Ten Steps to Success

1
Ten Steps to Success for Doing Business with
TACOM LCMC
Office of Small Business Programs US Army TACOM
Life Cycle Management Command
2
Step 1 Identify Your Product or Service

• Match your product(s) or service(s) to the
  classifications the Government uses to define its
  current and future procurement requirements
• Federal Supply Classification (FSC) Codes -
• www.acquisition.gov/service_product_codes.pdf
• North American Industry Classification System
  (NAICS) Codes -
• www.census.gov/naics
• Enter your firms applicable FSC and NAICS codes
• when registering as a vendor for Federal
  contracts (Step 2)
• and when searching for opportunities online
  (Step 3)

3
Step 2 Register Your Company

• Websites for Government Contractor Registration
• Central Contractor Registry (CCR) - www.ccr.gov
• Online Representations and Certifications (ORCA)
  www.orca.bpn.gov
• Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) Database -
  www.dsbs.sba.gov/dsbs
• Does your firm qualify as a small business?
• For all Federal Size Regulations refer to 13
  C.F.R. Part 121.105
• Part 1 - Be a business entity that is
• organized for profit,
• with a place of business located in the United
  States,
• and which either
• operates primarily within the United States
• or
• makes a significant contribution to the U.S.
  economy either
• through the payment of taxes
• or

4
Step 2 Register Your Company (Continued)

• Part 2 Meet Size Standards for your NAICS Codes
• SBA determines size standard (i.e., ceiling) for
  every NAICS code - www.sba.gov/contractingopport
  unities/officials/size
• Product codes Based on number of employees
• Service codes Based on avg. annual sales
  receipts
• Check Rules of Affiliation in 13 C.F.R. Part
  121.103
• Does your firm fall under one or more
  socioeconomic subcategories?
• Visit www.sba.gov for more information.
• Small Disadvantaged Business
• 8(a) Business Development Program enrollee
  (SBA certification required)
• Woman-Owned Small Business
• HUBZone Small Business (SBA certification
  required)
• Veteran-Owned Small Business
• Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business
• Double check both your CCR and DSBS records for
  completeness.
• Include key words, capabilities description, and
  references.

5
Step 3 Locate Contracting Opportunities

• TACOM LCMC may be right in your backyard, but
• It does not mean that TACOM can buy your
  products or services.
• Each organization has a different mission and a
  different list of items and services it is
  allowed to buy.
• Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS)
  https//www.fpds.gov.
• Determine who buys what you sell by searching in
  FPDS
• Decades of information on purchases by all
  agencies
• What agency buys your NAICS codes
• Who is getting the contracts
• How much is spent

6
Step 3 Locate Contracting Opportunities
(Continued)

• Contracting Opportunity Websites
• Federal Business Opportunities - www.fbo.gov
• Defense Department Opportunities
• Army Single Face to Industry (ASFI) -
  https//acquisition.army.mil/asfi/
• Navy Electronic Commerce Online (NECO) -
  https//www.neco.navy.mil
• Air Force Opportunities - http//airforcesmallbiz
  .org/opportunities
• DLA Opportunities - http//www.dla.mil/BusinessOp
  s.aspx
• Command sites
• TACOM LCMC Procurement Network (ProcNet) -
  contracting.tacom.army.mil
• To find local Command or Organizations sites,
  drill down from
• USA.gov http//www.usa.gov
• DoD OSBP sites links http//www.acq.osd.mil/os
  bp

7
Step 3 Locte Contracting Opportunities
Step 3 Locate Contracting Opportunities
(Continued)
Step 3 Locate Contracting Opportunities
(Continued)

• Common Online Search Criteria
• FSC or NAICS Code
• NOTE Each Federal procurement solicitation is
  assigned a NAICS code
• by the contracting officer releasing the
  solicitation.
• Result Your firm may be small
  under one solicitation
• but not under
  another!
• Solicitation Type (e.g., set-aside for small
  businesses)
• Keyword (use Government terminology, and
  experiment to find out what
• words and word combinations yield the best
  results)

8
Step 4 Zero-In on Target Markets

• After pinpointing who buys what you sell, make
  maximum use of each targeted agencys procurement
  website
• for example
• US Army TACOM LCMC ProcNet contracting.tacom.a
  rmy.mil
• (Shown on next five slides)

9
Public Information Website www.tacom.army.mil
ProcNet (Business Opportunities)
10
Procurement Network Website (ProcNet)
contracting.tacom.army.mil
11
ProcNet - Warren Business Opportunities contract
ing.tacom.army.mil/opportunity.htm
Quick links to Acquisition Information, such as
Vendor Registration
Important Notices
Links to Opportunities are here
12
Step 4 Zero-In on Target Markets (continued)

• Links on US Army TACOM LCMC Procnet - Warren
  Business Opportunities page - http//contracting.
  tacom.army.mil/opportunity.htm
• Open and On-The-Street Solicitations
• Major Systems
• Commercial Vehicles and Items
• Service Contracting and Acquisition Support
• Research and Development
• Market Surveys and Sources Sought Notices
• Broad Agency and Research Announcements
• Future and Potential Buys
• Awarded Contracts, Orders, and Modifications

13
Step 4 Zero-In on Target Markets (continued)

• Small Business Info link at bottom of Business
  Opportunities Page
• takes you to the page for the Office of Small
  Business Programs (OSBP)
• http//contracting.tacom.army.mil/sbo/sbo.htm
  where you will find
• Doing business with TACOM LCMC instructions
• Tips Sheets for small businesses (coming soon)
• Lists of prime contractors (manufacturers,
  services, construction)
• Registration tool for available subcontractors
• Conference and event notices
• If Agency-specific questions arise, contact Small
  Business Specialists
• Federal Govt - http//www.osdbu.gov/offices.htm
  l

