Government sponsored trade shows are B2G events that bring together buyers and sellers. On the surface, it sounds like a great idea to increase competition for Government business. However, many companies are finding that the leads generated from these shows do not turn into business.
B2G shows are often packed with buyers, who process requisitions from managers and end users. Their job is to solicit items and services, ensure competition where possible, and make sure the procurement adheres to the FAR. Buyers can invite new companies into a procurement, but they do not decide what products and services are needed by the Government.
SPY PHONE BOX
At a recent trade show, the booth next to us at BidLink was a company selling a secret spy-phone signal blocking box, for top secret conference rooms. It was basically a cone-of-silence for cell phones, with radio signal blocking, sound deadening and speakers that generate white noise. Secret agents could put their phones in the box, close it, and have private conversation without the prying ears of spies. People in secret meetings can honestly say, “Honey, the phone never rang. I swear”. It was a great idea, that will never gain traction at the typical B2G show. This is because buyers, the most common attendees at B2G shows are not the folks who would make a decision that the Government needs a few secret spy-phone blocking boxes. Program managers and other higher-ups have this authority, but it’s simply not the buyer’s job to decide what the Government needs.
A few booths down, there was a company selling industrial supplies. He had a catalog of over 10,000 items; everything from generators, to wash buckets, to paint, to industrial toilet paper. B2G Shows are perfect for this type of company. Drive around any military base and you will see hosing units, stores offices, and lots of people. These people need every day things, and the Government buys lots of them. A vendor selling commonly purchased items could forge a new relationship with many buyers at a B2G show. Especially if they are 8a or small business. Buyers love to bolster their set asides.
BETTER NETWORKING
We see lots of companies selling IT solutions at these shows. They sell innovative solutions to Government problems, including staffing, supply chain, and even BidLink, who provides a tool for sourcing, pricing, and finding out almost anything about an NSN. These services do not have a clearly defined market in the Military, but they provide efficiency that could save the Government money and time.
If you are trying to introduce something new to the Government, you may find it difficult to get any traction from a Government trade show. This is because most of the attendees at these shows are either buyers, who only buy items that are requisitioned, or end users with no buying authority. We have met with very few program managers at these shows. Program managers have the authority to decide if a new product or service could be of use to their group.
The idea of getting business and Government together make sense. Companies have difficulty reaching the right contacts in Government, so hosting meetups is a great idea. The disconnect is that sometimes these shows are filled with people who alone, cannot make the decision to buy your new product or service.
What might improve these trade shows would be for program managers as well as several of their personnel to attend the show together. Often the program manager might not directly use the product or service, but has the authority to decide if it should be purchased. Program managers roaming a trade show with a couple of end users, who can evaluate the service would provide a powerful combination. Combining the need to buy (end user) with the purchasing authority (program manager) allows companies with new ideas for the Government to showcase their wares to folks who may actually buy what they offer.
BidLink.net is a provider of defense industry information for contractors worldwide. This data includes millions of defense contracts, procurement history, part numbers and vendor details. This unique combination of resources allows BidLink to monitor and extract important information for the defense contracting industry. BidLink.net, based in Washington, D.C., provides bid search and notification services, competition analysis as well as part number (NSN) lookup to many military activities and thousands of private companies around the world.
For the news and tools to compete in the defense industry, go to www.bidlink.net.
By Tom Gerbe, Defense Industry Analyst.
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