”

After trying on different projects for six months, Wells then came across to an air-powered scissor. They manufactured 50-100 at a time and he began selling it on the back of his car across the United States. With this little success, they began to hire more people.

GETTING A MENTOR

However, when they seemed to be not going beyond their revenue, Wells went to their occasional buyer, Fastenal, and asked them to be their mentor. 

With this, they started helping them with their marketing efforts to grow their business by bringing them to trade shows and other events across the country.

“So many small entrepreneurs will start a business with a service or manufacturing something. And they don’t realize how difficult marketing is. So they go into it, not allowing enough time or labor or capital money to fund a real good marketing effort. And we found out then that the marketing expense is just as much as same work and expense as the manufacturing part.”

STRUGGLES AND SUCCESS

Throughout the years, Wells faced different challenges in dealing with both the business and her family.

He wasn’t able to give more time to his youngest son and now, his wife with cancer needed both emotional and physical aid. Meanwhile, he still needs to stir the ship correctly for his employees. 

“That’s one of the things when you are a small business, you drive in to your parking lot in the morning and you see all these cars of your employees. Them and their families depend on you.”

However, with all of this, Wells continued to be optimistic because these people believed in him and without them, Wells Technology won’t be successful as it is today. 

“I get an award… but to tell you the truth, there are hundreds of people that are making it happen behind the scenes. And these are the positions that are truly important.”

BUILDING SOMETHING FOR THE COMMUNITY

Andy Wells is recognized by former US President Barack Obama for providing jobs and other opportunities to his community.

“There comes a time when I can say that, ‘That’s Okay,’ to get that experience and all but there comes a time in our life when we need to come back to our communities and give back to our communities. We can’t just be leaving because it’s like a brain drain or a success drain in our communities when we have our best and brightest leaving all the time.”

Apart from that, Wells also teaches character and the value of trust, honesty, respect, and integrity for these people who want to work with him. 

Although Wells gathered bigger awards as a business owner, the greatest reward that he achieved was being able to see these people get their paycheck and go home to their families.

“We invest the profits back in our communities. And you know, so we can  help others, because we have that connection. And it allows our people to be part of the American dream that way.”

ADVICE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

1. Be the first to hand a card.

You need to network yourself by going to different events. But in order to leave a mark, you should be the first person to hand your card and turn that simple conversation to a lasting relationship.

“You remember the first and the last person that asked you for something.”

2. Do what you said you’re gonna do. 

You need to take account of your words in order to earn other people’s trust and respect.

If you said you’re gonna meet them at a certain time, be there 5 minutes early. Don’t be late. 

“Do what you say you’re gonna do. And earn their respect. And it takes a while…. Some of them like Lockheed Martin, I worked with them for 10 years before I got my first business opportunity. It takes a while, they got to see you, they got to begin to trust you. You know, know you and kinda see the direction you’re heading. See if there’s a fit between you and them.”

3. Find people who have the same interests as you. 

Not all your friends before will understand your current interests, so you need to find others who are also interested in what you do. 

“The friends I had before are more into education and teaching. So they didn’t have any interest in entreprenuring, while I was excited about helping them know it. They didn’t have any interest at all; they wanted to change the subject. So I had to find new friends who were also in business of some sort. And they certainly were a good help.”

4. Be careful with working with family members.

When you have your family members working with you, you need to make sure that they don’t abuse their power or do anything that would cause disagreement over at family dinner. 

As much as possible, you need to separate your problems at home and in the office.

“For example I brought my son in, he’s the Vice President now and it would be really easy for him to abuse his authority… and money and personal things. But he knows because I’m with him almost every day, you got to be very responsible. And I tell him, ‘It’s like walking on a fence, you can fall off real easy.’ A little temptation to lean one way or the other you can fall off the fence.”

5. Surround yourself with believers.

We always have times that we think of ourselves as failures and during these times, we need someone to remind us of our strengths and capabilities. 

“I think my wife has always believed in me. Everybody needs to have somebody, you know a friend, a leader or somebody who believes in you, cause there’s time when you begin to sometimes doubt yourself.”

6. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

There are a lot of people who will break your trust but there are also a handful of good people who will help you whenever you need it. You just have to find them.

“Sometimes, you feel alone but there’s a lot of people out there who’ll help you. You never have to be lonely and don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

7. Keep going. 

It took Andy Wells six months to come up with something that will help grow his business. So, experiment with things and strategies, but never give up.  

