Searching for DoD contracts can be time consuming especially if you are not searching correctly. Many companies simply don’t research the data correctly and that’s usually due to lack of experience or basic knowledge on how DoD buys. This relates to both contracts or solicitations. One key is the wording.
With our experience here at BidLink as it relates to DoD contract awards and solicitations, we’ve helped over 20 thousand companies over the past 18 years become more successful in selling to DoD. The same questions from those companies tend to repeat. This article briefly touches on a few answers to some of those repeated questions, which in turn result in a more successful government contractor.
The example below is a synthesized scenario representing thousands of conversations we’ve had with manufacturers. Manufacturers or anyone selling a product “a physical item” to DoD or the federal government can use these techniques. It shows what that contractor might be doing either inefficiently or incorrect. Using this simple procedure shown below will result in a more successful contractor.
Many companies start out searching for government bids using a system called Fedbizopps. It’s the place where the U.S. Federal Government and Department of Defense (DoD) post any proposed contract actions expected to exceed $25,000 for the public to review and potentially bid on.
The basic problem government contractors’ face is that the person doing the searching is either not searching efficiently or even correctly. This has been the case whether they are a beginner or even a seasoned contractor. Below is a typical conversation with a BidLink client:
BidLink
What type of products does your company manufacture or sell?
Client
We make injection molded parts and can do rotomolding as well.
BidLink
Please be more specific, what are the names of some of items you produce?
Client
Things like dust caps, plastic cases and equipment cases. I know my competitor sells them but I can’t find any bids or DoD contracts for them.
BidLink
How do you currently look for past sales or open government solicitations?
Client
I search FBO using the word “injection molded parts”, the NAICS code 326199 or words like “dust caps”. I don’t find many opportunities or my results are poor with many things that don’t relate.
Let’s review why the results are poor to none. Whether you’re looking for past DoD contracts or new open solicitations the thinking is the same.
The first thing as a general rule DoD buys things (items), not processes – “Injection Molding” is a process of manufacturing. If a bid or contract award is posted the method of manufacture is rarely mentioned.
When searching for solicitations or contract awards if you are unfamiliar DoDs “official” names of those items, you need to do some research. One way is to research and review all the items your competitors have and are currently selling to DoD. Start by searching on their names, possibly brand names they sell. Also look all the past DoD contracts relating to a specific contractor which have been awarded, look at the actual contract if available. Look at the NSN and procurement history to see how they describe it in the past contract. After reviewing all the past sales you will start to see patterns, “official names” used over and over. Then search using those “official” names and your results will greatly improve.
The NAICS codes are an Industry Classification System; they have nothing to do with specific products. Even according to the organization that organizes the NAICS codes say it’s “not a product classification system”. Yes NAICS codes are used, they are part of the data associated to contract awards and solicitations. But in general NAICS are a relatively poor way to seek accurate quick results, especially when the only code you can find that represents the products you manufacture or sell is NAICS 326199 which is listed as “All Other Plastics Product Manufacturing” – this is way too general. A better use of your time, more accurate method is product codes or “official item names”.
Methods
Search the word “injecting molding” or “dust caps” you’ll probably see little to no results get frustrated and end up not selling anything to DoD, while your competitors who are already selling get the business. After a couple minutes of research in BidLink we found a few words that represented a “dust cap” that resulted in over 100 open solicitations. In fact one contractor sold 55,231 of these items in a single order to DoD, exactly what we were looking for.
One of the most important things and first things to do if your goal is to sell to DoD or the U.S. Federal Government, is to know how they buy. What I’m referring to goes beyond which types of contracts they might use such as “open solicitations” (which are posted daily) or a “long term contracts” like GSA Schedule contracts. It’s knowing and finding how DoD describes what you manufacture or sell, the “official name”. By researching all past contract awards “procurement history” of your competitors you’ll be able to narrow down your best ways to sell your products as well as see how much your competitors are making.
Many companies spend 1000’s of hours and $1000’s of dollars on putting together GSA Schedules, searching Fedbizopps with poor results and winning no DoD awards for items they sell – All because they’re searching using incorrect words or codes.
Start by researching companies you already know (your competitors), spend some time and perform detailed research finding actual sales of items that relate to items you sell. Don’t just rely on sales relating to codes such as NAICS sales – as you have already seen codes can be way too general. Find the actual items, the names of those items “official names” and your results will be much more accurate.
The “official name” is one of the keys for better results. You will spend less time looking for DoD opportunities and your results will be better.
BidLink is a provider of DoD procurement research tools and has been a leading provider of industry marketing data relating to DoD procurement and solicitations for the past 18 years. Find defense contracts and research competition. Learn more at www.bidlink.net
Tweet