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It’s might seem like a simple question, but when you think about it – can you answer with confidence? Can you explain how you identify new business opportunities, such as local government contracts? Are you confident in making the most out of each opportunity with your current bid management process?
Really think about it – are you driving business opportunities by working from one contract to the next and not actually growing as a business? Or are you actively pursuing ever bigger, better contracts that will result in expansion, new staff, and a bigger turnover?
There has never been a better time to get involved with the world of solicitation. COVID-19 has impacted the more traditional routes of business. You can no longer rely on face-to-face meetings and networking. You may be wondering how you and still grow your business and secure a pipeline without networking. Therefore, bidding for local government contracts and solicitation is a great solution, allowing work to be won remotely.
If bidding for local government contracts is part of your business development strategy, there are a few things to consider.
The old saying ‘if you’re not going forwards, you’re going backwards’ is still as true today as it ever has been, perhaps even more important in today’s competitive bidding marketplace.
So where can you find the growth opportunities?
Well, a great place to start, no matter what your business is, is local government solicitation opportunities. The public sector is filled with organizations that are constantly needing goods and services. Furthermore, they are wanting your company to supply them!
Local government contracts are the key for thousands of small companies across the US to securing growth, sustaining business, and increasing turnover. Each local government may do businesses differently, having different registrations, requirements, or policies.
Your business must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) to submit a bid to any government solicitation. Without first doing this, you won’t be eligible for any federal, state, or local government contracts.
Becoming a registered vendor with SAM eliminates the need to enter the same information over and over. It streamlines the process, increasing efficiency when doing business with the Government. In order to register with SAM, you’ll need a couple of things:
Registering as a vendor with SAM is the first step in order to do business and apply for local government contracts. It’s worth making a note of what licensing requirements you need to trade within the state or local area. This information will often be available on a local government website that states local business requirements.
So, now you’re on board. You’ve bought into the concept of bidding for the wealth of local government opportunities; but how do you write winning bids? Below are some things to consider before you start applying for local government contracts.
Your business won’t necessarily be eligible for every contract you want to bid for. Each solicitation agency will typically require certain thresholds and criteria. For example, this could be your experience, turnover, or the required accreditations. It’s worth double-checking if you have these before you start writing your RFP (request for proposal).
This is another question to ask yourself before you begin writing your IFB (invitation for bid) or RFP. Can you actually deliver what the contract is asking for? You’d be surprised how often this gets overlooked. Do you have the infrastructure to deliver the goods or services?
Deadlines are an incredibly important part of local government contracts. As soon as you find an opportunity you want to go for, double-check the submission date and time. Are you able to adequately plan and write a winning proposal in good time? There’s no point rushing your IFB or RFP and they won’t be accepted if you miss the deadline.
Local government contracts will be rejected if you don’t conform to the submission guideline and guidance. If you can’t follow those, how do you expect to be trusted to fulfil the contract? Don’t waste your time creating a proposal only to be rejected for something that could easily be avoided.
If you answered yes to the above questions, you now need to focus on your time management. RFP, IFB, and RFQ (request for quote) deadlines are not to be underestimated. Local government contracts can vary in size and length depending on the goods or services that are being bought.
So, you need to make sure you’ve planned enough time to get all the relevant and required documents together. Set yourself and your team realistic time constraints and internal deadlines. Plan your bid response and allow plenty of time to write detailed responses, matching the word or page count. You need enough time to write a winning response and carefully proofread it before submission.
In order to optimize catching any spelling or grammar mistakes, you could:
This can help you catch any missed errors and will help your bid stand out from your competitors. Procurers like to see as close to an error-free response as possible. These steps can help you optimize your response to local government contracts.
Who makes the purchasing decisions for local government contracts varies from municipality to municipality. However, there are two general and basic models:
Centralized Purchasing is when the Government has one purchasing department making all the purchasing decisions. This type of purchasing is usually preferred because it’s more of a standardized procedure. These normally accompany the purchasing decisions that are made. If this is the case, there’ll typically be a centralized record of all purchases that are made by that government.
Decentralized Purchasing is when individual departments make their own procuring decisions. This means each department can purchase goods or services for their individual needs.
Hudson’s range of services can help you win your next local government contract. Our bid writing guide & RFP writers can support you and develop your bidding abilities from day 1.
Alternatively, get in touch with the team at Hudson Succeed today to discuss how our other services can help you bid more successfully.
Our team has decades of experience supporting the growth of businesses and offering RFP support services in various sectors. This includes Creative, Technology, Facilities Management, and Research sectors to name a few. We support businesses across 20 countries, including the USA, UK, India, South Africa, Finland, and Germany, and China.
Our RFP Writing service is the perfect ad-hoc solution to ensure that you submit a high-quality bid, even when you’re busy. Our writers will breakdown the solicitation documents, allowing you to see what the bid and the contract involves. This will help to ensure that you have all the specified evidence and meet the requirements of the contracting authority. Our RFP Writers will then craft persuasive, high-quality responses, attach supporting evidence and even submit the bid on your behalf. Upload the solicitation documents for a free quote.
Have you already written a bid but need a second pair of eyes to review your work? Our RFP Mentor service will do just that. Simply send over your bid responses and the solicitation documents. Our writers will then assess your work, ensuring that your responses are in line with the specification. They will also check for any spelling or grammar errors. You can then submit your bid with confidence. Upload your work for a free quote.
Do you need help with preparing a bid proposal? Proposal Ready can help businesses that are new to tendering or those in need of rejuvenating their content. Our Bid Consultants can offer you proposal writing services, creating:
In summary, the most important thing to think about when you bid for local government opportunities is to prepare as far in advance as you can.
Go into every RFP response focussed on the end goal being business growth. Commit to the RFP process fully, allocating resources and time to ensure you’re submitting the best bid possible.
For more information on how to bid for government opportunities, contact our team for a free consultation.
Find more helpful tips and advice in our blogs. We cover topics including:
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Hudson Outsourcing LLC will not be responsible for any material that is found at the end of the links that may be posted on this blog site.
Because the information on this blog is based on Hudson Outsourcing LLC’s own opinion and experience, it should not be considered professional financial investment advice. The ideas and bidding strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional. Hudson Outsourcing LLC’s thoughts and opinions will also change from time to time as the market changes and as Hudson Outsourcing LLC develops.