“When I asked these people, ‘What are your goals?’ They say, ‘I just want to get through today.’ And unfortunately, sometimes, they self-medicate themselves in alcohol or drugs just to get through the day. And I always tell them, ‘There’s always a future for you.’ And if you want to be a successful person, we got to… develop it.” 

8. Help others.

Like Andy Wells, you should be able to help others because no matter how many awards you get, there’s no greater reward than seeing someone achieve success through your help. 

“Always do it in a sense of trying to help other people, not just yourself. Your mission should be to help other people, through your product or your service or sometimes just generosity.”

RESOURCES

If you want to learn more on how Andy Wells III transformed his business from $1,400 to $90M, then be sure to click the resources below. You can also visit the GovCon Giant website or the new GovCon Edu where you learn everything about government contracting!

037: From $1,400 to $90M Eric interviews Andy Wells, Wells Technology

https://govcongiants1.wpengine.com/podcast/037-2/

From $1,400 to $90M!! Stands for more than money!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvunRe0nycI

Sources Sought For Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge Road & Visitor Parking Rehab

The project is in Mora County, New Mexico, approximately 8 miles west of Watrous, New Mexico, and located within the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).

THIS NOTICE IS BEING ISSUED TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS SUFFICIENT INTEREST FROM QUALIFIED PRIME CONTRACTORS who are Small Business concerns (SBCs), HUBZone small businesses, Woman Owned Small Businesses (WOSBs), 8(a) small businesses, Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs), or Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) and who intend to submit a bid for this solicitation to allow for a set-aside in one of these programs MUST submit the following by e-mail to CFLAcquisitions@dot.gov for receipt by close of business, 4 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST), September 25, 2020: (see full requirements HERE.)

  • Product Service Code: Y1LB – CONSTRUCTION OF HIGHWAYS, ROADS, STREETS, BRIDGES, AND RAILWAYS
  • NAICS Code: 237310 – Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction
  • Place of Performance: Watrous , NM 87753 USA
  • Original Response Date: Sep 25, 2020 04:00 pm MDT

Full details via beta.sam.gov


govcon giants logo Check out our RESOURCES page for a sample letter that we use in response to government market research.

Charles Jones ­- Baltimore Powerhouse Commissaries

Learn how you can continue to meet your HUBZone requirements while growing your business, including the tips on writing proposals for federal contracting with CEO and President of C&S Jones Group LLC, Charles W. Jones.

BACKGROUND

Mr. Charles Jones ventured into the mortgage industry back in 2008. However, that was only until the market crashed and the economy tanked due to the recession.

During those difficult times, he decided to form a business he called the C&S Jones Group in 2010. It was founded to assist with the cleanup of abandoned properties on behalf of asset managers. 

“We didn’t know when the economy was going to come back and there was a bunch of real estate that was out here. So I did my due diligence and got a subcontract with asset managers to maintain the properties in particular areas.”

They also did the operations support for the army and did facility management operations where they operate and assist with operations of commissary stores across the country.

Fast forward to today, his business has been named by the Baltimore Business Journal as one of the top 50 minority owned businesses in Baltimore for six consecutive years and it has also grown to become responsible in managing commissaries throughout four states. 

For those who are unfamiliar with commissaries, they are where you can purchase discounted groceries and other household goods for active duty, reserve, and guard members. But what most people are unaware of is that the success of this program is thanks to the diligence of the C&S Jones Group.

EXPERIENCE IN THE FEDERAL MARKETPLACE

Mr. Jones didn’t have any idea about writing proposals nor did he have any background, or friends who showed him the ropes. What he did was go to every outreach, agency and events that could teach him how to play in the field.

But he also credited the local PTAC or Procurement Technical Officer for being a huge help with his procurement technical assistance. 

“In the past, we literally just kept grinding. If we could not win the contract, we would do a debrief to see where we were strong and which areas we needed to improve.” 

Mr. Jones shared that he has had his fair share of defeat in the federal marketplace but what really pushed him to keep on going was that he understood that there was some space for the company to get in.

And all he needed was a good product, a sound business practice, and that the federal marketplace was a leveled playing field.

“Federal Contracting is an open book. You compete on a level playing field as everybody gets the same information.”

The HUBzone Program

“Businesses are all about solving a problem for somebody else and capturing some revenue for yourself.”

