There are many opportunities for substantial contracts with the US Government. However, finding your way through all the Govt. websites and learning some of the unique Govt. nomenclature can be a time-consuming task.
In this article I will discuss some basics and key indicators that should save you a considerable …
First, some basic terms you should know:
A. Dun and Bradstreet (B&D) Registration
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You probably already have this but if not your company needs to apply
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Their website is: http://www.dnb.com
B. Contractors Central Registration (CCR)
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You must be registered in CCR to do business with the Govt.
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Their website is: https://www.bpn.gov/ccr/
C. Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA)
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Required to receive an award from the Govt.
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Their website is: http://orca.bpn.gov/
D. Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website
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This is your main website for finding opportunities for Govt. contracts
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Their website is: https://www.fbo.gov/
E. Business Partner Network
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A very helpful source of information
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Contains links to CCR,SBA, ORCA and FBO
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Their website is: https://www.bpn.gov/
F. The Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code
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Required for Govt. contracts
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The CAGE request process is incorporated into the CCR registration
G. Federal Service Desk
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Contains great info on how to register in CCR
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Their website is: https://www.fsd.gov/app/answers/list
H. Small Business Administration
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Registration is very helpful in getting awards as many contracts are set-aside for small businesses
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Their website is: http://www.sba.gov/
I. North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes
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ORCA and CCR require you to select these codes that describe your business
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You will find the codes are non-specific but adequate to describe the kind of work or services you can provide (check
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Check out categories under codes 221, 236, 237,and 238 for a start
J. Product Service Codes (PSC) and Federal Supply Classification (FSC) codes
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Only a few of these apply to construction work, for example:
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Y — Construction of structures and facilities
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Z — Maintenance, repair, and alteration of real property
The foregoing is a lot to take in at first glance. Don’t be discouraged, you only need to accomplish each step one at-a-time. The most time-intensive tasks are getting registered in CCR and ORCA.
If you have never searched for Request for Proposals (RFP) or Request for Quotations (RFQ) from the Government; the best place to get a feel for how things work, is FBO. This will be the main emphasis of this article.
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About the Author: Mr. Paul F. Hahn has more than 30 years of experience in the positioning industry. He has worked as a land surveyor, construction surveyor, in
sales, marketing and product development for surveying and construction
instrument manufacturers