14
Step 5 Investigate Special Programs

• Federal Program Websites
• General Services Administration (GSA) Schedules
  Program - www.gsa.gov
• Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
  Program - www.sbir.gov
• Defense and Army Program Websites
• DoD Emall Program - www.dscc.dla.mil/programs/ema
  ll
• Mentor-Protégé Program - www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/men
  tor_protege
• Field and Installation Readiness Support Team
  (FIRST) Services Program -
• http//www.bragg.army.mil/rccfb/First/first
  .htm
• Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and
  Solutions (CHESS) Program -
• https//chess.army.mil/
• TACOM LCMC Program Websites

15
Step 6 Pursue Subcontracting Opportunities

• Subcontracting Opportunity Websites
• SBA Sub-Net - www.sba.gov/subnet
• DoD Subcontracting Directory -
  www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/doing_business/
• DoD Prime Contract Descriptions -
  www.defense.gov/contracts
• TACOM LCMC Prime Contractor Lists -
• http//contracting.tacom.army.mil/sbo/sbo.h
  tm
• After targeting a prime contractor, make maximum
  use of its supplier websitehighlighted below are
  those of Oshkosh and General Dynamics Land
  Systems
• Oshkosh Corporate Purchasing
• www.oskgpsc.net
• Supplier development information
• Purchasing contacts by commodity

• GDLS Supply Chain Management
• www.gdls.com/suppliersoverview
• Supplier manual
• iSupplier instructions for online quoting
• Online supplier registration
• Small Business Liaison Officer (SBLO)
• contact Information

16
Step 7 Learn the Rules of Govt Contracting

• Be aware of what sets Govt contracting apart
  from commercial contracting

17
Step 7 Learn the Rules of Govt Contracting
(continued)

• Regulatory and Policy Websites
• Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) -
  www.acquisition.gov/far
• Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy
  (DPAP) - www.acq.osd.mil/dpap
• Other Web Resources
• Defense Acquisition University (DAU) -
  www.dau.mil
• Defense Life Cycle Management Chart -
  https//acc.dau.mil/ifc/
• National Stock Number (NSN) Booklet -
  www.dlis.dla.mil/PDFs/NSN.pdf
• Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) Handbook -
  www.dcaa.mil/dcaap7641.90.pdf
• DoD Small Business Teaming Guide -
  http//www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/resources/teaming.pdf

18
Step 8 Know the Players in Govt Contracting

• Routine Participants
• Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) issues
  solicitations and awards contracts
• Program Manager develops acquisition plans and
  manages acquisitions
• Small Business Specialist screens all upcoming
  RFPs as set-aside candidates
• SBA Procurement Center Representative also
  reviews RFPs for set-aside suitability
• Competition Advocate promotes competition and
  challenges barriers to it
• Administrative Contracting Officer (ACO)
  monitors contract performance
• Small Business Specialist - Your initial go-to
  person for contracting advice and guidance at any
  Federal procurement agency
• What SB Specialists can do for you
• Discuss the extent that your capabilities

• What SB Specialists cannot do
• Act on your direct behalf in a manner even
• marginally resembling that of an agent
• Respond to a question regarding a specific
• solicitation or contract (such matters are
• the province of the buyer and PCO)

19
Step 9 Seek Advice, Assistance and Insights

• General Assistance and Information Websites
• Assoc. of Procurement Technical Assistance
  Centers (PTACs) - www.aptac-us.org
• Assoc. of Small Business Development Centers
  (SBDCs) - www.asbdc-us.org
• Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) -
  www.score.org
• SBA Financial Assistance Program -
  www.sba.gov/financialassistance
• Federal Business Gateway - www.business.gov
• Senate Small Business Committee - sbc.senate.gov
• House Small Business Committee -
  www.house.gov/smbiz/
• Organization Websites
• National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) -
  www.ndia.org

20
Step 10 Market Your Firm

• Develop three levels of marketing materials -
  long version, very short elevator speech, and a
  resume of one to two pages, customized to your
  targeted Government market(s)
• Make clear what your firms size and
  socioeconomic status is
• Focus on product over process define the
  specific items or services your
• company can provide, and identify applicable
  FSC and NAICS codes
• Cite the GSA schedules your firm is an approved
  contractor under
• List your current major customers and describe
  any notable business
• successes and accomplishments
• Be proactiverespond to market surveys, and take
  any additional action (Steps 4 through 6) that
  better positions your company for contracts

21
Step 10 Market Your Firm (continued)

• Attend conferences and forums to engage in
  face-to-face marketing
• Visit the websites of organizations like NDIA
  for schedules of events across
• the U.S. in which key Govt and prime
  contractor personnel are present
• Visit Federal procurement agency websites (Step
  4) for notices about
• Small Business Fairs, Industry Days and
  other agency-specific events
• Make sure your CCR, DSBS, and ORCA records are up
  to date
• Include key words for items, materials,
  processes, services
• Include general words as well as specifics

22
Summary
1. Identify Your Product or Service 2. Register
Your Company 3. Locate Contracting
Opportunities 4. Zero in on Target Markets 5.
Investigate Special Programs 6. Pursue
Subcontracting Opportunities 7. Learn the Rules
of Government Contracting 8. Know the Players in
Government Contracting 9. Seek Advice,
Assistance and Insights 10. Market Your Firm