The HUBZone stands for Historically Underutilized Business Zone. It is basically an area where business development and growth has been fairly limited. The program’s goal is to help small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities.

And they award at least three percent of federal contract dollars to HUBZone-certified companies each year.

While three percent may not sound like much but in 2011,

 

that percentage amounted to over 9.6 Billion dollars and was awarded to small businesses. 

In 2012, the median total value of awards for these firms was slightly more than $360,000.

The HUBZone certified companies either compete for contracts or are awarded a sole source contract. 

And when they compete for contracts amongst other HUBZone certified companies, they compete within a smaller pool of contractors.

They receive a 10% price evaluation preference in open contract competitions. Its main benefit is the growth you’ll be bringing into your own community!

So how can you know if you qualify for this program?

Well, HUBZone certification is location-based. All you need to do is to confirm if your business is located within a HUBzone, look up your address on the HUBzone map

If you are located in a HUBzone then the next step is to check out your eligibility requirements and the application process. 

Get 8A Certification Only When You’re Ready

“A lot of companies have made the mistake of getting their 8A certification way too early in the game.”

Mr. Jones mentioned that the 8A certification is a nine year program and if for example, you came in too early and had to spend five years to hit your mark, you’ll only have four years left to benefit from the program.

If you haven’t even opened up your business, don’t get 8A. Make it work in the beginning and not at the end.

The 8A is not a guarantee that you can receive a contact. You can’t get any contracts during that period if you don’t have the credit line, the security clearance, the past performance, and the relationship. 

This is not an easy industry where you only need to provide a certification. There are a lot of regulations to follow. You have to have people to trust you.

“Remember, you are using the taxpayer’s money in federal contracting, if you fail to deliver what you’ve promised then you are out of the game.”

RESOURCES

If you want to watch the full video of the interview with CEO of C&S Joes Group LLC, Charles Jones on how to stay ahead of the curve and continue to grow in federal contracting then be sure to click the link down below.

Charles Jones ­- Baltimore Powerhouse Commissaries: 

GovCon Website: 

https://govcongiants1.wpengine.com/podcast/charles-jones-baltimore-powerhouse-commissaries/

Youtube Full Video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd3bsvoKfiQ

TOP 7 With Charles Jones—Baltimore Powerhouse Commissaries

Back in August 2019, Charles Jones, President and CEO of C&S Jones Group, LLC. joined us on the GOVCON GIANTS PODCAST. With hard work and perseverance, he was able to build his business. We were honored to have Jones as a guest and give our audience some advice on how to continue to meet your HUBZone requirements while growing your business. We also touched on his win percentage to stay ahead of the curve and continue growing, his favorite books, training recommendations, and much more.

BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE 

Charles Jones runs a minority-owned business based in the Baltimore Metro Area, conducting work for the U.S. government in five separate states in three different time zones. CEO of C&S Jones Group, LLC is a certified full-service government contractor dedicated to improving all areas of government and business operations, streamlining processes and cost reduction.

TOP 7

EVERY COLLEGE IS A HUB ZONE

As Mr. Jones stated, “This is $1 million that I’m giving you right here…College students, even ivy league colleges are considered HUBZones because the students that reside there, their income is below the threshold, to be considered a low-income area.”

Therefore, it’s a win-win. By doing this, students get experience and get prepared for their future business or career success. In turn, the company gets the benefit of maintain their size standard.

 

DON’T GIVE UP!

Most companies give up before the 5th year. Don’t give up! If you can stick it out and maintain to your 5th year, that becomes your turning point. At the 5th year, doors begin to open, and you begin to propel forward in new ways. As Reginald F. Lewis said and Jones quotes, “Keep going no matter what.”

 

HOW TO GET A MENTOR

When looking for a mentor, Jones advises looking at what you bring into the relationship as a mentee. Looking at it from these lens, evens the playing field and allows you to know what you can bring into the relationship and what you have to offer in return for their mentorship.

 

CONTINUE LEARNING EVERYDAY

The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and his local paper, the Baltimore Sun, are three tools Jones uses to keep his learning going. As an avid reader he loves to educate himself and states, “If you’re not looking for new ideas and seeing what’s coming down the pipeline, you may miss some harvest.”

Some of his recommendations include online classes, online magazines and the following books:

  • “Soul Food: Fifty-two Principles for Black Entrepreneurial Success” By Doctor Robert Wallace
  • “Entrepreneurial Finance: Finance and Business Strategies for the Serious Entrepreneur” by Steven Rogers

 

WAIT

Wait? For what? Well, Jones advises you wait until your company is ready to join the 8a program. In order to receive its full benefits, you want to assure you are prepared and ready to take full advantage. Also, wait to assure you can do what you say you’re going to do. “This is a people business,” states Jones. “They have to like you and trust you…we’re utilizing taxpayers’ dollars, so you definitely want to make sure that you’re doing what you say you’re going to do and delivering because if not you’re out of the game.”

 

CHECK THOSE CHECKS!

Okay, maybe most of us get direct deposits and this is a digital era so they’re not necessarily “checks,” but checking your payroll is very important as a business owner and having your own company. As Jones states, “you are responsible for its financial health and wellbeing.”

 

“BE CAREFUL WHO YOU GET IN BED WITH…IN BUSINESS”

An old saying that still holds true. Make sure you listen to your gut and that you can trust the people you are working with. Most importantly, Jones advises that even if you do, “you still have to get it in black and white.” Make sure you have paperwork, so everyone is protected and on the same page.

  

To conclude, Charles Jones ended with some great advice and encouragement, “If I can you can… Know that there’s ups and downs. It’s a cycle. It is not easy. It’s not going to be easy… Be prepared for the ups and downs and sleepless nights. Have a strategic plan but don’t let that plan become your gospel. Be fluid in everything you do. Have someone to turn to,” for Jones it’s his wife, “and also have alone time during the tough times.”

  

To learn more from our guest speakers, join the GOVCON GIANTS Podcast Community available on  Spotify, Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Google Play and iHeart.

To learn more about government contracting subscribe to the GOVCON GIANTS YouTube Channel.

 

Everything About the Commercial And Government Entity (CAGE) Code

Learn what is a CAGE code and what are the things you need to consider about this in registering in the SAM database!

WHAT IS A CAGE CODE?

The Commercial And Government Entity (CAGE) code is a five-character ID number assigned by the Department of Defense’s Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).

This code is extensively used within the federal government in order to support a variety of mechanized systems and provide a standardized method of identifying a given legal entity at a specific location.

This code may be used for a facility clearance or a pre-award survey.

DON’T WORRY ABOUT THIS CODE!

One thing that you should consider is that you do not need to have a CAGE code prior to registration. This will be assigned to you for FREE when you register in the System for Award Management (SAM) database.

What happens is once the Entity Registration is submitted for processing, information will be routed to the DLA for CAGE code assignment.

Once the CAGE code has been approved, it will be sent back to SAM and added to the Entity Registration.

If for any reason, there is an issue with your CAGE code, you will receive an email notification. Please follow the instructions in the email to address these issues.

RESOURCES

Having a CAGE code is just one of the steps in the SAM registration process. With other things that you need in registering as a vendor and doing business with the federal government, let GovCon Giants help you. 

Just visit our website and other social media platforms or check the new GovCon Edu where you learn everything about government contracting!

You can also check these resources below to learn more about the topic above and other resources that you might need:

What is a CAGE Code?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcz-GpTaAp8&list=PL6-jBNNcc98uGELU5VdhxbF4ZWFqa9OLf

Where do I start?

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6-jBNNcc98vgItLSmWLW2nZfNv9gOFeJ

SAM.gov

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6-jBNNcc98vntvG28s7FkbA5ZHzh5ttR

Small Business Tips

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6-jBNNcc98s8Wokfs6Gg03bCuthc8bkk

Where Do I Start? List of GovCon Videos to Watch!

Working in the federal marketplace can be a journey, so to help you better learn where to start, GovCon Giant made this list of videos to watch for you to follow!

THIS IS OUR STORY

Before we dive into some lessons, find out who is Eric Coffie and what is our mission here at GovCon Giants.

Listen to Eric Coffie’s 2020 Challenge video and learn our story and see why we believe that every small business on the planet should be doing government contracts!

“My name is Eric Coffie and it’s my mission in life to help small businesses achieve overwhelming success in the federal marketplace… I know that by creating an army of excellent contractors that operate ethically, we’ll provide the optimum value and best price for the government, we can curb this deficit spending trend, and start solving some of the life’s real challenges that this country faces you.”

BUSINESS BASICS

1. Learn the basics of government contracting. 

Before you start your company, learn the marketplace first. Remember, the government arena is different from the commercial marketplace.

With this, we give you a little summary of the fundamentals. This video will give you an overview of the basic building blocks to successfully win federal contracts.

2. Form your company.

Before doing business with the government, you need to incorporate your business. Remember the U.S. is a capitalistic society, even if you don’t have a tangible business, get incorporated now.

Still needs more reasons to incorporate? Watch this video: Six (6) Reasons to Form your corporation

3. Get your DUNS number. 

A Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) is a nine-digit identification number assigned to identify your business and to track your company’s credit record.

While the SAM database is extending the transition from using the DUNS number to the New Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in April 2022, you still need to get your DUNS number before registering to the database. 

Want to know more about how to do it? Check this video on how to apply for a DUNS number. Please note that getting your DUNS number is absolutely FREE and you don’t have to pay someone to get this done.

4. Choose your NAICS code. 

A North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is a six-digit long code that helps classify the types of products and services that you supply.

The government actually permits having multiple NAICS codes, if you provide a wide variety of supplies. However, be careful in choosing because choosing the wrong NAICS code can cost you millions.  

5. Register in SAM.

The System for Award Management (SAM) database is a platform to properly represent your business in the federal contracting arena.

Depending on the complexity of your business, your registration might take about an hour and it can also take an average of 7-10 business days to process it in the database. You can check more information about the SAM.gov database here. 

If you want to learn more on how to register, then check these SAM Registration Tips. We also have a registration playlist in both Italian and Spanish language. 

WINNING TIPS AND STRATEGIES

1. Consultant or Contractor?

Now, there are two paths that you can take… be a consultant or a contractor. A consultant is a person who represents a firm and helps you win contracts, meanwhile a contractor is the company that actually does the work with their team. 

If you want to be a consultant, then check this video on how to get started as a consultant or check this playlist on consulting.

2. Where to look for contract opportunities?

After you create your company, you’re probably looking for a few ideas of how to make money using the power of the government. Here are a few places to start: How to make money online – no sales required.

3.  Are you eligible for these?

The federal government allocates 23% of all contracting dollars to small businesses. That’s a whopping $156 billion dollars!

So, if you have a woman-owned small business, a service-disabled veteran-owned small business, a small disadvantaged business, or a Historically Underutilized Business, then check these small business programs!

You can also check our playlist about the 8a program which offers a broad scope of assistance to small firms.

BUSINESS ADVICE

1. Business is like a jungle. 

Once you start learning how to make money, be careful because there will always be people who will try to take you down. Business is like a jungle, as they say. 

“They’re out there and they’re looking to take you down. Again, they’re coming from the bottom, they come up from the top, and if you can get through that jungle and you could make it on the other side, then you’re going to be successful in business. Just keep in mind that they’re all there to stop you from your pursuit of getting out the other side.”

2. Pain is positive. 

Scared to say the wrong things? Afraid to make mistakes? Faced with mental struggles? Our life can be compared to evolution and adaptation. Remember, the strong survive and the weak shall perish. Learn more why I say that pain is positive and helps you ascend to new heights!

3. Fair and failure are cousins. 

If you think that everything is too much for you, understand that fear and failure are cousins. These two are causing the death of many good ideas that never materialized. So, learn how to handle fear in this video.

4. Success does not discriminate. 

Don’t worry about the naysayers, the doubters, and the haters because regardless of your background, they will always say something negative towards you. 

Remember this, all of my rich friends started with no experience. Some of them are former criminals, most have no college degree, and little formal education. But they are all successful. Why? Because success does not discriminate.

GET INSPIRATION FROM US!

Starting is not easy, but it is necessary. Throughout the journey towards success, you will face a lot of setbacks. With this, you can learn from the personal philosophy that I use to develop a mental foundation.

You can also learn from these techniques that I use to become the smartest persons in the room.

Consider that all of those things that you are feeling right now are normal for a business owner, but you should not focus too much on these matters. 

If you want inspiration, you can check the story of how I leveraged the techniques above to land more than $1.5 million in contracts.

You can also check other GovCon Giants who have already gained success in the government arena through our podcast.

“I was born in a very poor community down in Miami, Florida… It was a predominanty black community and I grew up and we saw guns and knives, and we saw prostitution and drugs. And you know what? I chose a different path for myself. I chose a different way… I started a business, I started a company, I jump into real estate, I bought property, I made investments. And so, I’m telling you that I’m living proof of it.”